HEY GUYS, I HAVE A 78 BRONCO NON LIFTED AS I CAN TELL... NEW PLOY BUSINGS RADIUS AND +2 C BUSHINGS AND DRAG LINK, AND SWAY BAR BUSHINGS, ALL NEW SYYJACKER HYDO7000'S SHOCKS ALL 6 ON TRUCK. DUAL STEERING STABILZERS,, NEW RED HEAD STEERING GEARBOX, NEW BC BRONCO DUAL ADJUSTABLE STEERING LINKAGE FROM ONE SIDE TO ANOTHER.. STEERING SHAFT LOOK VERY TIGHT, AND RAG JOINT APPPEARS TO BE GOOD, NO LOOSENESS. HERE IS THE PROBLEM.......GOING DOWN THE ROAD OK, BUT A LITTLE LOOSE FOR MY TASTES. THE WIFE REFUSES TO DRIVE IT, BECAUSE IT DOES NOT STEER BACK TO CENTER EASILY, L\KINDA HAVE TO OVER STEER TO GET IT BACK TO CENTER, THE I NEED TO COUNTER STEER TO GET STARIGHT FROM GOING TOO FAR THE OTHER WAY. ONLY THING NOT REPLACED IS THE FROTN STEERING KNUCKLE BALL JOINTS... BUT APPEAR TO BE GOOD. DIDD HAVE A TIGHT TURN TODAY AND FELT LIKE STEERING WAS LOCKED AND LOST ASSIST, BUT DIDN'T.. THE SLOWED DOWN AND HAD IT BACK AND DID OK. I KNOW THE TOE WAS GOOD LAST TIME I HAD IT ON THE ALIGNMENTRACK. AND HAS ALL NEW WHEEL BEARINS INNER AND OUTTERS AND PROPPERLY GREASED.. NOW, ANY IDEAS? AND WILL THE STARIGHT AXLE BALL JOINTS CASUE THIS REACTION? FEELS LIKE LOOSE FRONT END? NEVER HAD A STRIGHT AXLE TRUCK IN 4X4 BEFORE... LOOKING FOR IDEAS? THANKS.. HELL. OVER 10K INT THIS THING AND NEED TO FIX STEERING OR WIFE NEEDS ME TO SELL IT...!!!!
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Reading all the capitalized words is tiring. I stopped one sentence into your post because the caps are annoying.

Show us some courtesy, please.

 

sorry for the caps being on. nothing ment by it.. no big deal to me.... just looking for some info...

 

Try tightening the worm in you're steering box.. may help may not I took about 2" of play out of my steering wheel that way

 

New or rebuilt?

Could the gear box be binding form worm gear too tight?

Possible weak power steering pump?

Have you tried jacking the front end up (both tires off the ground) and while leaving the engine off, turn the wheel from stop to stop to check for binding at a certain spot?

 

The guy that had my truck before me tightened the worm way too much and it would bind and the wheels would feel locked.. good point I forgot about that one

 

4x4ers are famous for backing off the steering knuckle stops in order to get a slightly tighter turning radius. This will give you an almost "locked up" feeling when straightening out your wheels from hard over one way or the other. The Ford Dana 44 in your Bronco seems especially susceptible to this.
It's reluctance to return to center, as well as most wandering issues, could well be caused by your caster being off. With your Bronco level, the center line through the top and bottom ball joints should be angled towards the back +/- 6 degrees from vertical. Many off-the-shelf bolt on suspension mods can screw up caster angles. Have a reputable(and I stress "reputable") 4x4 shop check these out for you. Properly correcting caster angle involves some minor cutting and welding, NOT using angle shims. Angle shims work ok for the rear but I never use them in the front. Though I have never seen an accident caused by failing shims I have seen too many them break and slip to ever trust them.
Also, stand where you can watch the steering box while someone turns the steering wheel from stop to stop. Watch the frame where the steering box is mounted for flex. If it flexes at all then the frame rail will eventually fatigue and break. This is very common on Ford half tons with larger tires. There are aftermarket steering box brackets that prevent this from happening.

 

Also (please don't take me as condescending, I'm not trying to be) compared to today's rack and pinion front end vehicles, these things drive like a drunk horse. I learned how to drive in the seventies and have always owned old vehicles. Counter steer for me is more intuitive than conscious effort.
My point is that if you and your wife were raised driving sweet steering modern vehicles, switching to a 80 plus(albeit with some improvements) year old design may create some culture shock.

 

HE HE ON THE WIFE ISSUE...., I AM A FULLY CERTED TECH, WITH ACCESS TO ALL EQUIPMENT, JUST NEVER HAD AN OLD STRIGHT AXLE BRONCO BEFORE, I ADDED THE POLY BUSHING ALL THE WAY AROUND, NO LIFT ONLY HAS 32" ON IT. DID THE T-BIRD/F350 BRAKES, REBUILT ABOUT EVERYTHING ON IT. WENT TO DRIVE IT SINCE REDONE, AND HANDLES VERY WEIRD... I MUST HAV A CASTER OFF AND NEED TO SEE ABOUT ADDING CASTER TO GAIN STEER BACK.. BUT WAS MENTIONED TO ME THAT I MAY HAVE THE C BUSHINGS UPSIDE DOWN, POSIBBLEABILITY, I AM HUMAN... WILL CHECK NEXT CHANCE I GET. ALO MAYBE THE RADUID ARM BUSHINGS KIT FIT A LITTLE DIFFERANT AND ARE PULLING THE AXLE BACK BECING TIGHTER? WAS THINKG OF SHIMING IT FOWARD @3/8-1/2" MAY MAKE ALL THE DIFFERNACE IN THE WORLD? OR IS THERE A BETTER KIT TO DO THIS, THAT I AM NOT AWARE OF. I AM A GM TECH BY THE DAY..FIXING GM'S MISTAKES... HE HE HE . BUILD MOPAR RACE CARS, AND HAVE MY FIRST REAL BLUE OVAL TRUCK... GETTING ITO THEM. JUST NEEDING SOME INSIGHT.

 

Caps are still on . Hows that for insight ?__

 

well yes they were still on, who cares. i used the caps to log in for password... just never turned them off. aint yelling at anubody, hell; i find it easier to read. eyesite getting bad these days time for bi-focals i guess.... i'm just not sure why people have so much issue with reading posts and then complining about how typed of written..
. this is suposed to be a help eachother out forum, im i wrong? not a bashing forum..
just my 2 cents worth.. ok getting off my soap box, i have to use it to do laundry...
laters.........

 

Okay , who cares to help you , not me and i have some answers for you , but not now.

HIO Silver ' ask you in a nice way to turn them off so it will be easy to read. Nobody here said you were shouting and i just reminded you they were still on. So if that's bashing then tuff luck to you.__

 

Hey Dewitt getting beyond all that,keep us informed on your situation,hopefully you will soon work that out,safety wise,and it might help someone else.thanks

 

I took my 75 F-150 , 2wd, to the local Firestone store. The have the latest and greatest
front end equipment. They can diagnose what needs adjusting and whats shot.
You install the new parts and Firestone will align it.