steering wheel adjustment
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steering wheel adjustment
When I had a local shop replace the pitman arms on a new steering box for my ride, they must have been off a couple notches on the spline b/c now my steering wheel is off about 45 degrees.
Was gonna pull it off and realign it and bolt it back on.
Anything to worry about there with basically pulling horn cover and loosening bolt and using a puller? I don't have an airbag or cruise control to content with but wanted to verify that it is splined so that I can adjust back into correct position before I go digging in.
Thanks,
Was gonna pull it off and realign it and bolt it back on.
Anything to worry about there with basically pulling horn cover and loosening bolt and using a puller? I don't have an airbag or cruise control to content with but wanted to verify that it is splined so that I can adjust back into correct position before I go digging in.
Thanks,
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,647
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From: Exton, PA
no experience with this myself, but I have read that removing the steering wheel is a real bear on our trucks.
I may have to do it myself sometime soon, so i'll be following this thread to see how you make out.
I may have to do it myself sometime soon, so i'll be following this thread to see how you make out.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,739
Likes: 14
From: Vale, NC
Its super easy. You dont pull the wheel you adjustthe drag link from the pitman arm to the pass wheel - on my f350 4x4 anyway. There is an adjustable collar. Loose the 2 bolts and use a pipe wrench to get it turning. You will discoverfast which way moves the steering left or right. Tighten bots anddone.
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I had thought about that but I wasn't sure if it would affect the fresh alignment I had made late last year after I replaced a drag link.
So you don't think I'll need to get an alignment after adjusting drag link over on pass. side?
thanks
So you don't think I'll need to get an alignment after adjusting drag link over on pass. side?
thanks
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Geary OK
No, it will move the wheel only. I have to do this on my Jeep about 2 times a year due to weak steering components.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,476
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From: Madison, WI
If it's the '95 F250 in your profile, and it's got the original TTB, this ^^^^^ WON'T work. You'd have to lengthen one side by the exact same amount as you shorten the other in order to retain the correct toe. F350 solid axle steering is a completely different animal.
Steering wheel goes on only one way. Even if you ground a new key spline, it really depends on whether they held the steering shaft at the center of its left-to-right travel. Since the wheel is off, I'd be willing to bet they didn't, and they should "re-clock" the pitman arm on its shaft so that the steering wheel is straight ahead when the road wheels are straight ahead.
Steering wheel goes on only one way. Even if you ground a new key spline, it really depends on whether they held the steering shaft at the center of its left-to-right travel. Since the wheel is off, I'd be willing to bet they didn't, and they should "re-clock" the pitman arm on its shaft so that the steering wheel is straight ahead when the road wheels are straight ahead.
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madpogue you are right. I forgot the 350 has a D60.
I actually removed the steering box myself and took both boxes to garage and had them replace the pitman arms since the box I put in was off a 2wd truck.
They put my pitman on the 2wd box. It looked as thought they were putting it back in the same place as I watched as he bolted it down. I put it back in the truck and had to clock my steering wheel actually almost 90 degrees to get it to slip over the spline. There is a flat on the shaft and the coupler that has to line up on the steering wheel end and the box end. So it didn't make sense to me other than they had the pitman arm clocked wrong when they pulled it off. I have no idea how I'd be able to figure out how to clock it correctly and that would require diggin into it again. I was hoping I have find an easier work around. So I guess another alignment is in order to get this right correct?
They'll have to break both sleeves loose and adjust them independently to clock wheel back into position. So if I understand you correctly, that's not something I should attempt since it affects toe correct?
I actually removed the steering box myself and took both boxes to garage and had them replace the pitman arms since the box I put in was off a 2wd truck.
They put my pitman on the 2wd box. It looked as thought they were putting it back in the same place as I watched as he bolted it down. I put it back in the truck and had to clock my steering wheel actually almost 90 degrees to get it to slip over the spline. There is a flat on the shaft and the coupler that has to line up on the steering wheel end and the box end. So it didn't make sense to me other than they had the pitman arm clocked wrong when they pulled it off. I have no idea how I'd be able to figure out how to clock it correctly and that would require diggin into it again. I was hoping I have find an easier work around. So I guess another alignment is in order to get this right correct?
They'll have to break both sleeves loose and adjust them independently to clock wheel back into position. So if I understand you correctly, that's not something I should attempt since it affects toe correct?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,739
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From: Vale, NC
madpogue you are right. I forgot the 350 has a D60.
I actually removed the steering box myself and took both boxes to garage and had them replace the pitman arms since the box I put in was off a 2wd truck.
They put my pitman on the 2wd box. It looked as thought they were putting it back in the same place as I watched as he bolted it down. I put it back in the truck and had to clock my steering wheel actually almost 90 degrees to get it to slip over the spline. There is a flat on the shaft and the coupler that has to line up on the steering wheel end and the box end. So it didn't make sense to me other than they had the pitman arm clocked wrong when they pulled it off. I have no idea how I'd be able to figure out how to clock it correctly and that would require diggin into it again. I was hoping I have find an easier work around. So I guess another alignment is in order to get this right correct?
They'll have to break both sleeves loose and adjust them independently to clock wheel back into position. So if I understand you correctly, that's not something I should attempt since it affects toe correct?
I actually removed the steering box myself and took both boxes to garage and had them replace the pitman arms since the box I put in was off a 2wd truck.
They put my pitman on the 2wd box. It looked as thought they were putting it back in the same place as I watched as he bolted it down. I put it back in the truck and had to clock my steering wheel actually almost 90 degrees to get it to slip over the spline. There is a flat on the shaft and the coupler that has to line up on the steering wheel end and the box end. So it didn't make sense to me other than they had the pitman arm clocked wrong when they pulled it off. I have no idea how I'd be able to figure out how to clock it correctly and that would require diggin into it again. I was hoping I have find an easier work around. So I guess another alignment is in order to get this right correct?
They'll have to break both sleeves loose and adjust them independently to clock wheel back into position. So if I understand you correctly, that's not something I should attempt since it affects toe correct?
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Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,476
Likes: 37
From: Madison, WI
^^^^ +1, esp. as bad as the TTB eats tires when it's not aligned right.
BTW, sig is the WRONG place for model info, for the exact reason above. Even old fogies like us who use those quaint old PCs often turn off sigs, since they waste so much screen space. Put your year/model in your profile, and it appears nice and neatly just below your name. Any more pertinent info (tranny type, miles, bed/cab, etc., but in the opening post of YOUR thread; that way it's where everyone can find it, and nobody has to read it on EVERY post, along with the pics and other extraneous stuff that's in waaay too many sigs.
BTW, sig is the WRONG place for model info, for the exact reason above. Even old fogies like us who use those quaint old PCs often turn off sigs, since they waste so much screen space. Put your year/model in your profile, and it appears nice and neatly just below your name. Any more pertinent info (tranny type, miles, bed/cab, etc., but in the opening post of YOUR thread; that way it's where everyone can find it, and nobody has to read it on EVERY post, along with the pics and other extraneous stuff that's in waaay too many sigs.
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Senior User
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Hey now. My model info is in my profile. Is it not showing up?
I hate to pay for another alignment but guess that's where I'm headed...Thanks guys.
I should have specified my rig so you all could see it in the post. I'll keep that in mind in future!
I hate to pay for another alignment but guess that's where I'm headed...Thanks guys.
I should have specified my rig so you all could see it in the post. I'll keep that in mind in future!
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,476
Likes: 37
From: Madison, WI
It's showing up; that's how I knew the drag link / tie rod info previously provided was not right. I figured F250, you DIDN'T mention a D60 swap in the opening post, so....
Hmm, mystery then. Maybe different brands of pitman arms have the key-splines in slightly different relative positions? Is there any leeway / wiggle room wrt. how the box mounts to the frame? How about how the shaft from the cab "clocks" to the box (IIRC, that's key-splined as well)? Sounds like the OP is gonna have to have a wheel centering done at least, if not a full-blown alignment.
Hmm, mystery then. Maybe different brands of pitman arms have the key-splines in slightly different relative positions? Is there any leeway / wiggle room wrt. how the box mounts to the frame? How about how the shaft from the cab "clocks" to the box (IIRC, that's key-splined as well)? Sounds like the OP is gonna have to have a wheel centering done at least, if not a full-blown alignment.
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I couldnt tell. They looked identical except for a fatter p arm on the 4x4 version. Really strange. I was hoping I could clock one end or the other on the steering shaft. but yes both ends of SS are keyed splines so I was outta luck bc shaft had to go back into wheel and steering shaft the same way. This is crazy.