steering adjustment- need help
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 102
Likes: 20
steering adjustment- need help
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 29-May-02 AT 09:20 PM (EST)]Somebody mentioned to me that I can tighten up my power steering in my 95 f-150 by making an adjustment on the power steering box. There is a nut that I need to loosen, and then a straight blade screwdriver adjustment to the bolt. Does anyone have a clue what I'm talking about? If so, how much to loosen/tighten, and does it really work? My steering wheel has a little bit of play to it before it actually turns, not too much. I just wanted to tighten it up a little so the steering is a little more sensitive.
New User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: OAK CREEK USA
steering adjustment- need help
I have a 1996 F150 4x4 ext. cab. with 160,000 miles on it.
It is in great shape, but There was always play in the steering wheel.
I liked the steering on the minivan I have. nice and tight.
I read the haynes book and the chiltons manual.
I read about the adjusting screw on the steering box.
There is a adjusting screw and a lock nut that holds the screw in position.
What I did was -- loosen the lock nut a little. This allowed me to turn the adjusting screw 1/8 turn clockwise. Then I tightened the lock nut back down.
The lock nut is about a 5/8" wrench size.
The adjusting screw is about a 1/8" allen head screw in the middle of the lock nut.
This job took about 5 minutes, and the steering is nice.....
Best wishes,
Gene
It is in great shape, but There was always play in the steering wheel.
I liked the steering on the minivan I have. nice and tight.
I read the haynes book and the chiltons manual.
I read about the adjusting screw on the steering box.
There is a adjusting screw and a lock nut that holds the screw in position.
What I did was -- loosen the lock nut a little. This allowed me to turn the adjusting screw 1/8 turn clockwise. Then I tightened the lock nut back down.
The lock nut is about a 5/8" wrench size.
The adjusting screw is about a 1/8" allen head screw in the middle of the lock nut.
This job took about 5 minutes, and the steering is nice.....
Best wishes,
Gene
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,124
Likes: 1
From: Rural Florida Panhandle
steering adjustment- need help
The procedure for adjusting the steering box is most often with the wheels lifted and under no tension. This is a real pain, so most of the time when I make this adjustment, I do it a little at a time, test drive, then compensate, etc. The main caution is don't get it too tight. This is particularly important with manual steering. The symptom is a "sticking" in the straight-ahead position.
I always lift one side at a time and grab the tire with both hands to feel any loose play in the steering mechanism (not the box) before making any adjustments. I have had new inner tie-rods have loose play. Sometimes I even get a helper to move the steering wheel through the loose play point while I feel each moving compontent in the steering system. It is much easier to feel the loose play than see it.
Good Luck.
Winford
I always lift one side at a time and grab the tire with both hands to feel any loose play in the steering mechanism (not the box) before making any adjustments. I have had new inner tie-rods have loose play. Sometimes I even get a helper to move the steering wheel through the loose play point while I feel each moving compontent in the steering system. It is much easier to feel the loose play than see it.
Good Luck.
Winford
