loose steering
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 191
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loose steering
The steering on my 08 F250 (41k miles) is loose. With the wheels straight, I can turn it to the one o'clock position and the eleven o'clock position before the wheels begin to turn. Sometimes I feel like I'm driving a bumper car where you have to crank on the steering wheel before it turns! I read some old posts that says the steering gear box could be loose and can be corrected by going through the steering gear meshload adjustment procedure. While the procedure does not seem overly complicated, it does require removal of the airbag, pittman arm, and measuring a peak preload torque and a peak on-center torque. Has anyone gone through this procedure? It looks impossible to get to the adjusting nuts on top of the steering gear box. Will this even fix my problem?
I'm not sure I want to tackle this job, but I dread going to the ford dealer. It won't be cheap and I'm afraid they will tell me I need a new front end.
Maybe I'll get lucky and you guys will tell me my steering is normal and I just have to get use to it.
I'm not sure I want to tackle this job, but I dread going to the ford dealer. It won't be cheap and I'm afraid they will tell me I need a new front end.
Maybe I'll get lucky and you guys will tell me my steering is normal and I just have to get use to it.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,022
Likes: 4
From: Redford, Mi.
I don't know about all that technical torque testing and what not, have someone move the wheel back and forth as you observe the pitman arm. If the slop is in the gearbox try adjusting it, if it gets better to your liking fine, if you need more go more, but I would only go 1/4 turn at a time. If you go for a test drive after adjusting it and it feels tight or won't return like it did, back off, if none of the above maybe it's time for a new box.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 191
Likes: 1
Well, maybe I don't need to go exactly by the procedure. Is it as simple as loosening the locknut and then rotating the meshload screw clockwise to tighten the steering? Do I need to separate the draglink from the pittman arm?
I'm still not sure how to get to the meshload screw. I may be able to get too it from the bottom, but this would be doing it blind.
I'm still not sure how to get to the meshload screw. I may be able to get too it from the bottom, but this would be doing it blind.
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2014
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,267
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Did you determine for sure it's the steering box with the play in it?
I think changing the screw is only good if you only have a tiny bit of play.
I think changing the screw is only good if you only have a tiny bit of play.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2002
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