86 150 4x4

This spring i replaced my ps pump and steering box. Its been about 6mo and im unhappy with the looseness of the wheel. It seems if you breathe on it it turns. I ride alot of curvy bumpy country roads. Will tightening the bolt on the box firm the wheel up for me? If yes what is the given correct way to do it?


I want to bleed my front brakes. I understand there is a valve with a small rod i need to pull out a bit. Is this true? Where is it located?

Thanks in advance!

 

Steering shouldn't be like that if you replaced the gear. The gear adjustment you are talking about is to compensate for wear on older units; it's a mesh adjustment.

Hold the steering shaft below the rag joint near the gear and see how much play there is. If there is much, you have a bad gear. (it should have been adjusted properly if it is new or rebuilt). The adjustment is touchy and can really mess things up if done improperly. Things like tight steering at the extremes, failure to return to center, etc.

There is a procedure outlined in the manual. I'll see if I can find it..

If that's OK, do the same thing holding the shaft above the rag joint. Play there would indicate a bad rag joint.

Then of course there is the drag link.

My '85 had the 'breath on it' steering also. I replaced the steering gear (from Rock Auto), the power steering pump and lines, as well as the steering shaft (Borgeson). After that, steering was back to having feel. Way better than the 1-finger steering it had.

 

Ill check that shaft out in the AM. How difficult of a job is that? Also, what am i looking for on the drag link?

 

Is your truck lifted at all? Are you running oversize tires? These make a big difference in handling.

Start with an inspection of the steering linkage as mentioned above. If everything looks good. You may want to have your alignment checked/changed. As you probably know the caster and camber angles are set using bushings at the upper ball joints. If the Caster angle is too low (low means closer to 0 degrees and negative degrees) that would make the truck "wander" all over the place.

Trucks have less positive caster when unloaded (since adding weight to the bed, lowers the back of the truck and therefore adds positive caster). If you drive with the truck unloaded most of the time, you may want your alignment shop to install alignment bushings that will increase the caster angle (like +5 to +7 degrees).


I forgot to mention the second part of your question.
You really don't need to do anything with the proportiong valve to bleed the front brakes - but the manual does show a tool (looks like a double-C clip) that pulls the metering rod forward on the pressure differential (metering) valve to open the fluid passage more for the front brakes. There is also a different style tool available that does the same thing http://shop.broncograveyard.com/Prop...ctinfo/12564T/ but I have not had to use it (and I have this tool).It is mainly needed for using "pressure" bleeding equipment (not manual bleeding).

 

The inspection process is easy. If you need to replace the shaft, the borgeson one expands and you just trim it to fit. Very easy job.

In terms of drag link, just look for play at the ball joints. Again, pretty straightforward.

 

I am a little confused with his description of the steering problem. Usually when something is loose, you can wiggle the wheel back and forth and the truck keeps going straight. Or you can hold the wheel straight, and the truck will dart to one side of the road or the other when it hits a bump.

If you have other problems, it might be alignment. What happens on a nice straight smooth road when you let go of the steering wheel? Sometimes we get used to driving a certain vehicle a certain way, and don't realize it.

Are you having to put pressure on the steering wheel in a certain direction constantly to keep it in the road? If you let go of the wheel and it takes off in a certain direction, you are and you do not realize you are doing so. That would indicate a tire problem or a alignment problem.

 

What he described is pretty classic. Mine had the same issue. The truck does't wander, but there is very little feedback in the steering. It turns SUPER SUPER easy. Like power steering on steroids.

There was some discussion about the PS pumps being over-driven, etc. but the issue for me was the gear and steering shaft.

For me, there really wasn't play while steering, but it was just way too easy. I did see play when I tested it at the gear and also above the rag joint, but it wasn't the classic presentation of wandering and constant steering input to keep it straight. Just, as I said, way too easy to steer.

It's possible for the gear to be too easy to turn but not be loose. Same with the drag link joints. In my case, the PS pump, gear and steering shaft fixed it all.

 

Thanks for all the replies fellas.

Thanks for the brake tip!

No there is no lift and alignment is good. 31" tires, up from a 30/9.50. Got a great deal.

Franklin, when im on a curvy road and hit a bump or enjoy a curve a bit much it wiggles the wheel in my hand by my body/arm movement. Its very very touchy. But it responds much better than the old box. The slop is gone but its almost too good , like shaking a 80 year old ladys hand. I am wanting a bit more feel.

My rag joint has no movement on the box side, tiny, tiny bit on the wheel side. Maybe 1/32". I did find my dust cover/rubber boot torn. Thats new to me. In the spring it was not torn. There is some visible grease in the boot but i know it does need replaced. Rest of the steering rods and ends look pretty good.


Thank yall for your tips, info, and help.

 

There is a TSB out on these trucks, about rivets in the crossmember near the steering box working loose, and also a lot of people are having cracked frames near the box mounting bolts.

 

Mine's had a crossmember repair in the crotch of the crossmember by the steering box, that was done in 2005.