I just bought a 1978 f250 as my first vehicle sense I'm 16. The other day I thought the power steering pump was going bad seeing as though the sterring was hard to turn and the fluid was full. My question is if that the power steering on a 1978 f250 is normally hard and also I have about 3-4" of slop in the steering I dont know if that would cause the power steering problem or not

 

Welcome to FTE. A bad pump/slipping belt causes bad or no p/s. A bad steering shaft u joint (if its 4x4, bad rag joint if 2wd) or bad steering box causes steering slop.

Borgeson Universal Company :: Ford Truck 1970-04

Bleed p/s the FORD way and it works every time!!!
1- Hook everything up
2- Fill with fluid
3- Jack up front of truck off of ground (Both front wheels)
4- Disconnect or Disable coil (So Truck CANNOT start)
5- Turn Steering wheel lock to lock about 5 to 10 times
6- Top off Fluid
7- Repeat Step 5
8- Repeat Step 6 (top off fluid)
9- Crank engine over (Ignition Disabled) and turn steering lock to lock 5 to 10 times
10- Repeat Step 6 (top off fluid)
11- Repeat Step 9
12- Repeat Step 6 (top off fluid)
13- Enable Ignition
14- Start Truck and turn Lock to Lock 5-10 times
15- Turn off Truck
16- Repeat Step 6 (top off fluid)
17- Repeat Step 14
18- Repeat Step 15
19- Repeat Step 6 (top off fluid)
20- Let Truck Down off of Jacks or jack Stands
21- Repeat Step 14
22- Steering should work just fine, have all the air bled out and have a quiet pump to boot!!!

For the steering - Start by adjusting the slack adjuster - it will be a locknut over what appears to be a bolt with a screwdriver slot. Put a screwdriver into the slot to hold it and back off the locknut. Slowly turn the screwdriver clockwise while rotating the steering shaft back and forth until there's very little to no play. Hold adjustment bolt and tighten the locknut. With power steering this is done with the engine running. Once the slack is adjusted out of the steering box, look at the top of the steering column (still under the hood) under the master cylinder. There's a heavy fiber washer (sometimes referred to as a rag joint) (1/2 ton only) that makes a coupling in the column, usually this is worn out and the cause for excessive steering play.

Steering adj #2 all you have to do is on the steering box you will see a threaded screw with a jamb nut keeping it locked down. put a screw driver on the screw and loosen the jamb nut, then with the jamb nut loose , tighten the screw till it stopes, then back off counter clockwise for one full turn, then holding the screw, lock down the jamb nut. take the truck for a ride and see how it feels, if it is still too sloppy, loosen the jamb nut and turn clockwise a quarter of a turn and retighten the jamb nut. if the steering is too hard or feels like its binding , hold the jamb nut and loosen the set screw a quarter of a turn from your initial setting.

 

Good write up! Also check the little plastic bushing on the end of the steering column.

 

Fordmotorsport1 are you talking about that little plastic white busing right next to the firewall? Because that has substantial slop but I can't find that part in any catalogs it on the internet

 

Go over to Bronco Grave Yard. I bought a metal bushing from them to replace the weak plastic one. It takes a little more work and modification, but its much more robust than the factory one.

 

X2 on that I used a McMaster Carr catalog, bought a bearing and tack welded it in place.

 

Is the part number off of Broncogeaveyard 22857? its called a lower shaft joint assembly repair kit