Trouble shooting 101. Start simple. You now have play in several spots where you (may) didn't before. The steering linkages, ball joints etc... have nylon and steel sockets. Google a cutaway view of these parts. With age(your case)/miles/lack of grease/abuse they get brittle. When accident jarred by running over something you've now loosened up a ball joint, a tie-rod end etc...If several were exposed to the accident shock you have a cumulative effect now. A little slop on 2 or 3 components equals a lot additively. Now add a slightly loose box and rag joint; now you see where Im going...Dont rule out a bad control arm bushing. A bushing can visually and statically inspect ok yet present movement when loaded with the vehicle weight while in motion.
If this truck came to me to get fixed the first thing Id do is eliminate all front end chassis/steering play...track bar, BJs, steering linkage, tie rods, wheel hub bearings, etc...Road test. Still not perfect then yes then replace the steer gear and the rag joint.
FYI that adjuster on the box isnt really meant to be played with. There is a small amount of adjustment there buy not a lot. By over doing the preload you can cause internal damage to the worm gear.
Dont rule out a bad rag joint on the steering shaft too, especially one thats aged and has had accident shock.
If your still chasing your tail inspect the front outer UJoints. Bound/frozen front outer UJoints can cause all sorts of drivability anomalies.

 

Thanks for the update.

One thing that has been noticed by several forum members on the 2005-2010 steering boxes is some up/down play in the pitman shaft. It can be checked by gently prying up on the pitman shaft with a crowbar against the
track bar. I don't think there should be any play in it. I have tried to adjust mine with the top adj. screw to no avail, so I set it back where it was. I believe that is where the play in my steering may be coming from. You may want to have your mechanic check that while he is under there.

Let us know how things go with yours.

Tom

 

Stopped by yesterday since it's been in the shop for a week... He replaced the drag link, then apparently took another look at the ball joints and decided at least the passenger side ones need to be replaced. Once he is done with those, he will take another look at the drivers side and see where things are. Told him I need the truck the end of the week, probably a mistake to have told him I have another vehicle to drive in the meantime. Small 1-man shop, looks like he had a work truck come in that the guy needed, I'm OK with that. Should be out later this week and we'll see where things are. I have to take the trans for my Mustang to a shop that's about 2 hours away on Friday, told him I wanted the truck for that and it should give me a good drive to see how it's behaving or not behaving....

 

Thanks for the update.

Tom

 

Picked it up last night, so far so good. I'm not 100% convinced it's completely fixed but it's certainly a lot better than it was. Got it up to 75 for a short stretch on my way to work this morning and it seems OK, going on a 3-4 hour drive tomorrow to drop of the transmission for my mustang so that will tell me how things are.

Replaced ball joint on traction bar (according to receipt), replaced both passenger side ball joints. Said the lower ball joint nut was tight but when he went to remove it, the ball joint was spinning very easily so it was definitely shot. $600 out the door, I'm thinking that was pretty cheap...

 

And the verdict is.... fail.

Took the trailer out today to get it weighed, truck all over the road. If there was a rut in the lane, the truck wandered everywhere. Had a friend who has owned trucks for many years drive it and he said the same thing, wandering all over the road. We both got under it and it looks like the passenger side ball joints and tie rod were changed but not the joint on the drag bar like I thought was supposed to be changed. He thinks the steering box is ok but we both see too much movement in the drag link to pitman arm joint. I ordered a new moog drag bar but it wont be here in time for me to replace it before my trip so I'm going to be driving my car to the 2 shows the next 2 weeks instead of trailering. I just dont trust the truck enough to drive it that far.