Steering box replacement
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Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Ohio
Steering box replacement
Took the truck in this morning to have the alignment checked after having re-caps installed, because the steering felt a bit squirrely, meaning loose. Nope...alignment was only slightly off, to the point that the mechanic told me to not even worry about it. He said that the steering box needed replaced.
I remember adjusting it slightly in 2009 when I got the truck, and remember all the cautions that came with the job, that too much would destroy the worm gear.
Knowing this is the original gear box, and that the price on a replacement rebuild is under $150, how difficult will it be to do this job myself, with my son and my daughter's boyfriend doing the work while I supervise?
I replaced all ball joints and steering arms on it back in 2009, so my knowledge of the front end on this is there. However, back then, I had a garage and a concrete floor. Now I have a driveway made of gravel.
Is this something we can do in a few hours in the drive, or do I need to bite the bullet and sink some cash into an install on it?
I remember adjusting it slightly in 2009 when I got the truck, and remember all the cautions that came with the job, that too much would destroy the worm gear.
Knowing this is the original gear box, and that the price on a replacement rebuild is under $150, how difficult will it be to do this job myself, with my son and my daughter's boyfriend doing the work while I supervise?
I replaced all ball joints and steering arms on it back in 2009, so my knowledge of the front end on this is there. However, back then, I had a garage and a concrete floor. Now I have a driveway made of gravel.
Is this something we can do in a few hours in the drive, or do I need to bite the bullet and sink some cash into an install on it?
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,342
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From: Laramie, WY
I did mine in a driveway, but I'm a young guy. Wasn't too bad. To do it again I'd have a new pitman arm on hand in case the original is stubborn. I broke a puller removing mine. Used a lot of heat, hammer, and puller to get the old arm off but fought it for hours. A Dorman replacement is only around $40.
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From: Ohio
Ok, Boy child and girl child's boy will do the work. I went out, climbed under as best as I could, and surveyed the job. Looks to be a simple and straight-forward affair. Thanks for the tip on the pitman arm...I'll pick one up as a just in case, and return it if not needed.
Looks like a job for this weekend. Since my boy is too young for beer, but girl child's boy is of age, it will be paid for with beer and Mt Dew. Cheap, yet effective labor.
Looks like a job for this weekend. Since my boy is too young for beer, but girl child's boy is of age, it will be paid for with beer and Mt Dew. Cheap, yet effective labor.
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 665
Likes: 6
From: Detroit suburb
This may be what I am experiencing as a problem. Does yours simply require alot of steering input to keep in a straight line or do you have more issues when you are hitting bumps ?
Also, I thought there was a tension adjustment on the gear box, is this true for those that know ? If yes, did you try this ?
Also, I thought there was a tension adjustment on the gear box, is this true for those that know ? If yes, did you try this ?
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Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Ohio
You can adjust it, but too much and you break the worm gear.
There's too much play in the steering, requiring more effort than should be needed to keep it straight. I've already replaced ball joints, all tie rod ends as well as tie rods that were bent...did this in 2009, then put 285s on it. I just dropped down to 265s, and the looseness seemed to increase, propagating this last piece to be changed. I've known it was on it's way out, but kept putting off the inevitable.
There's too much play in the steering, requiring more effort than should be needed to keep it straight. I've already replaced ball joints, all tie rod ends as well as tie rods that were bent...did this in 2009, then put 285s on it. I just dropped down to 265s, and the looseness seemed to increase, propagating this last piece to be changed. I've known it was on it's way out, but kept putting off the inevitable.
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More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2014
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From: Plainfield, IN
The worn box mostly has the truck wandering with more steering input from the driver (even without bumpy roads). There is an adjustment on the box. Basically, you loosen the jamb nut on top of the box with a 5/8" gear wrench and you turn the stud clockwise until it bottoms out and back it off a quarter of a turn. My box is so worn out that this adjustment did not help much. As mentioned above, if the gear is worn, there is not much an adjustment will do to help.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2011
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The worn box mostly has the truck wandering with more steering input from the driver (even without bumpy roads). There is an adjustment on the box. Basically, you loosen the jamb nut on top of the box with a 5/8" gear wrench and you turn the stud clockwise until it bottoms out and back it off a quarter of a turn. My box is so worn out that this adjustment did not help much. As mentioned above, if the gear is worn, there is not much an adjustment will do to help.
If your just going to randomly adjust your box do it in 1/4 turn at a time and try it out.(don't crank it all the way down)
Turning it all the way down will if lucky break something, lock the box up or require so much effort to return to center that you would of wished you never touched it.
The proper way to adjust these boxes is to remove the pitman arm (or draglink) drain it off all fluid, turn it to just before lock and measure how much force it takes to move it (using the steering wheel nut to put your toruque wrench on to get your measurement) then go back to center and measure, then if you don't have I believe 9-15 in-lbs higher in the center measurement then the outer measurement then you turn the adjuster in till you reach the spec.
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From: Ohio
The last time I adjusted it 1/4 turn, the wheel didn't return to center. As old and abused as this truck was before I got it, it's time to replace. It's prior life was hauling construction equipment up and down the Wasatch Mountains in Utah as a mule. By the time I got it, most of the mechanicals were worn out and dog tired.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 242
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From: Oregon
The worn box mostly has the truck wandering with more steering input from the driver (even without bumpy roads). There is an adjustment on the box. Basically, you loosen the jamb nut on top of the box with a 5/8" gear wrench and you turn the stud clockwise until it bottoms out and back it off a quarter of a turn.
This is completely wrong! (Except the part if it's worn out)
If your just going to randomly adjust your box do it in 1/4 turn at a time and try it out.(don't crank it all the way down)
Turning it all the way down will if lucky break something, lock the box up or require so much effort to return to center that you would of wished you never touched it.
If your just going to randomly adjust your box do it in 1/4 turn at a time and try it out.(don't crank it all the way down)
Turning it all the way down will if lucky break something, lock the box up or require so much effort to return to center that you would of wished you never touched it.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 501
Likes: 0
From: Lincoln, NE
I'd like to add that the bolts that hold the gearbox to the frame can and do rust into the frame. The hardware stores do not stock replacements. If you are planning on replacing the gearbox, I suggest picking up a couple of replacement bolts from the U-Pull-It lot. I've found that the upper bolts are less likely to rust into the frame.
I tried adjusting mine on the '91 that I had without any luck. I'd plan on replacing it with a redhead steering gearbox.
I tried adjusting mine on the '91 that I had without any luck. I'd plan on replacing it with a redhead steering gearbox.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,674
Likes: 16
From: Ideeho
I personally wouldn't waste my money on an off the shelf parts house rebuild. I did this recently on my '78 F150 and the "rebuilt" one was sloppier than the one I took off. Check out Red heads website. They cost more but are worth the money. I put one on my '97 FSuperduty and do not regret spending the extra bucks.