So after replacing (by a mechanic) both front u joints, upper and lower ball joints all around. tie rod ends still good, and steering box...i had an alignment. tires are straight no tilt...steering wheel was way crooked to the right....now is straight going down the road straight. BUT!
It pulls very hard to the right! if i let the steering wheel go it tilts slightly to the right and veers hard to the right. the alignment shop says when i replaced the steering box i replaced it off the boxes center, so the steering box is trying to return to zero, thats why it pulls to the right...tjey also stste an alignmemt will not fix this. this what they told me to fix it: to get a long and wide enough area...drive it slowly and let go of the steering wheel until it drives with the wheel in its settled position. then drop the pitman arm and turn the steering wheel level and buzz the pitman arm back on. then realignment.
WHAT I THINK: if the steering box is off zero...if i take the pitman arm off and turn the wheel to the left to level then put it back on...its going to still pull to the right still bevause i moved ot more to the left off zero. What i think is do exactly what they say with the exception of disconecting the input shaft, then turning the wheel to the left then reconnecting the input and then that should hopefully should bring the box to zero.


what do you all recomend??? is any of this "steering box off center" even my problem or do these people just not know how to do alignments?

 

I'll go with the last ten words but I don't know. Where I'm at in AZ for the first time in my life I got a guy that does an excellent job of alignment.

 

They are idiots. Eat the cost and find a new shop

 

I agree with Mike. The pitman arm splines are "clocked". It will only fit on the shaft one way.

 

mine is not clocked. It has grooves and fits on many different ways.

 

they are considered the best alignment shop around that i know of.

 

There should be wide splines every 90° so that the pitman arm will only go on in one position that will steer the truck.

 

i can see a steering wheel being off center but it's the shops job to make it drive straight. That's the point of an alignment. I have seen some vehicles that no matter what you do you can't get the wheel center without tearing it all apart and put it back together a couple times to get the wheel centered

 

ah yes your right, i believe there are 4 of them. So i would have to turn it 1/4 at a time. I think i am just going to try it their way. They said the second alignmemt is free to bring it back after i do as they instructed. If it isnt fixed still after that, or at least close...im going to become a dick and start getting free labor...

 

Driving at least straight down the road is the most important. If it does drive straight (no pull) and the steering wheel is crooked...i dont care. It would be as easy as disconnecting the rag joint and turning the wheel straight and reconnect...i hope...unless the input is also clocked...then ill just drive it crooked. My point being...i just want the dam thing to drive straight with little to no pull.

 

A few quick questions.... Did it drive straight before the alignment? Have you jacked the front-end up and started the truck with the tires straight to see if it's the new box pulling off center? Checked to see if the brakes are dragging?

 

Every case of a vehicle pulling to one side that I've ever experienced has been caused by caster and/or camber being out of adjustment. Did the shop give you a computer printout of their alignment results?

Other possibilities, as already mentioned, are a dragging brake and maybe a low tire, but it would probably have to be really low. High crowned roads can also cause pulling but it doesn't sound like that's the case here.

Not saying that it couldn't be caused by some sort of steering box issue, I've just never run across it.

 

I had a '90 F450 that had sector issues and it would turn all the way to the right if started with the tires off the ground. I only asked because he said the box was replaced also.

 

no they did not give me a computer printout. I do not have a floor jack nor stands to lift it up. At the moment i am stuck on a thermastat replacement and leaky fuel pressure regulator before i finish with the alignmemt issue.