I have an 86 f150

There is massive play in the steering, like 1/4 turn in either direction before the wheels start turning, and it's constantly wandering while driving. Ive experienced this in dodge trucks and a borgesson shaft fixed it 100%. Ive got under the hood and can twist the steering shaft by hand back and forth with the truck off. Ive also had someone in the truck turn the wheel (truck running) and I see the shaft moving in the steering gear before the gear engages.

I cannot tell if this is a worn shaft issue or a steering gear issue. Before I order a borgesson shaft I was hoping someone could help guide me in how to tell if its the steering gear thats worn out?

 

I would think it would be easy to see with a helper.
With them moving the wheel left/right so the tires just start to move look at the shaft and the input shaft to the box.


If the shaft is moving more than the box input shaft then there would be something wrong with the shaft.
If the shaft & box input shaft move the same then the box is bad.


Now with the helper moving the wheel even more check to see if the box is moving and the frame is not. If so then you have a cracked frame. They make a repair kit for this I hear.


Now with the wheel moving more you can check the tie rod ends for play too.
Being you are under there check the suspension bushings and ball joints.
Dave ----

 

I'm currently going through this myself, and while I thought mine was bad, it's nowhere near as sloppy as a 1/4 turn in either direction.

Like Fuzzface said above, you probably need somebody to turn the wheel for you while you look under the hood. You can put an adjustable wrench on the flats of the steering shaft to hold it. Check the rag joint as well.

I just changed my steering gear, twice in a row, and they seem to have a little bit of slop between the input and output. That might be issue with my original box being worn out, and poor quality in the two Napa reman boxes I installed.

In any case, I've moved on to suspension stuff, and I've got lots of slop there too. I'm not messing around with any more steering wander diagnosis until after I get the suspension refreshed. If the thing has any slop left in it after I rehab all of the suspension bushings and joints, my last ditch effort will be to install one of those RedHead steering gears.

 

It's 30 years old.... You REALLY want this right?......
Change out everything.
Radius Arm Bushings
Upper and lower Ball joints.
Inner and outer tie rods.
**Rembrant***, Pay attention here....
Get a Red Head steering box.
ANY slop in the steering shaft, replace.
Ford boxes of this era, did not use bearings and matched races, the bearing wears grooves in the box casting. "New-rebuilt" boxes are just as sloppy cause they replace only the bearing, but it rests on a worn "race" area" Red head machines out the castings and install races and bearings.

Ask me how I know........

 

Yes, correct.

 

I was paying attention here, don't worry!

So, I just finished buttoning everything back up yesterday. I installed new everything, and used all good Moog stuff as well...

Axle pivot bushings
Upper and lower ball joints
Inner and outer tie-rods
New radius arms and bushings
New shocks
Rubber spring seats
New RH wheel bearing and seal

On top of that, I've rebuilt the steering column, and replaced the steering gear (twice).

The only thing I have not replaced, and maybe I should have, is the rag joint. I'm going to grab one today.

The steering is still sloppy, but I believe it is all in the reman box. I figured, if I have to buy a new RedHead box, then there would be no harm in adjusting the new one I have now. It did improve, by quite a bit actually, but it's still not quite right. In defense of the poor old truck, it is in bad need of an alignment now after all this work, so I'll get that done first and go from there.

Something I haven't checked yet are the rear leaf bushings/mounts or whatever they're called.

 

Rear leaf spring eyelet bushings.


The ones you really need to check are the front ones as they push/pull the truck. The rear ones are along for the ride as they move as the spring flexes.


Don't over look the U bolts being loose but that happens once in 1000 times.
Dave ----

 

How does one go about changing the spring eyelet bushings?

 

I have not done it but thinking it has to be close to doing the front TB bushings.

When I pulled the rear springs on my 2 trucks I just checked that they were not all busted up before I put the good set of springs back in.
Dave - - - -

 

I was thinking more about how to get the front of the leaf spring down to where I can work on it? I just changed my front beam bushings, and they weren't so bad...but I had the beams on the bench.

I think every single piece of rubber in this truck is rotten.

 

Oh ok got it.
I don't know what you have tool wise but to drop the front of the spring lift the frame pull bolt and spring should drop.

I have an air chisel to drive out the old one.
Then I would use threaded rod and washers to "press it" back in place.

Then again I would most likely go with prothan bushings if doing them,
Dave - - - -