Tie Rod / Rubber Boot
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 9,601
Likes: 1,174
From: San Jose, CA
You probably need to back that screw back of the same amount or you might not be driving the truck for long.
Depending on how much preload you added (if any) you can severely wear down the gear teeth inside from over-pressure each and every time they pass the on-center position. Wherever that might happen to be.
That is a preload setting used during assembly only. Yes, it can then be used down the road to make up for some little bit of wear and tear, but even then it's not supposed to be used for that according to things I've read in the past.
But most of us do it anyway, when our boxes get so worn out there is only the one thing to do before a full tear-down and rebuild.
Or you can read the book and re-adjust it according to spec and maybe have the best of both worlds. A bit of a tighter box and a litle longer life.
Good luck.
Paul
Depending on how much preload you added (if any) you can severely wear down the gear teeth inside from over-pressure each and every time they pass the on-center position. Wherever that might happen to be.
That is a preload setting used during assembly only. Yes, it can then be used down the road to make up for some little bit of wear and tear, but even then it's not supposed to be used for that according to things I've read in the past.
But most of us do it anyway, when our boxes get so worn out there is only the one thing to do before a full tear-down and rebuild.
Or you can read the book and re-adjust it according to spec and maybe have the best of both worlds. A bit of a tighter box and a litle longer life.
Good luck.
Paul
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 9,601
Likes: 1,174
From: San Jose, CA
Oh, and you might as well find out where the center spot is at this point anyway. If something moved it's at least good to know.
You will need to disconnect the box from the linkage so that there is no limiter, then turn the wheel from stop to stop, counting the number of turns exactly.
Then go back exactly half-way to center.
I've heard that there is sometimes a slight discrepancy and that the only way to find it for sure is to measure things internally. I don't know how correct that is, but I do know you can at least get it there most of the time, or pretty darn close, by turning the wheel.
If it turns out the box is centered and the wheel is off, then you can pull the steering wheel and re-center. Unless as the others have said that after '78 you could no longer do that.
Might have been a good reason for that too, as re-centering the wheel only while leaving the box off-center is not a good idea.
If that's the case for you, maybe you can remove the coupler down at the box and turn the shaft and wheel that way? Not sure on that, as I don't remember what kind of "key" they use at the box.
Paul
You will need to disconnect the box from the linkage so that there is no limiter, then turn the wheel from stop to stop, counting the number of turns exactly.
Then go back exactly half-way to center.
I've heard that there is sometimes a slight discrepancy and that the only way to find it for sure is to measure things internally. I don't know how correct that is, but I do know you can at least get it there most of the time, or pretty darn close, by turning the wheel.
If it turns out the box is centered and the wheel is off, then you can pull the steering wheel and re-center. Unless as the others have said that after '78 you could no longer do that.
Might have been a good reason for that too, as re-centering the wheel only while leaving the box off-center is not a good idea.
If that's the case for you, maybe you can remove the coupler down at the box and turn the shaft and wheel that way? Not sure on that, as I don't remember what kind of "key" they use at the box.
Paul
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