My 89 in loose, know I'll be needing my replaced soon, not looking forward to it, covid shut downs damaged many shops, I know the radiator shop here was barely hanging on due to inability to get the cores like they used to, can't even get the high amp internals for my 3G alternator upgrade, discontinued, flooded with Chinese junk on top of not being able to find quality parts.

 

Thanks for the info and your thoughts CyberEric
Interesting that the price is around 100 less at this site than direct from Blue Top. I wonder if they are authorized distributor?
https://dalessuperstore.com/i-239146...co-ranger.html

I am going to buy a Ford TSB book that covers my 88 E150 so I can check to see if all of the TSB's have been done. One of the TSB' s mentions slop in the steering and needing to adjust the steering gear. I do not believe mine was ever done. That means that it was lose for over 125k before I adjusted it the first time. It still had some play in it. After driving it 2 more years I adjusted it again and now it only has about a inch of play before it responds. I don't know if it made any difference on the wear with it being too loose from the start.

Another TSB was concerning chirping belt. I had to press the PS pulley on a bit more to fix that. Another was the oil dip stick being incorrect. I had to change the oil and filter then mark the dip stick. If not it took 7 quarts to fill!

Ford should be able to print them outfor you unless like they told me, mines too old and they don't have them anymore. Mine is $10

 

My understanding is that Blue Top does not have an off the shelf solution for E-series vans. You have to send it in. Maybe it's different for your van as it is older, but that's what they told me a year ago. Maybe that has changed tho.

 

According to Rock auto, the same gear box fits E150 and F150. I have a master parts catalog but don't have time to look it up right now as i am still learning how to use the PDF catalog and it can take some time to find!

Advance auto lists 2 different ones for my 88 E150 and 3 different ones for the F150 but 2 of them are the same part number.
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/fi...gear-box.c5286

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/fi...gear-box.c5286

 

Gotcha. Must be different for the older vans, or maybe Blue Top has changed what they offer.

 

They made sector shafts with both 3 and 4 dead splines
They also made reverse rotation control valves in case the gear was for or aft of the front wheels
That is why the parts houses list a few gears

 

I remember the 70's trucks were aft the axle, my 73 Econoline had a bellcrank, sure happy to see that no longer used.
What do you think about remanufactured vs new, I saw new Motorcraft boxes, will need to do my 89 as its loose?

 

I say you work on your own gear and skip the remans
I have never seen a reman that was adjusted correctly, and that I did not have to deal with twice
Most of what people think is a gear loose is actually the lower shaft loose
You need to grab hold of the rag joint and the sector shaft to make the adjustment
You go back and forth from centered several times during the procedure
That makes you get it tight but not too tight
Being what I assume is handicapped, yours, maples01 might need an adjustment is you have been steering it with a suicide **** all these years
Most cars and trucks never need an adjustment

 

It was loose when I got it, not been able to put 1000 miles on it yet, been spending all my time practically rebuilding it, rust repair, now its in the shop because it won't run right. I did find it strange that having only 70,000 miles the steering was so loose, got it with an aftermarket steering wheel that someone striped the adapter so bad the wheel wiggled around, I put the factory one back on while I was replacing the floor, didn't require a puller, just lifted off. I haven't looked at the ragjoint yet, almost scared to, never trust anyone, I was told it was bought new and only driven to fleamarkets, he must have drove through the ocean to get there, I miss my 73. The shop I've gotten to do some stuff for me suggested a damper, I call them bandaids as they are often used to cover up steering issues, they are really necessary when you have a 4x4 with oversize tires, but that may be an option. I swapped out my stock rims and tires for 10 wide rims with 275/60 and was surprised it had no affect in tightening the steering, stayed the same, it had a set of 1980 AMC Jeep rims on it. Ah well, gonna spend the rest of my life rebuilding this thing it seems, maybe one day I can actually drive it.

 

I had been driving a van without power steering for 10 years, but I gauge my experience of this one with my 99 E350, I've had it 22 years, it was never this loose, if I had someone to pull it, and a place to do the work, I wouldn't mind rebuilding it, if I could get good quality parts, tho not sure I could adjust it correctly, may just have the jam nut cranked on this one and pray for the best.