Steering Gear
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 173
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From: Meridian ID
Steering Gear
Well it's been forever since I've logged in and since I now have to drive my 89 F150 2WD every day to commute to work I'll be back looking for insight ;-)
To make a long story short I was trying to improve my steering and I messed with the adjustment screw on top of the steering gear. I know...
Anyway, now it's a bit "wonky". The truck was in bad need of rebuilding the front end but it drove straight down the road it just had that really mushy feel the trucks are well known for. I now know I should have started with the rag joint and then worked on front end parts.
I'll try and describe how it drives now, it used to float now it feels like I feel every rut in the highway and the steering doesn't work and then it grabs.
I've honestly lost track of where the adjustment screw started so should I loosen or tighten it?
I know I'm a dummy, lesson learned.
To make a long story short I was trying to improve my steering and I messed with the adjustment screw on top of the steering gear. I know...
Anyway, now it's a bit "wonky". The truck was in bad need of rebuilding the front end but it drove straight down the road it just had that really mushy feel the trucks are well known for. I now know I should have started with the rag joint and then worked on front end parts.
I'll try and describe how it drives now, it used to float now it feels like I feel every rut in the highway and the steering doesn't work and then it grabs.
I've honestly lost track of where the adjustment screw started so should I loosen or tighten it?
I know I'm a dummy, lesson learned.
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 12,830
Likes: 2,435
By over tightening the screw it sounds like you have damaged the gear.
5th Wheeling
Joined: Nov 2025
Posts: 46
Likes: 21
Well it's been forever since I've logged in and since I now have to drive my 89 F150 2WD every day to commute to work I'll be back looking for insight ;-)
To make a long story short I was trying to improve my steering and I messed with the adjustment screw on top of the steering gear. I know...
Anyway, now it's a bit "wonky". The truck was in bad need of rebuilding the front end but it drove straight down the road it just had that really mushy feel the trucks are well known for. I now know I should have started with the rag joint and then worked on front end parts.
I'll try and describe how it drives now, it used to float now it feels like I feel every rut in the highway and the steering doesn't work and then it grabs.
I've honestly lost track of where the adjustment screw started so should I loosen or tighten it?
I know I'm a dummy, lesson learned.
To make a long story short I was trying to improve my steering and I messed with the adjustment screw on top of the steering gear. I know...
Anyway, now it's a bit "wonky". The truck was in bad need of rebuilding the front end but it drove straight down the road it just had that really mushy feel the trucks are well known for. I now know I should have started with the rag joint and then worked on front end parts.
I'll try and describe how it drives now, it used to float now it feels like I feel every rut in the highway and the steering doesn't work and then it grabs.
I've honestly lost track of where the adjustment screw started so should I loosen or tighten it?
I know I'm a dummy, lesson learned.
I'll go into a little explanation how to adjust the steering box.
First you've got to make sure the steering box is dead center. The easiest way is to start the truck turn the steering wheel lock to lock counting the turns. If there's 3.5 turns then go all the way in one direction and bring the steering wheel back 1.75 turns.
Now the steering box is in the center. Loosen the jam nut for the pitman shaft keeping a wrench on the jam nut and using a screwdriver or allen wrench turn the threaded adjustment bolt in until it bottoms out don't over tighten it. Then turn it back out 1/4 to 1/2 turn and lock the jam nut while holding the adjustment bolt from turning.
The reason for making sure the steering box is in the center, is because the pitman shaft gear's middle tooth is a bit longer than the 2 side teeth. This helps keep a little tension on the over center movement of the steering box when driving straight down the road.
Hope this helps.
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 12,830
Likes: 2,435
Now explain what happens if you overtighten the preload adjustment screw.
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