Steering adjustments
Thread Starter
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 7,406
Likes: 52
From: Wheatland, Mo
Steering adjustments
OK I have replaced....ball joints, front axel joints, tie rod ends and drag link....now the truck drives fairly straight...but it has a little play in the wheel. Actually about 2-3 inches of play. Now I have read in here before about a set screw of some sort to take the slop out that you have to be real careful about not cranking it in too far. I think that it is on the power steering box. Can someone give me the details on this. What is the screw for and how does it work when you tighten it down?
Thanks All!!
Thanks All!!
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,388
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From: SE Texas
The adjusting screw you refer to is on the top of the steering gear box, down toward the lower end. It will take some of the slop out of the steering if it's due to the gear box. You should only tighten it 1/4 turn. If you still have some play, check the steering shaft, especially the rag joint, where it connects to the gear box.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 573
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From: Medina, Tn.
Be careful when you break the screw loose. If it is anything like mine, it was real hard to do. Once you do a 1/4" tirn, drive it for a mile or so on a striaght road and test it out. If no change, do another 1/4" and repeat the drive. I decided to adjust mine more than the 1/4" after my 3rd drive and man, it was too tight. The problem was that I couldn't just loosten it easily because the nut kept turning when I turned the screw. I didn't have a thin enough wrench to hold it properly so I would have to loosten it as much as I could and then turn the wheel real hard a few times and this would loosten it up enough for me to turn it some more. After doing this quiet a few times, I was able to get it back to where I started and got it adjusted perfectly as can be expected from a vehicle with almost 250,000 miles on it.
Sorry for the long response but I just wanted you to know how important it is to ONLY turn 1/4" at a time.
Good luck,
Sorry for the long response but I just wanted you to know how important it is to ONLY turn 1/4" at a time.
Good luck,
Thread Starter
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 7,406
Likes: 52
From: Wheatland, Mo
Thats the response I am looking long and detailed, (Yea I know...thats what she said!).....I dont want to wind up doing something that is going to cause me to spend more money. Sheesh...enought of that has been spent already.
Thanks FC!
Thanks FC!
