Hi Everyone. I'm from the Uk and new to this site. I just got a 51 F100, I put a diesel motor in it (gas is about 7 bucks a gallon here!), and it's cool. Except it don't steer worth bugger all! I know it's an old truck and running crossplies, but hell, the bump steer is horrendous, and it wanders a coupla feet or more from side to side (which on our narrow British roads is bloody dangerous!). I got a fair bit of play in the steering box, I been told that's normal, too tight and it's worse, but I'd like to tighten it a bit. So how do you adjust it? Normally there'd be a locknut and screw on UK boxes, but all I got is a big bolthead and a star washer underneath on the side of the box? Any ideas anybody please?
Cheers,
odgie ;-)

 

1. Have you had the front end aligned yet?
2. Are you using radial tires?
3. Have you checked the tie rod ends to make sure they do not move up and down where they are bolted to the spindle or spindle arm. If they do they need replaced.
4. Are the King Pin bushings in good shape? With the front end in the air and the tires hanging there should not be any play in the wheels top to bottom when pushing on the top and bottom of the wheel? If there is look at where the spindle mounts and see if there is play in the bushing a to the top and bottom.
5. Is the drag link in good condition?
6. Is the steering box bolted tight to the frame?
7. Is the pitman arm bolted tight to the steering box?
8. Exactly how much play do you have in the sterring wheel if you move it left to right with very lite pressure say one finger? You are not trying to move the wheels just feel where the force starts. The information you were given is correct about play in the steering. There are also other adjustments for the steering beside that nut. You should get a manual for the truck the adjustments can be found in there. I have about 2.5cm play in my truck and that is where I plan on leaving it.
9. Are the front hubs tightened properly? If they are to loose the wheels will have slop or play. If they are to tight you will burn up the bearings.

Well this is what I can think of off the top of my head of things you should check to make the vehicle safe to drive. I am sure I missed a few things and others will help out also. Any of the above information you can provide would help us help you. It is early here so no one make fun of my spelling.

 

Very good suggestions--looseness in anything in that front suspension will translate to sloppy steering and/or bumpsteer. You do have some adjustment on the steering box you can try. On your steering box, that big bolthead with star washer you mentioned is where you start. Remove that bolt head, and when you get it off, there is a slotted "screw" adjuster inside. That adjuster will move the steering sector gear close to or away from the worm gear on the shaft the steering wheel mounts. Have someone slowly rock the steering wheel back and forth while you turn the adjusting screw. You don't want it too tight, or the steering will bind at the most inopportune time. It tends to be looser with the wheels pointed straight, and gets tighter in turns. Too tight and it will bind in a turn. This will remove some play if the gears aren't too worn yet and may help some. The worm gear is still available stateside for around 50 bucks, but the sector shaft and gears are skyrocketing.

Scott

 

Hey Chris, thanks for all that. I've checked for play in all the links and the kingpins - they all seem fine - ain't checked the steering box mounts to frame closely - good idea - but it don't seem loose. I'm on crossply tyres (which I know doesn't help...), and no, I ain't had the front end aligned yet. I figured it was okay cos the guy who had the truck before me rebuilt the front end, new kingpins etc (and he fitted Mustang disc brakes - cool), but someone else told me to check for toe-out - he reckons that will make it dance all over the place. So I figure that my next step. Even so, I can move the steering wheel about three inches at the rim before I feel any resistance - that's kinda what sent me towards the box adjustment anyway.

I'll let you know how the alignment goes...

Thanks once again!

Odgie :-)

 

Sounds like the front end components are worn out. Don't drive it the way it is unless you want to smash those Mini Coopers to pieces and yourself.

Steering should have a tight, non wandering feel to it. Yes, you will have some play in the steering box and you will feel the bumps, but the steering shouldn't wander like you have described when hitting them. Sounds like you are constantly over correcting it, to keep it on the Left side of the road. Is it a left hand steer or right hand steer? New shocks are available and will help also.

I am pretty sure you can find all of the parts you will need. Try www.joblotauto.com or some others listed in the directory. Keep us informed and let us know what you find.

 

Hi Scott - everything seems to check out akay at the front - I did goi through it before I drove it, there is some grey matter at work... :-) I went out for a second time today (which was easier because it wasn't dark, wasn't raining, and the windscreen wipers didn't stop working - getting it home last night was fun when I couldn't see or steer...!), and it's at its worst over raised white lines and repair banding along the length of the road. I'm gonna check for toe-out next...

Cheers,
Odgie :-)

 

One more item to check is your leaf spring bushings. When they get excessivly worn in a vehicle with no track bar, the whole axle will move side to side.

 

Hey, thanks for all that everybody. I'll check the alignment and then try and take a little bit of slop out the box. If I don't front end a Mini Cooper, I'll let you know how I get on... :-)

Cheers,
odgie ;-)

 

Hey, just got that info re spring bushings - never thought of that, nice one! This is one cool website, you blokes are so helpful - there ain't much info this side of the water. My only problem is the site has graphics and takes so long to load - but then my computer is so old it's steam-powered... Still if I was into RAM and Mbs I'd be into new trucks as well - think I'll stick with the old ****... :-)

 

My 53 went all over the road when I bought it too. Then someone told me to try some steel belted radial tires (it came with very old tube tires) I put those on and it fixed the steering problem.

 

Hi, I been told radials would probably be better, but I really want to keep the crossplies (well, bias belted) if I can - for that genuine 'old time' look. I checked the tracking - as far as i could tell (outside the house in the street with a torch in fading light..), it was quarter inch toe-out. So I pulled a full turn on the tie-bar and it looks more like quarter inch toe-in now. I had a quick blast round the block, and it seemed to wander less on flat roads, but still darted about unpredictably on white lines. So I measured actual free play in steering - I can get near as dammit 6 inches of free play at the steering wheel rim before the slack is taken up. Even with my limited knowledge of old US trucks that seems a tad excessive...! I can't do much more till I can get it down to my workshop again next week. In the meantime it's driveable okay - I wouldn't like to take it on the motorway, but for blatting about locally it'll do for the weekend (keeps me on my toes...), then next week I'll delve into the mysteries of Ye Olde Steering Boxe...

Thanks to all.
O :-) XXX

 

Excuse what may be a late addition to the pile of good info on the thread, but bolting on a steering stabiltizer (dont know what you Brits might call it, maybe something fabulous like 'anticocking defibulator"). Its basically a horizontal shock absorber and does wonders for beam axle woes. While it wont kill the total slop in the steering like the proper fixes listed above, it will cut down the 'frequency' of the wandering and therefore, steering corrections. Also helps bump steer.

 

Yeah, sounds sensible. I presume you just mount it like a sway bar, from the axle at one spring, then as flat as possible to the chassis at the other side, to damp out any lateral motion? That could be good fine tuning once I get the six inches of doing nothing out the system... Cheers 4 that.

O :-)

 

with that much slack in the steering i would check the shaft emerging from the steering box. get under the truck and have someone turn the steering wheel side to side. you probably will see that shaft move up and down which means the bushing in the box is worn out. my 57 had all the earmarks yours does. so i put a volare ifs in mine. that cured it! of course, volare front end are probably a little scarce over there. cheerio

 

Hi all, checked the steering box, there appears to be no play in the shaft at all. But cos i had someone to wiggle it for me i did notice a little play in the drag link (then one from steering drop arm to spindle arm. Not much, maybe a sixteenth at each end, but obviously something else that won't be helping. It looks like you slacken off the clamps to get it off, and there are split-pins at each end - is that so you can disassemble and put shims in there to take up the slack? Thge other thing is, since I gave it some toe-in, it has a tendency at times to go into a big front end shimmy - like a real fierce tank-slapper vibration, that builds up utnil you think the frotn end is going to fall off, you have to stab the brakes to calm it down! I wouldn't have thought quarter inch toe-in was too much on an old truck? Anyway, won't get chance to fiddle with it for a few days now anyway, got other jobs on in my workshop (the ones that earn money), so will have a proper play later in week and see what i can come up with.
Cheers. :-)