Heres an update from the field guys. After inspecting the play in the flex joint, I determined it seemed okay, and the problem must be elsewhere. The ball joints and tie rod ends looked pretty good too. That left me with one solution....tighten up the shaft on the steering box gear.

Procedure:
First remove your pitman arm with a pitman arm puller. Take the return power steering hose off the return inlet to the pump, and cycle the steering wheel through the full range. Catch the fluid that will come out of the hose in a can.
You then loosen the locking nut on the steering gear box and then use a 3/16" hex head (or screwdriver on later years) to tighten down the adjusting screw inside the locking security nut to the point where you have 8-9 ft./lbs. more torque to turn the steering wheel than before you started. You must remove your horn center to get the torque wrench on the nut in the center of the steering wheel. In my case, I had virtually no resistance at all to turn the wheel. I have followed this procedure according to my Ford service manual. It already feels much tighter, but, the proof will be in the pudding when I get it back on the road.

My other big problem was that my pitman arm seal let go the other day as I was about to dig into this project. Talk about timing. As long as you have the pitman arm off, you might as well replace the pitman seals anyway. In my case, I think I have an older Bendix steering gearbox. I had to order the seal kit from an obsolete parts dealer. The NAPA and Carquest kits were a smidgeon too big. As my truck is a VERY early '68 model, I am guessing they changed the gearbox during the model year, and thats what the parts stores carry.

Well, when I get it all back together, I will put a post up as to how it drives. Hopefully this will solve the loose steering or "wandering" issue. Stay tuned and thanks for all the helpful posts.

Dave

 

Reading your post I think you type O THIS 8-9 ft/lbs should be in/lbs, Boy your doing a lot to adjust it. I just looen up lock nut and turning in the adjustment screw turning the steering wheel back & fourth to test and test drive it theis works good for me.If all new parts and no flat nr worn spots then do it like your doing it.. my 2cents
orich

 

I did it like Orich, too. I found out that turning the steering wheel all the way to the right you get slack against that screw so you can adjust it. Otherwise it is right up tight so you can't adjust it.

 

My steering has about 6" of play in it. Checked everything out tonight and have determined that all the play is in the actual steering box.

I know about the adjuster, but not sure which bolt to adjust. I have a 1970 360 2wd with manual steering btw. There isn't anything on top of the steering box with a place for a flathead or hex. The only bolt that looks like it may do something is the one going down the shaft and out the bottom of the box. Might this be the one? It does have a mark on top like for where a flathead would go, but there is no actual notch.

So I loosen the nut on bottom, and tighten the one on top until play is gone?

 

on top of the box facing the hood is a nut and the thread it is tightened on has a slot for a flathead , loosen the nut and use a flathead to turn the threads into the box housing all the while checking the play at the steering wheel untill the play is minimal. then retighten the nut.

 

That's the problem - there isn't a slot for a flathead. I'll get a picture.

Edit -- a friend came over and confirmed which nut,threads to tighten. So I simply made my own slot for a flathead (grinders are fun). I tightened the threads as far as they would go - most of the play is gone now, but I have yet to drive it.

 

I HAD TONS OF PROBLEMS WITH MY 68 JUMPING ACROSS THE ROAD IF IT WAS WET. I GOT UNDER IT TO FIND OUT THE SHOCKS DIDN'T HAVE ANY TRAVEL OR RESPONSE AT ALL, NO WONDER WHY IT JUMPED. REPLACED THE SHOCKS TWO OF THE FOUR IT HAD AN EXTRA SET WELDING IN FROM THE PREVEOUS OWNER. REPLACED THE TWO SHOCKS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THERE ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE I BEAMS. PUT HER BACK ON THE ROAD AND RAN HER THROUGH THE INTERSTATE IN A STRORM, FELT LIKE A DREAM TO KNOW I WASN'T GOING TO JUMP ACROSS THE ROAD TO THE HEAD ON CARS.

SHOCKS ARE KEY!