I installed a new drag link, power steering box, and brakes earlier today on my 78/2wd. I also did the front brakes.

The box was really loose and the steering is nice now.

I still need to change the pump (usual whining and leaks).

The following has been noticible since I first got the truck (old P/S box, too)...
There is more power assist when turning the wheels right than is there when turning them left. This is noticable when the truck is not moving. Its not an issue, but I can tell it isn't right.

I will probably not mess with it too much unless it persists after I change the pump ... which it probably will.

Is there a proportioning or control valve on these trucks?
Is there anything else I should look at?

Thanks,
Mike

 

I dont know that there is a "proportioning valve". How intense is the left to right ratio.
I would guess if it is not that bad, it could have something to do with the tires, or tow. About the power steering pump, I ran brake fluid through my 79 f-150 pump to slow the leak down really good, then put some power steering leak stuff in it, now it doesnt leak at all.(hardly at all, anyways). good luck

 

There is a "pressure control valve" in the pump,where the pressure hose attaches to pump.It used to be available from dealer for around $20,but the last time I checked on 1 for a mid 80's truck they were no longer sold seperate from pump.

 

Any ideas why the Power Steering assists more turning right than it does turning left?

It didt his with my old PS box as well. Is there any way the pump could cause this?

 

Normally when that happens,there is a restriction either in the box or the pump.Since you changed the box already,I'd blame the pump.

 

Some people may raz me for this, but you can get a lifetime warrantied pump for this truck at Autozone. I got one for mine about 9 years ago and I have only had to change it out once and guess what....it was FREE to change it out since it had the warranty. I have never had this problem with the P/S on my 78 F150.

 

Could the kin pins be wore so bad that this the probem?

 

You would have some really uneven wear on the tires, but I could see this as a possibility.

 

Supposing the pump IS providing enough even pressure to the "new" box, maybe the clearances inside the box are uneven (right side to left side) and therefore making it easy to turn one way (tighter clearances) as opposed to the other way (with loose clearances).

My buck-O-five...

 

That is what happened in lot of lincons.

 

Yo Mike,

Had the exact....I kid you not exact same thing happen to me. First started out by my pump slowly and slowly detiorating. Came to the point to where it didn't even turn. So of course, I walked down to Napa, and bought new pressure and return lines, along with a new pump, only ran me about 100 bucks including the ATF. Installed it and found that the pump after it ran about 250 miles still squealed a little especially when turning right..not to mention the assistance to the right was unpredictable..sometime alot sometime not so much...while turning to the left was pretty easy. It went on like this for about 600 miles until I eventually got ****ed off and jacked a steering box off another '79 that we had sitting around. Now it seemed to turn remotely better, but it still seemed somewhat sketchy. But low and behold when I crawled under it to check some stuff on the bottom of my engine block, I noticed that steering stabilizer had a massive dent in it. I pulled it off and found that it was so messed up it couldn't even compress the last 5 inches. So I went to Napa again, exchanged my pump (just to clear it as a variable, mine as well considering its lifetime warranty) and bought a new steering stabilizer (lifetime monroe one) installed them AND LOW AND BEHOLD, my pickup steering became enlighted. Took it a few days to break the pump in and fill the air holes in the PS box, but 2 and half months later it holds fluid like a champ and turns my 32 11.50's on payment without making a noise.

So try these things..there's not really much else to go wrong, if extra stress constantly hinders these pumps the life goes down real fast.

My .02 cents,

James