Hey,
I have a '90 f150 4x4 with a 6" suspension lift and 35" tires. While driving straight I have about a 1/4 turn of the wheel with hardly any change in direction. Is this due to the lift/tires or due to 97,000 miles? what is worn? What is the best-cheapest fix.
Thanks

 

I am kind of traveling in un-charted waters with this one but the first thing you need to do is have someone watch all of the steering components while you rock the steering wheel. When I use the term "un-charted", I mean that I am not that familiar with a lot of today's lift kits. I know that some come with replacement steering components that you are to use when lifting a truck. The main thing is to find where the steering slop is.
Start the truck and apply the parking brake. While the engine is running and in park, let someone else rock the steering wheel while you watch the draglink, tierod ends, and other steering components. You should be able to see how the wheels react to the steering wheels action. You may find the slop in the steering box or drag link. It could be just the relation of the size of the tires and 6" lift kit to the rest of the truck. It could also be something else but there is no way of telling until you do this proceedure. Good luck. Jake.


Jakegypsum // Ford fleet, soup to nuts.

 

I've just been down this road. I don't have a lift kit, or a 4 x 4, but my '94 F150 4 x 2 has 140,000 miles on it and had too much slop in the steering for my taste.

Jake's procedure can save you big bucks. I just have a few things to add. In addition to what he mentioned, you also need to check the universal joint in between your steering box and your steering column for play, as well as the ball joints and wheel bearings. The best way I know of is to take a stepwise approach from the steering wheel on down, and then out: steering column universal joint, steering gear, Pitman arm to drag link, inner tie rod ends, outer tie rod ends, ball joints, and wheel bearings. It's tough to tell play in the wheel bearings from ball joint movement, but if you look right at the ball joints when a helper is trying to work the top and bottom of your wheel in and out--not easy on your truck--you can probably see it if there is enough to matter.

The majority of the steering play on my truck was in the steering gear itself, but I had a bit in the ball joints and outer tie rod ends so I replaced them too. I tried adjusting the lash in the steering gear, but even with it so tight it was binding I still had a lot of steering wheel play. You shouldn't have any, really. I ended up replacing the steering gear. It cost $129 for a remanufactured one through Autozone. The core charge was a whopping $138. They really want that original one back. The new steering gear box got rid of all the play, and the handling is much better.

Good luck with it.

 

 

Adjusting the steering gear box can be a complicated and long drawn out proceedure. Plus, if you are not trained in this peticular application, it is very possible that it could be worse after the attempt of adjustment. If you do find that the slop is in the steering gear box, then I would suggest doing what Jay did and replace the box completely. That's what I do when one of my trucks act up in this manner. Good luck.

Jakegypsum // Ford fleet, soup to nuts.