I've been looking into this problem as well...

Look closely at the joint before the steering box. I once looked at the pitman arm while someone moved the steering wheel and the pitman arm wasn't moving with the slack in the wheel. I then took that plastic cover off the joint before the steering box, and noticed that I could barely see the shaft right before it went into the steering box, that shaft wasn't moving either - which ment the slack I was feeling was BEFORE the steering box.

I'm going to replace those parts on my 95 and see if it tighens up (which already has a new steering box on it). My observations from above were on my 89, the 95 is the one I care about.

 

Cardone has a good reputation. I'd try another unit. Could you test that peice of it on the counter?

 

I think if I grab the pitman arm end of the box with a large pair of channel locks and try turning the steering wheel end with another pair of pliers, I should be able to test it that way. i tried that on the old box, and it seemed to move corresponding to the amount of play I was feeling with the old box. I did check into the rubber connector and all that stuff under the plastic cover, and it is all moving as one, no slip at all. The pitman arm on there is still the stock one, should I bother replacing that when I do this job again? I would hate to get play from that and still have this problem after I put another box in, but they are 60 dollars or somethin so if I don't need to spend the money I don't want to. Thanks for all the help, if anyone has any more ideas, maybe a better way to test the box, any help would be appreciated. Thanks for all the input.

 

AGR Performace (http://www.agrperformance.com) offers "High Quality" rebuilt steering boxes and high flow pumps for our trucks. They are not too much more expensive then autozone or checker.
One thing about them that makes me wonder, they only offer a 90 day warranty...wheras autozone and checker both offer units with lifetime warranty.....Hmmm. I don't know though, I have heard very good things about AGR.
Anyone else use AGR?

 

"if anyone has any more ideas, maybe a better way to test the box",

You made a good point about testing or "testing technique". Points to consider when you are testing;

When moving or turning the steering wheel to check for play;

Move the wheel lightly from side to side, I use a technique that is more like bouncing the wheel back & forth with no real torqure applied to any of the linkage. The looseness does not require torque to be found, in fact it is the opposite, less torque is better.

When checking a portion of the shafts/linkage ensure the section you are on can be made stationary and that it will not slip in either direction (Vise grips to the rescue).

Swap positions with the person that is helping you so you can feel & see both ends of the section you are on, especially (God Love'em) if it's a person with no mechanical background.

Apply force on either end if you can, first steering wheel then hold the wheel and try to turn the section back to the wheel "Lightly back & forth". The Grips should not slip when appling force. Note the result.

Sectionalize the system, starting at the steering shaft on the other side of the firewall, (the same section the steering wheel is attached to) Attach your favorite set of vise grips to the shaft and "lightly" check for play, note the results, swap positions try again, apply force from both ends, note the results, move to the next section & try it again.

Lastly, Accidently I found that having the driver side wheel off the floor (passenger side on the floor) gave me a better feel and allowed me to get a good visual on how far you had to turn the wheel to see the tire follow. Also With both tires up you can check for binding which, you may want to do.

Hope this helps
Keep us updated

 

i am going to try to exchange this box tomorrow at advance auto. I'll see how the next one works, and if there still isn't an improvement, I will get my money back and get a performance one online. I am 100 percent sure that all the play is coming from the box, I have checked everything else out very thoroughly. Probably will be a couple days before I get a new one in there, they will have to order it and all. I'll touch back when I get another one installed.

 

jb1390,

I have been through exactly what you are going through. I got my cardone rebuilt box from Auto Zone, and it had more play in it than the one originally on the truck. What I did was to take a rag and a pair of channel locks with me when I took the rebuilt unit back. Put the rag around the input shaft and grab it with the channel locks to see if the new unit has any play. The one they had in stock did not have any play (unlike the previous one I bought) and now the steering wheel has no play.

Lyle

 

Thanks much for that tip. I will make sure to try that when I get my new one.

 

So I take it my post (16) subject is something you've looked at and have rulled out? I'd hate to see ya go through all this mess and find it was something simple.

 

yeah I checked that out multiple times, I am 100 percent sure that it is connected and moving as one unit. I was hoping it was something simple, but oh well. I went back to advance auto today and they had one in stock at a store nearby. i went and looked at it, and tried to move the smaller connection by hand while holding the pitman arm connection with channel locks, and it moved. Oh well. that one was a cardone as well, I ordered a lares I think it is, which should get here tomorrow. We'll see if I have any more luck with this one. If this ones bad I think I will try to get my money back and order one of the performance ones online. Anyone have any experience with those, either positive or negative?

 

Let us know soon as you replace the box...sure would love to know the end results

 

Alright I put the lares in, with no improvement. I didn't even bother connecting the power steering and stuff to test drive it, because I don't want to fill it with fluid. I am going to put the old box back in, and try to get my money back on the other two. Why is it that these rebuilt boxes have so much play in them? I checked this one on the counter, but I guess I couldn't put enough torque on it by hand, and couldn't tell definitely whether the pitman arm shaft was moving or not. i thought it was tight, but it definitely isn't now. I am 100 percent sure everything else is tight, I looked over everything. THe steering shaft rotates as one unit, and the pitman arm doesn't move for that same 2 or 3 inches of steering wheel play. This is the third rebuilt box from advance auto that I have tried, I am giving up with them. I think I will buy a performance one online, but I would like a little info convincing me that it won't have play in it either. i would hate to have to return one online as well. Does anyone know the difference between the rebuilt performance ones and the regular rebuilt ones?

 

Here I go off to advance auto again. I am sick of doing this job after doing it two and a half times already. There are other auto parts stores down there, one is a commercial dealer you have to have an account for. I will see if they happen to have any in stock, and this time do a very, very thorough test on whether it has play. They must not do much when they rebuild these things, you'd think that 0 for 3 would be unacceptable for a rebuilt part.

 

Well I'm getting pretty good at replacing these by now, but nothing is really improving. I got one from pepboys, a different brand, and it seemed tight until I got it on the truck. In looking closely, it looks like the arm that holds the pitman arm pushes sideways when I try to turn? If so, that's a loose lower bearing. This box is the tightest one I have had on there so far, but it has still a couple inches play. I was hoping that it was something else, but I had someone turn the wheel, just back and forth a little for the amount of play it had, and I held onto that rubber damper right before going into the steering box, i couldn't hold it in place at all. the connection of the end of the shaft going into the box is well connected, I checked that as well. I just did ball joints this summer, wheel bearings this fall, and tie rod ends over christmas. Is this problem never going to get better? Like, is this as good as it gets with a rebuilt box? I wouldn't think so, but maybe. I am tired of making exchanges and all that stuff. I still have to get money back from advanced auto for my core, cuz they shipped that out before I could make one of my returns. It seems that a high performance box will have better bearings, and brand new parts in it making it 100 percent tight, unlike all these rebuilt ones. If anybody has any thoughts or advice, I'd appreciate it.

 

I ordered a performance box from agr. It should get here early next week. This box is no rebuild, it is alll brand new, no core charge or anything. it also has an extra bearing in the lower shaft. this will be good I think, especially when I get around to putting a plow on it this summer, hopefully the steering will stay tight for a nice long time. The guys down at agr were very helpful and easy to work with. I would recommend them (at this point) to anyone with a similar problem to mine. They check all of their boxes and do not ship them if they don't pass the tests, stress tests and stuff moreso than the box will ever see on the road, to prevent failure. I'll check in again next week when i get the new box on. thanks to everyone for the input.