play in steering
Thread Starter
|
Strokin Okie
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 21
From: Oklahoma
play in steering
I have a 1990 F-150. There is about 4" play right or left; and when I'm traveling on un-even pavement it pulls heavy on the low side??? Changed out steering box (same) new shock and springs (same) still need to do the drag link and tie rods. Can anyone pin point what I have?
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 726
Likes: 3
is the preload on your steering box adjusted properly? There is a screw on top with a lock nut that you can adjust the load on the gear inside. Only do this if this is where your play is. With the vehicle parked, when you turn your wheel you need to figure out if you play is before the pitman arm or after the pitman arm. There is a flex couple inline on the steering shaft but ive never heard of them causing trouble. Its usually slop in the gear box. or tie rod/drag link. I have heard of one of my friends having a severe problem when his front cross member broke allowing the frame to flex when he turned the wheel.
One thing you can do is jack up one side of your truck and turn your raised wheel left and right by hand and see where the slack is. Its kinda hard to pinpoint this without seeing the truck.
good luck
One thing you can do is jack up one side of your truck and turn your raised wheel left and right by hand and see where the slack is. Its kinda hard to pinpoint this without seeing the truck.
good luck
Elder User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 623
Likes: 1
From: Mississauga,Ont.,Canada
See if the play is in the steering column before it connects to the steering box. The steering box has a solid square shaft that allows a hollow square tube to fit over it from the steering column. After many years the hollw square tube starts to round off giving you the play. Replacement shaft is couple hundred bucks so I took mine off and squeezed it in a vise to get the square back in it. It did help.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,285
Likes: 12
From: Bend,OR
your drag link and tierods need replaced first before doing anything else especially the preload screw. if that things gets adjusted wrong you will lose the box and thats expensive. also inspect the ball joints and front bearings. any alignment shop can do this properly
