Adjusting the steering box?????
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Amarillo, TX
Adjusting the steering box?????
Hey Guys and Gals,
Driving down the road my truck is very hard to keep going down the road between the lines. Its like I am always trying to correct the sterring. Can the box be adjusted? Make it looser or tighter???? Any help would be great.
Thanks
Chris
Driving down the road my truck is very hard to keep going down the road between the lines. Its like I am always trying to correct the sterring. Can the box be adjusted? Make it looser or tighter???? Any help would be great.
Thanks
Chris
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 14,582
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From: 21791
You can adjust the sector shaft clearance to make the gears mesh closer. I have to do this as well but i am a little gunshy because of some people commenting how if you go *too far* it could cause the box to become hard to steer or even lock up temporarily. It is on top of the steering box, you can see it from the top but it is easier to access from the bottom. It takes a wrench to loosen the locknut and an allen wrench to tighten the shaft.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Amarillo, TX
Originally Posted by amiller93
It can but should be done as a last resort. Check all of the steering linkage for proper torque.
Taking a 2k mile trip soon and would like it fixed.
Thanks!!
Chris
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Amarillo, TX
Originally Posted by amiller93
Torque Specifications Description
Steering Gear Sector Shaft Retaining Nut 23 Lb/Ft
Sector Shaft Arm Drag Link Retaining Nut 67 Lb/Ft
Steering Gear Sector Shaft Retaining Nut 23 Lb/Ft
Sector Shaft Arm Drag Link Retaining Nut 67 Lb/Ft
If its too tight will it be hard to keep it going straight down the road?
Thanks again.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,497
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From: Central, Al
Loose generally leads to "Sloppy Steering"
on the gear box adjustment like Kris said, to tight can lock the steering or just not let it return to center after a turn
on the gear box adjustment like Kris said, to tight can lock the steering or just not let it return to center after a turn
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Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Central Alabama
As Alan stated, if you find that your linkage is torqued correctly then attempt to adjust the steering box. I did mine a 1/4 turn of the alan screw at a time, it only took 2 1/4 turns to rid my sloppy steering.
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 52
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From: michigan
Are you sure that your not experiencing memory steering?Thats when your going down the road and say that your truck is pulling to the left so you correct it by adjusting the steering wheel to the right and now it wants to keep going right.This is memory steering and is caused by the ball joints.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 282
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From: East Wenatchee, WA
I agree with Slack. If you don't notice any looseness in the steering I would checked for bad ball joints. Most people think ball joints only go bad when they are loose. Sometimes they get tight and cause a memory steer condition. I also would check into getting a better steering stabilizer or if you don't have one, then consider one. It will help with what is called "bump" steer.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2005
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Idk, if you were talking to me or not but ill reply, i have new ball joints, and all other steering compenets are tight, now idk if maybe its because of my tires or not but its always been this way no matter what i have done, the funny thing is when i adjusted the box nothing changed with it.
