I have been running a 2006 steering gear box from an F-350 for about 6 months. I have been through several PSC steering gears and this one became noticeably looser shortly after installing. Just a few days ago i was driving down the highway and suddenly had a few extra inches of play in the steering wheel.

Once i made it to my destination i had a buddy watch while i turned the steering wheel. The nut holding the pitman arm had slid loose but hadn't disappeared. The pitman arm was just barely catching at the bottom of the sector shaft.

As i tightened the nut after buying a $33 1 13/16"wrench from Ace Hardware, we noticed that the sector shaft was moving up and down. When i placed my wrench below the nut and pried up against the panhard rod bracket, the entire sector shaft with pitman arm and nut on it slid up into the box a good 1/4".

It didn't just bounce up and down but seemed like it would definitely move easily during driving, especially since i run some very tough trails off road. I have 1-2" of play at all times in the steering wheel. I just got an 8" x 1.75" PSC ram that i hope to have installed this week. I've never been able to turn my tires when at a stop or driving slowly, even when stock. After replacing almost every steering part multiple times, i'm hoping this ram will now solve my non-steering issue.

My hope is that this sector shaft movement is normal and that i can adjust the preload on my box once the ram is installed so i'll have good steering. Otherwise, i'll be ready to ditch it for full hydraulic steering.

 

Assuming nothing is worn out or broken beyond specs, you should be able to adjust that play with the preload screw on the top of the box. It might not hurt to take off the sector shaft cover and have a look to make sure it all looks good. Let us know how the hydraulic steering setup works out. I don't understand why the superduties have trouble with low speed steering and the hydroboost setup. Other trucks with the same deal don't.

 

PSC told me the same. Said it sounded very unsual that the sector shaft would have any vertical travel. Said that perhaps vibrations and stress caused things to come loose on their own. Told me to jack the front tires off the ground and loosen both nuts on top of the box. Said to make sure i have the tires pointing straight ahead. Tighten the allen screw and check by turning my steering back and forth until i feel some resistance passing over center. Then back off that screw just a little. Told me to call back if that doesn't keep the shaft from having vertical travel. Said to do this prior to installing the ram or it would be all over the road. Hope to find out soon.