im new to this site and also to broncos. i bought my first back in jan of 08 but anyway, its a 96 eddie bauer 168,000 miles runs like a top tho except for the steering ive been having a problem with recently. well first when you drive and then you start to brake the steering wheel starts to wobble but not all over ther road just the truck starts to shake and it stops around 30-35 mph while braking. also depending on how hard you hit the brake it also will start to pull to the left pretty noticably. ofcourse when you let up on the brakes everything stops but theres a knocking noise under the truck sounds like its around the driver front and then when you lightly touch the brake pedal the noise goes away. today i was unser the truck and i was checking around for maybe loose tie rods or some other stuff. well i had the steering wheel locked and i moved the wheel left to right and had roughly 1/2-3/4 in of play, then i looked up at the steering box and i had noticed that when i did that ofcourse the splined shaft with the pitman arm would move with it. is this normal? it doesnt seem like a warped rotor but it feel like its triying to shake the truck apart. any ideas on what could be causing this? anything i should check into before messing with the steering box? and if it sounds like the box can be adjusted can someone give me some instructions on how to do it? like i mentioned this is my first truck and i know nothing about the steering system on this im more into mustangs but i love the broncos. sorry i made a book about my problem just giving the details. i would really appreciate it if someone could help me. thanks alot
chris

 

Did you check your pads and rotors for any unusual wear and tear?

 

Try to move the wheel again, but this time look at your steering shaft. f it has play, then the shaft may be worn out. Also, check the ball joints, they can also cause loose steering.
Wobble when braking is most likely caused by warped rotors, and will be accentuated by the loose steering.
Also check your radius arm bushings. Worn bushing can cause the arm to move in its bracket (knock under the floor board) while braking

 

Lean over the fender, turn the steering shaft back and forth while watching to see if pitman arm moves. Steering gear boxs wear mostly in the center so be very careful adjusting only 1/4 turn at a time or it may lock up on you...bad. A Red-head steering gear box is the real cure for steering box slack.

I'm with cajunland. You did not mention a lift but, also check axle pivot bushings and/or brackets if you have a lift kit.

 

Then spin the tires and see if you have a seized Caliper.

This will also show if you have a warped Brake Rotor Too.

Make sure you block the wheels in the back so the truck doesn't roll on you.

Cheers,Rick.

 

maybe i forgot to mention the knock from underneath the truck stops when you apply pressure to the brakes, when u let off the pedal the knock comes back but it doesnt do it all the time. also it doesnt wobble when i apply brake pressure while going around a slight turn only when the truck is straight. but when you get around 30mph it feels like it has a warped rotor but again it doesnt do that all the time. this is confusing me i dont know what to check for but i will check out the steering shaft. should the steering wheel be locked? and should the front wheels be off the ground while i try this? also the rotors and pads look fine no abnormal wear but if the rotor was warped i may not be able to tell without seeing the rotor turning. o yeh and the truck has no suspension mods yetall stock besides an k&n fipk and a 2.5in catback with a magnaflow muffler. i dont think that would cause this problem lol. but i really do appreciate the help guys any more info would help. thanks

 

sorry i forgot to add that it also has the warn manual hubs on it also.

 

As mentioned before, I would lean toward the radius arm bushings directly under your feet. I would ask around for a good front end shop. They can check everything and you may need to grind off rivet heads to remove the brackets to replace the bushings. Other than the steering gear box, front end work is for the guys properly equipped, IMO.

 

well i dont some shop trying to rip me off. IMO i am very well mechanicaly inclined. ive never taken a car to a shop i build rarecars and i repair my own cars. well i climbed under the truck today and was checking out the arms which to me the way you descibed it should be the arm that goes from the spring perch to the chassis about where your feet are. well i looked and on the driver side it has some bushing looks like urethane or something and they look to be in good shape. i go and check the passenger side and it looks like someone may have replaced that maybe cause there is no rivets they are bolts where as on the driver side there are rivets. and this bushing is made of rubber. maybe thats normal i dont know like i said im new to the truck thing. and on the passenger side it has some sort of like cap that goes over the bushing. in order the way it is assembled nut, big flat washer prolly 2.25in in dia and roughly 1/8 thick, then the cap or cone that covers the bushing, then bushing, then the mount for the frame, then bushing and so on. but on the driver side there is no cap or cone. is this normal? also as for the steering the shaft has play up and down movement about 1/4-5/16 of an inch and the same left to right. the joint on the steering shaft has some play looks like the rivet type thing is loose. but the pitman arm does not move as i can see with the front tires on the ground but i wouldnt think it would move with me wiggling the shaft. i would take the truck to the ford dealer but i dont feel like paying for a whole nother truck. and i dont have that kind of cash just laying around. maybe somemore ideas or anything i should preform to figure something out please. thanks

 

It sounds like you are a better mechanic than me so let me help by pointing you to some information if you have not found it. Somewhere, in the last couple of years I saw a picture of the bushing assembly sequence.

Look above in Forums
then select Search
enter +radius +arm +bushing in the box.
Hold down Ctrl and click on both the Broncos and the F-150 so you search both at once
Search Now
and you should get a good list.

Welcome to FTE. There is tons of information here and many issues have been resolved before so this search example may help if no one comes along soon.

 

Sounds like you still have one original arm bushing that should be replaced. But I'd go ahead and change them both. It one of those parts that should be done in pairs, IMO. Don't forget to check your ball joints. Jack the front up and place hands at 12 & 6 o'clock on tires and try to rock them back and forth. If they move, ball joints are bad. Also thats a lot of play, IMO, for the steering shaft, maybe someone could recommend an aftermarket one or check your local junk yard.

 

yeh yesterday when i had it off the ground i checked the wheel. has 0 play up and down which would be ball joints and possibly bearings, from left to right there is 0 play in the inner and outer tie rods. except for the problem i am having with the loosness of the steering and the wobble. i know you can replace the joint in the steering shaft bushing i dont know exact year but older mustangs have the same type prolly pre 87 i will guess. ill check into that joint bushing and ill check into the arm bushings. yeh i believe thats true also when i replace something i usually do the same on the other side. i was going to replace the whole front brake system left and right side pads,rotors, calipers, rubber hose, and possibly wheels bearsings and seal depends on the shape they are in. i have read on forums about the sticky caliper issues from the double lined rubber hose the inner hose calapsing. well i do appreciate everyones help i will try the brake system first and the steering shaft bushing and the arm bushings. o did anyone know about the cone type thing between the bushing to like cover it up? thanks for the help

 

ok well i went and changed the rotors and new pads and all new hardware. i also had to replace the driver inner wheel bearing. put it all together and the trucks drives like new. i thought that when it started wobbling like it did it was a warped rotor then i seen the steering box. well the trucks runs fine no wobble no knock or anything. i swear that is the worst warped rotor i have ever felt. i didnt even think that it was possible to be that bad. well i appreciate everyones help. but it still pulls to the left under hard braking any ideas on that? only under braking once you let off brakes the truck straightens out. maybe a sticky caliper? or a rubber hose? maybe you all can give me some steps on how to eliminate what it is not. thanks again