I have read a few instances on here where people have steering play problems, actually i am pretty sure everyone has more play in their steering wheel than they like. I think mine has just gone overboard, i mean i have to constantly go through like 6 inches of turn before it grabs. Is there a fix for this? Never really played with power steering, so any bit would help. Oh yeah, its a 2wd 78 250 with a 460 and power steering.

 

Depends on how little play you want and how long you want it to stay that
way! :(

The bearing surfaces inside the gearing gear is nothing more than the cast
iron itself. Ford didn't see a need for bearings. :(

6" sounds like there are more problems than just the steering gear tho.
Mine never got more than 2+1/2" of play in it. Did you measure it?

Rag joints aren't all made the same, get the stiffest heavy dootiest;) one
you can get your hands on IMO.

After buying another steering gear and talking the the outfit that
"re-manufactured" it on the phone, decide to get mine line bored and
sleeve bearings pressed into it. Ford wouldn't supply the bearings, neither
would the local bearing houses! :/ Got 'em over the internet. :)

And are you double dare sure the steering gear ain't loose on the frame? ;)
BTSeenT! ;) Could hardly drive my friend's F350 and got out to see what the
heck was the matter and the steering gear was about to fall off the friggin
frame. LOL :) (the friend was a "her" BTW;)

The usual "fix" is to replace the thick original seals with two thinner seals
that makes room for a steel ring that the sector shaft rides on. It's a
half-assed-fix at best and soon the cast iron wears/batters out and you are
back to where you started. No kidding, BTDT. :/ The "re-manufactured" gear
was already beat out where the steel ring goes almost as bad as my original.

"we can only do it the way we are doing it, we can't machine the housings
and replace bearings for legal reasons" -not the "office guy"

Just how serious are you about getting rid of the play anyway? ;)

Alvin in AZ

 

I took the steering box out of my 77 to a local shop in Lancaster. They line bored it and put bronze bushings in it. It cost about $150.00 to get it done, that was at least seven years ago and it still runs tight with no play. I guess it is just who does the work.

 

Well, the play is pretty bad, just driving down the road to the store takes concentration, and I just drove it 2 hours down the freeway and up through the mountains and was sweating it big time. So, I will most likely do whatever is needed to get her straight. Might just go to the local truck salvage yard which is full of these trucks, and see about swapping out some parts for now, there may not be near as bad as mine, but the play is 6", so i need to do something about it. Gonna have to put her up on the rack tomorrow and giver a good look over. Thanks for the insight though.

 

What shop in Lancaster?? That is right down the street, $150 bones of trial and error to see if it works ain't bad.

 

Basically that's what I ended up doing too. :)
Just mine was >15 years ago and only $75. ;)
But I supplied the bearings and the invoice where I bought the bearings since
they were dead in the water unable to get bearings before that. :)

Alvin in AZ

 

Custom Cab I didn't notice the location, you must be near me. First thing to do is jack the thing up and put it on jackstands. Crawl under there and grab a tire and start shaking it. Anything that is loose will show up real quick. If it is the steering box take it and take it to Tony at Pacific Automotive. I don't remember the address but it is about avenue M2 off of 10th street west. Just go south on 10th st west to the 1st street after ave M (or Columbia Way) turn right and go all the way to the end. They are in the driveway just before the fence that keeps you from falling onto the freeway.

 

good info, She is going up on the rack tomorrow, so i'll check it all out, and if needed i'll be heading over there soon.

 

I fast forwarded to the end to add my 2 cents. Do the steering wheel yank/touch/look at what you have and see/feel what is moving around and going clunk. Especially check your radius arm bushings, I beam bushings, steering box, pitman arm, rag joint, steering shaft, everything from the end of the steering box to the tires. Especially inspect the plastic bushing at the end of the steering column. They wear out, fall off, do whatever, and add to the slop.

 

Beavis wrote what I should have. :)

Do everything while you are at it don't piece meal it or the results will
disappoint you and waste your time and money. I didn't do it that way
on the steering but the sector shaft bearings in the steering gear was
put off until I found a shop that'd do it for less than ~$300. Cheap and
easy for them when they already made the tooling see?

Also my method to test for play is to leave it on the ground and have
someone rock the steering wheel back and forth (sometimes big and
sometimes little) while I -feel- for play in each place there can be play.

The loose sector shaft bearings "me n cab" talked about can be seen
and felt as a sideways motion -before- the sector shaft twists.

Man, when mine was loose as a goose the pickup steered around a long
sweeping curve on the freeway like a dream! :) All the play was taken
up and any change was immediate and sure. Cool huh? :)

Driving it straight in the wind was a real pain in the neck tho!

Butthead in AZ

 

What about tightening the worm gear just a tad to see if that helps?Loosen locknut and have someone rock the steering wheel while tightening the worm gear alittle.
Buzzurd

 

I would much rather fix the problem(s) that will eventually kill a bus load of our children riding to school, but maybe I am being too picky?

http://www.killsometime.com/video/video.asp?ID=312

 

Play there will show itself during the tests. :) No need to experiment. ;)
Off hand, I see adjusting the sector shaft play as a "finishing touch" and
not much more. YMMV

Alvin in AZ