Power Steering
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2009
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Power Steering
My 77 f150 has power steering but i cant stand it,,i have no feel for the road, of course you get that with a 34 year old truck, but what can i do so i dont have to turn the wheel like 6 times to get into the next lane,,can i change the geearing or do i have to upgrade the whole setup?
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 80
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From: Parker, Co
Check the rag joint. I am amazed at how many people never look at these. If you have ever had one fail on you, trust me you will check it. they are made of rubber and some other stuff, and just ware out over time. Also fix it correctly, don't use sub grade bolts. I had one fail at 60 miles an hour. Let me tell you it was not fun. I was pulling seat cushion out of my butt for weeks afterwords. 
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Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 783
From: Simi Valley, CA
D5TZ3A525A .. Steering Coupling (rag joint) / Still available from Ford.
Fits: 1975/77 F100/250 2WD/4WD with P/S, 1975/77 F350 with P/S.
MSRP: $88.18 // FTEpartsguy.com price: $63.49.
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6 turns lock to lock is excessive, but I would not mess with the P/S gearbox adjustment nut.
That only sets the preload on the sector shaft, when peeps tighten up that nut, that usually makes matters much worse.
If the gearbox has excessive play, buying a "rebuilt" is a waste of time and money, because it will only last a year or so...then it will be time for another.
Rebuilt Ford P/S gear boxes are not really "rebuilt" at all, because there are no parts available to rebuild them. ONLY the seals are replaced.
Read what is says about the awful Ford P/S boxes here: RedHeadSteeringGears.com.
btw: There are no U-joints on 2WD steering shafts. 1966/75 4WD's only.
Fits: 1975/77 F100/250 2WD/4WD with P/S, 1975/77 F350 with P/S.
MSRP: $88.18 // FTEpartsguy.com price: $63.49.
-----------------------------------------------
6 turns lock to lock is excessive, but I would not mess with the P/S gearbox adjustment nut.
That only sets the preload on the sector shaft, when peeps tighten up that nut, that usually makes matters much worse.
If the gearbox has excessive play, buying a "rebuilt" is a waste of time and money, because it will only last a year or so...then it will be time for another.
Rebuilt Ford P/S gear boxes are not really "rebuilt" at all, because there are no parts available to rebuild them. ONLY the seals are replaced.
Read what is says about the awful Ford P/S boxes here: RedHeadSteeringGears.com.
btw: There are no U-joints on 2WD steering shafts. 1966/75 4WD's only.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 235
Likes: 1
From: Aubrey,TX north of Dallas
Correct, its located right underneath the master cylinder, I replaced mine a month ago. Got it at parts plus in town, 30 bucks I think. Also when I bought my truck 2 years ago, it had a similar problem as yours does with the lose steering, despite what ND says my dad adjusted the steering gear box nut, and it tightned up the steering alot. That was two years ago and I don't have any problems with the steering, I didn't neen to replace the rag joint actually, the bolts just got lose, so I whent ahead and replaced it, though the old one was still in decent shape.
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Posting Guru
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Correct, its located right underneath the master cylinder, I replaced mine a month ago. Got it at parts plus in town, 30 bucks I think. Also when I bought my truck 2 years ago, it had a similar problem as yours does with the lose steering, despite what ND says my dad adjusted the steering gear box nut, and it tightned up the steering alot. That was two years ago and I don't have any problems with the steering, I didn't neen to replace the rag joint actually, the bolts just got lose, so I whent ahead and replaced it, though the old one was still in decent shape.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 235
Likes: 1
From: Aubrey,TX north of Dallas
on top of it towards the back of the box. it is a nut with a an adjustable bolt that is slotted to use a screwdriver. its adjusted in the same way you would adjust a valve on a cylinder head.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 783
From: Simi Valley, CA
Go ahead and tighten that puppy up...but don't blame me if the gearbox locks up tight.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 235
Likes: 1
From: Aubrey,TX north of Dallas
That doesn't mean that it might have worked itself lose over the years. Like I said my dad did it, and it works fine, but he didn't crank it down all the ethier. Now that I think about it mine was a little loose. But, my dad has been a mechanic for over 40 years and has had 4 race cars in the 70s, so stuff like that I leave it to him and what he says. Everything else on the truck I take care of it.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 783
From: Simi Valley, CA
That doesn't mean that it might have worked itself lose over the years. Like I said my dad did it, and it works fine, but he didn't crank it down all the ethier. Now that I think about it mine was a little loose. But, my dad has been a mechanic for over 40 years and has had 4 race cars in the 70s, so stuff like that I leave it to him and what he says. Everything else on the truck I take care of it.
One can be the most experienced mechanic on the planet, but if he has little or no experience with these P/S gearboxes, and had success tightning up that nut...I'd say he was very lucky.
Most peeps here on FTE complain about the fact when they did fiddle with that nut...either the box locked up tight, or the play is much worse than before.