Hey folks, wonder if I could get some technical advice please? I just bought a 1969 F100 4wd truck with a 360 today for 600 dollars. Motor runs well and the 4wd works, body is pretty good for the age. There are no floorboards because the previous owner cut them out to put new ones in it. I can install them myself but I need some advice on a steering issue. Since I plan on having this truck as my daily driver I'd like to get started fixing it soon.
The steering wheel has almost a half turn of play in it. Upon closer inspection i noticed that the steering column is just sticking through a hole under the dash then it connects to the steering shaft. The hole looks as if it at one time had a bushing or something in it but there is nothing now. The steering shaft turns in the steering box about a half turn before it turns the wheels. The steering is manual by the way. I'll need to fix this problem before I venture out for much driving but I work about 5 miles from the house and I'd like to start driving the truck there quite soon.
Is a steering box rebuildable? Is there anyway to adjust it? Is there a cheaper steering box swap or rather a more common part that is interchangeable? Is my problem in the steering box at all? Is a two wheel drive box and a 4wd box the same?
I'm not a great mechanic but I have tools and I enjoy learning and working on my own vehicles. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in andvance!

 

no the boxes are different and in different locations. i would check out the front cab mounts, if they go south many times the steering gets in a bind and if this happened the last owener could have taken the gromet out to free up the wheel. but sounds like you need to rebuild or get a rebuilt box, there was a thread not to long ago about where to get one, i will try to find. but they are avalible from Bendix (or that is the name on the ones i have seen).

found it: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...-i-get-it.html

 

Brady, this link is for Bendix POWER STEERING used on 1966/68 F100/250 2WD's and on 1969 F100/250 2WD's (before serial number D96,001).

P/S was not available on F100/250 4WD's prior to 1973.
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C7TZ3504M .. Manual Steering Gearbox / Obsolete / Fits: 1966/72 F100 4WD only.

4WD's use a different steering column than 2WD's. The only lower bushing used on 4WD's is at the end of the mast jacket, it has nothing to do with play in the steering wheel.

Towards the bottom of the column, 4WD's use a steering shaft and coupler assembly that has a replaceable U-Joint in it (1966/75).

The 4WD's shaft and coupler connects directly to the steering gearbox. There is no steering coupler (rag joint) like 2WD's use.

Excessive play in the steering could be caused by one or more factors:

1) U-joint in the 4WD's steering shaft & coupler assy.

2) The two wedge shaped bearings in the steering shaft & coupler.

3) Tie rods, tie rods ends and draglink.

4) Internal parts in the gearbox: sector shaft, worm shaft, bushings and bearings associated with these two parts.

While all the parts are obsolete = no longer available from Ford, I know they can be found at obsolete parts vendors, as I've looked up and listed all these parts before...and who has them.

 

yeah but i just thought that if some place had the power steering then they would have the non power steering

 

Thanks for the info guys! I'm furiously searching for the proper gear box. I did alot of poking around the truck today and have found that the play is definately in the gearbox. The adjustment screw was turned all the way and the steering while VERY loose is also super tight. Makes it pretty hard to even drive around the block in the thing. All of my internet searches have turned up nothing but power steering gearboxes. Is there a fairly easy conversion to power steering? I would like to have power steering but at the moment my budget is pretty low for parts and such....Thanks again for the info and if anyone has any other ideas or knowledge on where I can get a gearbox or a rebuild kit that would be great!

 

C7TZ3504M .. M/S Gearbox / Obsolete / Fits: 1966/72 F100 4WD

GREEN SALES CO. in Cincinnati OH has 1 = 800-543-4959.
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C7TZ3524F .. Steering Shaft & Worm Assy / Obsolete

DON SANDERSON FORD in Glendale AZ has 1 = 623-842-8762

PARTS INTERNATIONAL in Farmers Branch TX has 50 = 888-727-0418.

GREEN SALES CO. has 10
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C6TZ3576J .. Sector Shaft / Obsolete

GREEN SALES has 1

DENNIS CARPENTER OBSOLETE PARTS has 1 = 704-786-8139.
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2) C6TZ3576B .. Sector Shaft Bushings / Obsolete

GREEN SALES has 4

JST AUTOMOTIVE in Lebanon TN has 2 = 615-443-3086.

WESLEY OBSOLETE PARTS in Liberty KY has 2 = 606-787-5293.
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2) C6TZ3571A .. Steering Shaft Bearings-Upper & Lower / Obsolete

MILLER OBSOLETE PARTS in Binghamton NY has 6 = 800-546-7278.

BOB ALLEN FORD in Overland Park KS has 6 = 800-676-0675.

FREESE MOTORS in Monticello IA has 2 = 319-465-3541.
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C6TZ3552A .. Steering Shaft Bearing Cup-Lower / Obsolete

GREEN SALES has 3

MILLER OBSOLETE PARTS has 3

BOB ALLEN has 3

FREESE MOTORS has 2
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C6TZ3553A .. Steering Shaft Bearing Cup-Upper / Obsolete

GREEN SALES has 18

BOB ALLEN has 9

MILLER OBSOLETE PARTS has 9
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C6TZ3591A .. Sector Shaft Seal / Obsolete

GREEN SALES has 3

BOB ALLEN has 5

MILLER OBSOLETE PARTS has 5
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C6TZ3593A .. Sector Shaft Gasket / Obsolete

GREEN SALES has 17

BOB ALLEN has 2

FREESE MOTORS has 2

PARTS INTERNATIONAL has 2
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What I would suggust is buy the: (2) sector shaft bushings, the (2) steering shaft bearings and cups, seal and gasket FIRST and see how much that tightens the box up.

Usually...replacing the sector shaft bushings makes a world of difference, as these parts are the first to wear out.

 

While your messing around with your gearbox check the pitman arm, on my 65 it was a good 4 or 5 turns loose but an 1 1/2 in socket and the biggest socket wrench I have ever seen solved almost all of the play in my steering.
The guy working with me said I was lucky it hadn't fallen off.
Sounds like you got a good deal on the truck.
Good Luck and Have Fun
L

 

Thanks for all the info Number! I'm in contact with Green now. I really appreciate it. I'll let you all know how things go.