Steering box
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 10,977
Likes: 5
From: Lancaster, Pa.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
From: Maryland
Just to add some info in this thread. I had the same slop etc etc etc. New ball joints, new suspesnion ( lift kit) , new tires due to lift, new alignments, new drag links, all made it a little better, but still was slop. Put in a red head steeering box about 5-6K ago and still is awesome! One of the best mods i have ever done. I promise you that will fix your main problem. I think alot don't realize that no matter what we do we will always have some play in these trucks. We do not have rack and pinion, it sthe downsides of a steering box and is a wearable item, so over time it will get worse. Also, right after you put in the red head steering box it will be VERY tight, but after a few hundred miles it will slowly get looser as it bleeds the air out. Don't confuse looser with the same as it was. Red Head people are very nice, and great warranty. And tightening the jam nut will make the steering box tighter, but when you are needing to do that its basically time to change it. It will be a band aid for a while, but thats it.
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,667
Likes: 1
From: Glen Rose,Texas
You are right.I just wanted to get some more miles out of it before buying the redhead.That will be my next step when it get's the slack again.I have heard great things on that unit so it will be installed when needed....Thanks
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,346
Likes: 4
From: Connecticut
On mine if you look down from under the hood its in front of the power steering fluid container.You should be able to see the adjuster on top of the steering box.Its an allen wrench.But be advised this will or might make the steering tighter but the play will probably still be there and will only work for a while if it works at all.When I tightened mine it made no difference what so ever.Had to get a red head box replacement.
Super Moderator
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 29,380
Likes: 118
From: Central Coast of CA
How To Adjust Your Steering Box:
Locate the allen head bolt and locknut on top of the steering box (close to the radiator). I believe the locknut is 5/8".
Mark the allen bolt so you can tell the orientation that you started from and then loosen the locknut.
Turn the allen bolt clockwise a quarter turn to tighten the gear mesh. Tighten the locknut back up and take her for a spin.
In reading posts by others who have done this, the allen bolt seems to get turned somewhere between three-quarters of one full rotation, and one and one-half full rotation before people are happy with the results. For my Excursion, I tightened mine almost one full rotation before I was happy.
Be careful, because if you over-tighten the nut, the steering may be so tight as to get extremely stiff on a turn, causing you to veer off course.
Repeat the tighten and test drive until you're satisfied with the performance.
If you over tighten, turn back the allen bolt a quarter turn counter clockwise.
There is a risk of over tightening the box and causing it to wear out prematurely, so I tightened it to the point where the slop was gone, and no further.
Stewart
Locate the allen head bolt and locknut on top of the steering box (close to the radiator). I believe the locknut is 5/8".
Mark the allen bolt so you can tell the orientation that you started from and then loosen the locknut.
Turn the allen bolt clockwise a quarter turn to tighten the gear mesh. Tighten the locknut back up and take her for a spin.
In reading posts by others who have done this, the allen bolt seems to get turned somewhere between three-quarters of one full rotation, and one and one-half full rotation before people are happy with the results. For my Excursion, I tightened mine almost one full rotation before I was happy.
Be careful, because if you over-tighten the nut, the steering may be so tight as to get extremely stiff on a turn, causing you to veer off course.
Repeat the tighten and test drive until you're satisfied with the performance.
If you over tighten, turn back the allen bolt a quarter turn counter clockwise.
There is a risk of over tightening the box and causing it to wear out prematurely, so I tightened it to the point where the slop was gone, and no further.
Stewart
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 394
Likes: 0
From: Central NJ
How To Adjust Your Steering Box:
Locate the allen head bolt and locknut on top of the steering box (close to the radiator). I believe the locknut is 5/8".
Mark the allen bolt so you can tell the orientation that you started from and then loosen the locknut.
Turn the allen bolt clockwise a quarter turn to tighten the gear mesh. Tighten the locknut back up and take her for a spin.
In reading posts by others who have done this, the allen bolt seems to get turned somewhere between three-quarters of one full rotation, and one and one-half full rotation before people are happy with the results. For my Excursion, I tightened mine almost one full rotation before I was happy.
Be careful, because if you over-tighten the nut, the steering may be so tight as to get extremely stiff on a turn, causing you to veer off course.
Repeat the tighten and test drive until you're satisfied with the performance.
If you over tighten, turn back the allen bolt a quarter turn counter clockwise.
There is a risk of over tightening the box and causing it to wear out prematurely, so I tightened it to the point where the slop was gone, and no further.
Stewart
Locate the allen head bolt and locknut on top of the steering box (close to the radiator). I believe the locknut is 5/8".
Mark the allen bolt so you can tell the orientation that you started from and then loosen the locknut.
Turn the allen bolt clockwise a quarter turn to tighten the gear mesh. Tighten the locknut back up and take her for a spin.
In reading posts by others who have done this, the allen bolt seems to get turned somewhere between three-quarters of one full rotation, and one and one-half full rotation before people are happy with the results. For my Excursion, I tightened mine almost one full rotation before I was happy.
Be careful, because if you over-tighten the nut, the steering may be so tight as to get extremely stiff on a turn, causing you to veer off course.
Repeat the tighten and test drive until you're satisfied with the performance.
If you over tighten, turn back the allen bolt a quarter turn counter clockwise.
There is a risk of over tightening the box and causing it to wear out prematurely, so I tightened it to the point where the slop was gone, and no further.
Stewart
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
Super Moderator
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 29,380
Likes: 118
From: Central Coast of CA
Yep, that's why the instructions say to use quarter turns, then to test drive your rig to see how it feels. 
It also gives the reported amounts a lot of guys have rotated their adjustment screw so someone won't go too far on the adjustment. It even gives a warning not to overtighten. 
Seeing as these instructions have been around for a few years and there have been a lot of guys using them to get better steering results...well, I guess I'm just saying that the warnings are already included throughout the instructions.
Stewart
It also gives the reported amounts a lot of guys have rotated their adjustment screw so someone won't go too far on the adjustment. It even gives a warning not to overtighten. Seeing as these instructions have been around for a few years and there have been a lot of guys using them to get better steering results...well, I guess I'm just saying that the warnings are already included throughout the instructions.
Stewart
