Ok, I just finished the ball joints, complete new front brakes, u-joints in the front axle, and driver's side tie rod end...not a fun job to do alone. I followed all torque specs while putting her back together. I checked the ball joints after I was done by using a pry bar and looking for movement...there was none that I could see.

I torqued the wheel bearings to 70 ft lbs, backed off 90 degrees and took it back to 20 ft lbs...like the book said to do.

I took her for a test drive and noticed that the steering feels loose, and it floats a bit from the left to right while driving...not as bad as a Crown Vic I had, but enough that I can notice it nonetheless.

While under the truck, I noticed that the tie rod ends at the pitman arm was loose. Could this cause the truck to float while driving?

I'd appreciate any help here.

 

yes that could very well be causing loose steering, it was like that for me, but when i replaced all the rods and ends it tightened it up a great deal, have someone else turn the wheel while you get down and watch the tie rods move, if you see the draglink end (the 'tie rod end' that connects to the pitman arm) flopping around it will need to be replaced, there should be no play in it

 

Power steering box maybe also...?

 

i bet ur caster is way low. an alignment could do wonders. unless its slack in the wheel its prob. gear box like eathan said. and if ur toe is way out neg it will wander the road. the tires r trying to go opposite ways at the same time. caster = loose or tight steering. slack= bad part.

 

I know for a fact that the ball joint at the pitman arm was WAY loose, and was added to my list of things to do after the ball joints...as is the arm from there to the driver's side tie rod end.

 

Ok...I replaced the inner tie rods, and both tie rod ends, and had the alignment done this morning, AND bought 4 new tires. Steering is better than it was, but there is still some wandering, mainly when I hit bumps and potholes.

Would adding a steering stabilizer to a TTB front end be feasible? Would it help my issue any?

 

have someone turn the steering back and forth. if you see any play there is the problem. if you see just the steering shaft its the steering box.

 

Try tightnening the worm gear on your steering gear. Loosen the nut on top, then hold the screw with a screwdriver and turn the nut counter clockwise one or two turns (if you have 2 or more inches of freeplay in the steering wheel) then turn the screwdriver clockwise until it stops, then tighten the nut and see what you got. Just don't get it to tight. It worked for me.