What did I do wrong?
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Eaton, CO
What did I do wrong?
I installed a new steering gear yesterday. First I got the steering shaft on the new installed gear box and ensured true center by counting the turns from full left to right lock and dividing by two. Then I installed the pitman arm. I tightened the pitman arm onto it to 220lbs-ft. I torqued the tie rod end to the pitman arm to ~73lbs-ft by the time the castle nut lined up with the cotter pit hole. I filled the pump with ATF and turned the engine over, then filled it up again, started the truck turned the wheels, shut it down, filled the pump and repeated that process until the level stayed up there. On my way home, when steering to the left I noticed a lot more resistance than steering right. It seems to pull a little to the right too.
Do you think there's an air bubble in there?
Do you think there's an air bubble in there?
Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Eaton, CO
Does the torque spec sound right on that tie rod end to pitman arm? I couldn't find a torque spec in my Chilton's that specified that joint, so I went with the torque spec on a generalized tie rod end.
I'm going to try to burp / bleed the system today w/ the motor off and pump cover off. If fluid is splashing or going way down and way up, there's air in there. For some reason, I don't think so.
I'm going to try to burp / bleed the system today w/ the motor off and pump cover off. If fluid is splashing or going way down and way up, there's air in there. For some reason, I don't think so.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 10,501
Likes: 5
From: Faibanks Ak.
The air if any should have worked it's way out and it shouldn't have caused it to pull anyway. I'm not sure on the torque spec for it,but that shouldn't cause your symptoms even if it is off unless you twisted the shaft or something.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,789
Likes: 5
From: Sand GAp, KY
Sounds like a bad box to me as well. I got two of them in a row when I swapped it out on my girls bII she used to have. They were rebuilds and I geuss they were not "rebuilt" properly lol.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Eaton, CO
All right, well I'm going to go buy another one. I got off the phone with a guy at A.Z. They have no problem refunding my money. One thing that's cool is the lifetime guarantee they have.
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Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Eaton, CO
Damn, I hope I don't get another bad one! The OEM steering gear has been puking for some time and the entire area was nasty. I'm going to pressure wash the hell out of the entire area today to clean it up. I couldn't yesterday because of how cold it was outside. Today it's supposed to be warm.
I noticed the steering shaft and coupler that runs from the firewall down to the steering gear input shaft looked like it was in bad shape. I might as well get a new one of those while I'm at it. Are those an online only aftermarket type thing or do parts stores carry them as well?
I noticed the steering shaft and coupler that runs from the firewall down to the steering gear input shaft looked like it was in bad shape. I might as well get a new one of those while I'm at it. Are those an online only aftermarket type thing or do parts stores carry them as well?
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Eaton, CO
I put the second one in today and success. It only took two hours. My wife likes to wrench on the truck, so this time we flew through it. It steers great to the left and right equally.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Eaton, CO
I'm glad you were right and it wasn't something I did or something else on the truck. I was skeptical about buying another steering gear from Autozone. The first one I bought came in a dilapidated box. Sure enough it was messed up. This one came in an immaculate box. Sure enough it works flawlessly. Maybe the first one was dropped.
I primed the box exactly as the rebuild company recommends. It worked great.
I primed the box exactly as the rebuild company recommends. It worked great.
