SLoppy steering....
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Joined: Nov 2009
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SLoppy steering....
1997 F350 CC...It has messed up tie rods when i bought it..and wheel bearings. Replaced all. However my steering wheel has a TON of slop to it..Any bleeder? Or adjustments that can be made? Its all over the road.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 11,231
Likes: 130
From: Thomasville, GA
You can tighten the worm gear a little on the steering box. It's on top of the box, slot for a flat screwdriver in the middle and a nut on the outside. Hold the screw in place, loosen the nut, screw in the center a 1/4 turn, then tighten the nut down. Should take some slop out...
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,791
Likes: 98
From: Ashland City, TN
Brownie, due to popular mistake, that doesn't actually fix sloppy steering.
Its for something totally different.
I really wish I could remember at the moment what for. If you talk to a front end alignment specialist, he will tell you to leave it alone.
Its for something totally different.
I really wish I could remember at the moment what for. If you talk to a front end alignment specialist, he will tell you to leave it alone.
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Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
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Messing with the gear adjustment will almost guarantee you will need a new one ...
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 320
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From: Wisconsin
While this may not be a fix-all for worn components, eliminating excessive lash between gear teeth will help eliminate slop in the system, at least the last time I checked...
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,791
Likes: 98
From: Ashland City, TN
I wish I had a tape recorder for when I talked to the guy about this last time. I simply cannot remember everything
Adjusting the lash on the gear box will cause excessive wear on the gearbox and can cause the gearbox to lock up during operation.
AKA. Your stuck turning left/right. *crash*
If you tear down a steering box, you'll see that this really has nothing to do with the "slop" in the steering.
I adjusted mine every which way I could on my 95 without any success, only a stuck steering wheel. It will basically make it harder for you to turn by adjusting it because your moving the gears around inside.
Whoever came up with this though that it "adjusts" the slop in the steering wheel pretty much irritates any front end specialists.
I spoke with the local guy about this for a good 10 minutes the last time I was down there. He knows what is going on too.
Adjusting the lash on the gear box will cause excessive wear on the gearbox and can cause the gearbox to lock up during operation.
AKA. Your stuck turning left/right. *crash*
If you tear down a steering box, you'll see that this really has nothing to do with the "slop" in the steering.
I adjusted mine every which way I could on my 95 without any success, only a stuck steering wheel. It will basically make it harder for you to turn by adjusting it because your moving the gears around inside.
Whoever came up with this though that it "adjusts" the slop in the steering wheel pretty much irritates any front end specialists.
I spoke with the local guy about this for a good 10 minutes the last time I was down there. He knows what is going on too.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin
I wish I had a tape recorder for when I talked to the guy about this last time. I simply cannot remember everything
Adjusting the lash on the gear box will cause excessive wear on the gearbox and can cause the gearbox to lock up during operation.
AKA. Your stuck turning left/right. *crash*
If you tear down a steering box, you'll see that this really has nothing to do with the "slop" in the steering.
I adjusted mine every which way I could on my 95 without any success, only a stuck steering wheel. It will basically make it harder for you to turn by adjusting it because your moving the gears around inside.
Whoever came up with this though that it "adjusts" the slop in the steering wheel pretty much irritates any front end specialists.
I spoke with the local guy about this for a good 10 minutes the last time I was down there. He knows what is going on too.
Adjusting the lash on the gear box will cause excessive wear on the gearbox and can cause the gearbox to lock up during operation.
AKA. Your stuck turning left/right. *crash*
If you tear down a steering box, you'll see that this really has nothing to do with the "slop" in the steering.
I adjusted mine every which way I could on my 95 without any success, only a stuck steering wheel. It will basically make it harder for you to turn by adjusting it because your moving the gears around inside.
Whoever came up with this though that it "adjusts" the slop in the steering wheel pretty much irritates any front end specialists.
I spoke with the local guy about this for a good 10 minutes the last time I was down there. He knows what is going on too.
Hmm...maybe I shall explain some simple mechanical properties. Take two gears for example, the teeth between the two have a specified contact pattern/tolerance. If those gears are spread apart, simulating wear, they will become loose and sloppy, especially when changing rotational direction. Now take and bring them back together, and they will mesh like the did originally. Of course if you jamb them too close they will bind up and they will lock up/be hard to turn.
Granted this may not be as good as new but it will help remove excessive slop in the system. If you bought a Ford repair manual instead of relying on some socalled 'professionals' hot air, you would see this is an approved procedure of adjustment that I have personally done it and had great results with.
Maybe instead of adjusting yours every which way, you should follow the procedure and pull the steering wheel and pitman arm and make your adjustments based on the preload you observe using a torque wrench to rotate the steering shaft. If you do only half the job and try to crank this set screw down so much as to lock up your steering, you deserve to crash. Just my opinion.