Steering box adjustment/tightening???
Senior User
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 218
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From: sw colorado
A lot of people will tell you not to adjust it, it's there for preload and not adjustment (for taking play out of the wheel). What I've learned is to turn the wheel all the way to one side or the other (the worm gear gets worn in the middle from mostly driving straight down the road), then you can adjust a little play out of it. Don't make it very tight, just snug it up a little bit. If you do this without turning the wheel to the side, you will tighten it up in the middle of the worn spot, then when you turn it will get very tight. I've even seen one guy break his box from turning the steering wheel 'cause he got it to tight. If your not sure, find somone local to help you along.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
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From: Simi Valley, CA
These two kits fit a gazillion different 1965/2002 passenger cars, 1969/96 trucks, 1978/96 Bronco's, 1975/96 Econoliines (Misc Rangers, Bronco II's and etc) and are available everywhere, including FoMoCo dealers.
btw: There is no "worm gear" with Ford (or 1966/69 Bendix) integral P/S. Worm gears were used in manual gearboxes and w/Power Assist P/S...since it uses the manual gear box.
What is there...is a spool valve...and it's one of the parts that wears, but...
All these Ford gearboxes have a built in flaw that causes loose steering and for the gearboxes to leak. Installing new seals only works for a short time, then it's time to reseal the damn thing again.
Autoparts stores sell so-called rebuilt gearboxes, but are really nothing more than resealed geaboxes.
redheadsteeringgears.com (located in Seattle) takes the gearbox, machines the case, installs needle bearings that Ford left out...on purpose.
Go to their website, read all about it.
More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 525
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 187
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I was knew to these old bumps about a year and ahalf ago.
when i got my truck it had really loose steering and my first thought was also to adjust the steering box.
but i first replaced the rag joint or steering coupler and that helped a great deal ($30 advance auto). Then after about 6 months later i found an old allignment guy who worked on older cars to get an allignment and was told that he couldn't allign it until i replace the Radius arm bushings and drag link ($600) that was a little out of my price range so i decided to do it myself.
The parts cost about $130 and after a half a day on the weekend spent on my back, my truck steers completely different ( although since i was at it i threw on some monroe shocks on the $80 front).
It is the old worn and dried out bushings on the front ends that make these old trucks drive like cruise ships, so believe that is the first place to start when trying to improve handling. All of this with the help of this forum. Al
when i got my truck it had really loose steering and my first thought was also to adjust the steering box.
but i first replaced the rag joint or steering coupler and that helped a great deal ($30 advance auto). Then after about 6 months later i found an old allignment guy who worked on older cars to get an allignment and was told that he couldn't allign it until i replace the Radius arm bushings and drag link ($600) that was a little out of my price range so i decided to do it myself.
The parts cost about $130 and after a half a day on the weekend spent on my back, my truck steers completely different ( although since i was at it i threw on some monroe shocks on the $80 front).
It is the old worn and dried out bushings on the front ends that make these old trucks drive like cruise ships, so believe that is the first place to start when trying to improve handling. All of this with the help of this forum. Al
Senior User
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 218
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From: sw colorado
If you get under the truck and have somone turn the wheel back and forth while you watch the input shaft and output shaft at the same time, you can get a really good idea of wheather or not the play is in the steering box, or not. As mentioned above, the entire front end can have play anywhere, which will affect steering. If you watch all the linkage while the wheel is being yanked back and forth, you can see a little play all over. Keep in mind that a little play in one bushing will translate to a lot when your driving down the road. A little play in all bushings will be even worse.
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2009
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I replaced all the steering componants except the box up to the wheel. The only place left for play was the coupler and the box. I tightened the box and it's good as new. The preload screw had no tention on it at all so I ran it in untill I felt something and then locked it in place. I'm planning on doing the coupler this weekend.
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