When I am out driving in my 64 F100, I have to work like the dickens just to stay in my lane. I just bought the truck a week ago, and I am trying to get it into good running condition.

Someone out there has done this before, I bet, so please let me know what I should look for. Is there any kind of adjustment on the steering box, or is it just shot, and needs replacing?

Manual steering, 3 on the tree, longbed styleside.

 

Do a search of this forum. I asked the same thing when I first came to this site. Yes there is some limited adjustment but there are also some drawbacks. Mine had about 3-4 inches of play in the wheel. I did some adjusting and got that down to about 1 1/2-2 inches of play. Not wonderful but beats the heck out of what it orginaly had. I have a parts truck with zero play that will likely be put to use sometime in the future. Anyway do the search and it should have the directions/precautions.

later

 

How are you defining play in the wheel? And what are you used to driving?

Mostlikely, the rag joint is worn out. Thats a fairly simple job to replace, but involved to describe.

Your tie rod ends may also be worn, or just need grease.

The spring eye bushings are also likely worn, which will add a LOT of slack to the steering. Its also on leafe springs, which have a natural tendancy to flex side to side. Is there a panhard rod installed? Are the bushings on it in good shape? I'm not sure if 64's had them stock, but they help with leaf spring steering stability

Its also a recripricating ball style steering system, geared for manual steering, so the wheel must be moved 3 times as far to get the same results as a normal, modern, power steering truck. that means any small slack in the system is amplified X3 times.

If it goes down the road feeling like a big boat with a slow rudder, then thats about normal for a leaf sprung, manual steering antique truck.




Also, if its being a handfull to keep straight, the castor on the front axle may be off. if the castor and alignment are right, the truck should track straight with no input from the steering.

 

Rag joint is the most common issue. Inexpensive and relatively easy to replace. I'd start there.

 

64 won't have a rag joint. Removing and rebuilding these gear boxes is a real PITA. Before you adjust anything have a look at the tie rod ends and thedrag link. Parts are available for these items. Check for loose wheel bearings and shot spring shackles especially the REAR ones. New shocks and properly inflated tires may also help. These old Fords look alike but the difference between 61-64 and 65-66 I Beam trucks is significant.

 

Be carefull adjusting steer boxes. I had a 1977 F100 years ago with the same problem. I adjusted the worm gear to the proper play, felt great going out the driveway, turned on the road and put one tire in the ditch because I could not turn the wheel back straight. Found out the gear teeth was worn going straight and not worn making a turn. When I turned on the road,the clearance in the teeth tightened up and the steer box gears jamed. I had to back the adjustment off to get the wheels to turn. Another class in the school of hard knocks. Jim.

 

Jack up the truck and put it on jack stands and have someone turn the steering wheel slowly while you are under the truck and watch all the steering components to see where the "play" is.

 

Thank you very much to those of you who have offered helpful advice. After due consideration, and playing around with the steering wheel for awhile, I got my socket wrench, and turned the hex-head bolt on the top of the steering gear box clockwise about one-half turn (in small portions, checking for steering response after each try).

At that point, I decided to try driving it around the neighborhood to see how it felt. Amazing! It works! It no longer tends to stray all over the road, and if the road surface is smooth and even, I don't need to do anything, it tracks straight ahead. I did notice later, that with a full load in the bed, it does require more effort to keep it tracking straight. But, empty, it steers very easily (by comparison). It's not perfect, but it's much, much better.

So, now that it's done, what exactly did I adjust?

 

You have adjusted lash in the steering sector and spool. This adjustment can compensate for wear between these two parts but usually best results are achieved by identifying and replacing worn parts like tie rod ends, steering arm (drag link), king pins, spring shackles, shocks and wheel bearings. I'd guess you got lucky! Check for gear lubricant in the steering gear box.

 

Congradulations You have sucessfully accomplished the first stage of destroying the steering box.

Excessive play is just that an indicator of wear. 64 Ford boxes use bronze bushings that over time wear elongated and cause play, this in turn has the shafts wobbling and the seals leak the 90 weight gear oil out all over the place. One the seals leak its hasta la vista time to the ***** as they will gall, and in stead of being round will look like geodesic domes.

There is a bit of play built in about 1 1/2" from center line is acceptable.

Tighetening the bolt only masks the underlying problem, the bolt only sets preload on the gear. And unless you used the prescribed method of adjustment it will quickly wear into a worse condition.

A rebuild is in order.

You will note if you read past posts of mine i am not an advocate of adjusting steering gears as the ford factory manuals clearly state that the preload settings are not an adjustment for wear or play. The setting of the preload is done with torque wrench and with in spec materials. *****, bushings worm gears roll pins ECT.

Garbz

 

For the sake of not starting a new thread I'l ask my question here.
I've a '63 ford/mercury comet. I know, not a truck, but we all know how ford used the same parts on multiple vehicles, and this forum seems to be the only place to ask.
Exiting a parkin lot one day I heard a pop in the steering and suddenly the wheel had almost a full turn of play before the tires moved! Got it home(barely) and got under it while the wife moved the steering wheel, saw the pitman arm doesn't move. Took the gearbox lid off, when you turn with the play, you can see the worm gear slide forward rather than spin. So its all in the gearbox. I had once adjusted it years ago and now further adjustments make no difference.

For $300 i can order a rebult box but i want to see if i can find the problem myself and replace a part(hopefully). Either way the box has to come out.

Took the 3 bolts off that holds the gearbox, got the steeringwheel off, and the pitman arm is disconnected. Car was 3-on-the-tree, but all thats disconnected(floor shifter). The only thing now is the steering shaft? The gearbox is full of grease, can see the worm gear but nothin else. Now what do i do?

 

I recommend a rebuilt gear box for decades of safe driving. I know 300 bucks is a good piece of change but if you like to drive the car I think you should go for it.

 

Thanks for the tip William. Unfortunately, I still haven't been able to remove the old box. The only thing holding it in place is its connection with the steering column. What has to be done to get the gearbox out?