Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - Steering has me pissed off. Bronco is dangerous to drive... please read

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Originally Posted by smurf91 (Post 11802720)

Guys you have no idea how glad I am to have gotten this fixed. About 4 hours after I got the bushings installed some stupid $#@! tried to drive his Aveo under my Bronco!!! I was crusing at 75-80mph down I-270 with an orang Aveo directly beside me when this jackass decided they needed the exit we were passing! With no warning what so ever this tiny little car vears to the right heading stright at me!!!! Let me tell you, I alos had over 1000 pounds of tools in the back. Before i couldnt have avoided most likely running sead tiny car over. But I got in the breakes HARD swerved to the sholder and mannaged to avoid smashing this a@#h*&e or my truck. Missed that car by less than an inch!! :-arrgh True story. On a diffrent note. I am planning on up grading to the red head steering box as soon as funds alow!

Oh man, that will put hair on your chest.. It is amazing what people will do to get to their exit... I figured slop was the bit of movement in the steering wheel where you move it but the wheels don't move. I got a tiny bit of that.

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Originally Posted by pfogle (Post 11802925)

You CAN adjust the factory steering boxes to tighten up the play. There is a large nut with a threaded rod sticking through it on the top of the box. Loosen the nut and turn the bolt in (some require a large flat blade screwdriver, others require an allen) 1/2 a turn until it's tight without binding. This little trick has SOLVED a LOT of issues we've had in the vans.

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Originally Posted by Encho (Post 11803442)

That screw is factory set and shouldn't be toyed with, improper manipulation will result in premature wear. Be extremelly careful if you decide to move it.

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Originally Posted by ctubutis (Post 11804233)

I tend to majorly agree with Encho. My own experience in "adjusting" those things always makes things worse, and others in 80-86 say the same thing.

Sure, you may reduce "free play" to some extent, but there is also the very real probability of losing the "feel" of the road as well as the ability for the steering wheel to return to center after a turn.

IMHO half a turn is a LOT, most guys in 80-86 will say 1/8th of a turn at a time, and also make marks so it can be un-adjusted and put back how it was.

Unfortunately i would agree that it CAN be dangerous to do this. I was taught about the little adjustment screw by one of the older techs at the dealership i worked at. He said to turn it real slow because if you go too far you can break something inside it. I chose not to play with said adjustment screw because one, I didn't like my chances of screwing it up big, and second I ended up getting new tires and bushings for my track bar that fix it up nice. BUT I am not discouraging anyone from playing with this screw. Just make sure you turn it slow and in small increments. My bit of "play" in the wheel is not a concern to me anymore, I figured I would update my vocabulary of "Slop".