For fun we remove the steering box

[Texas Diesel]

With 165k miles the truck was starting to wander a bit. We pulled the gearbox and tightened the preload; pretty much left the over center as it was.

Now drives tight as a new truck

Took 2.5 hours and well worth the work. Sure beats buying a new gear box.

 

[Whit]

I thought I read somewhere that there is a nut on the outside of the gearbox that you can adjust for slop, just xactly did ya do???

 

[2500cummins]

Kevin,
You are thinking of the over center adjustment, it sets the gear lash. The pre load sets the end play on the input shaft.
The instructions for adjusting the steering box are in this:
Steering box TSB at Dave Fritz's TSB index

 

[Whit]

OK makes sense now, my steering is still good for now

 

[Texas Diesel]

OK my steering is still good for now

Sooner or later, given the long seervice life of the engine you will be doing this. Sure beats buying a new one. Biggest thing is the spanner wrench and a 18MM line wrench, it has a slot cut in it so you can get it over the PS lines.

Wasnt nearly as bad as I thought it would be.