Steering box, or shaft?

[warhog]

I started looking into my steering issues and would like some opinions. It wanders all over the road constantly (i'm contributing that to alignment which will be done this week), and is super super loose. There's a good 6 inches of play in the steering wheel and it sometimes sticks around a corner.

I looked at the shaft, it's butted right up against my fender. Is that normal? It's literally rubbing on it and could be causing the sticking issue i am having. If it's not normal to have it right up against it, What would cause it?

Also, I can grab the shaft itself and turn it quite a bit. The same amount of play in the wheel, is present when gripping the shaft by hand. Bad box, or bad part of the shaft?

 

[warhog]

But is that my problem? Or is the box the main culprit?

 

[towcat]

check the rubber biscuit that connects the shaft to the gearbox first. chances are with that much play it's very dead. but while you're in there, it doesn't hurt to update your steering shaft to the later u-joint style shaft. yes, i've seen steering shafts rub against the inner fender. a hammer and prybar adjustment takes care for that problem.

 

[warhog]

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[lindstromjd]

The box is an easy fix. Takes all of 10 minutes to do, with a wrench and a screwdriver.

 

[warhog]

I'm not sure I want to step up to something like a FR or borg shaft yet, but I really don't see any other options out there. Are these two really the last replacement options?

I suppose I could always try the box adjustment as well, but i assume at 157k on this box, it's probably pretty tired.

edit: also FWIW, it sure seems to move freely with that play inside the box, as in the two sections of the shaft don't move seperatley, the whole thing has play. At slowly speeds the steering is mush, and i never have any return to center. Shrug. Just trying to pick which big ticket item to place first.

 

[warhog]

okay i decided to get dirty and find out where my leak was coming from. turns out the return line is leaking right on top of the shaft where it connects to the box. it has that plastic thing over it but from what i can feel ( i couldnt get it off unless i broke it) the joint under there is completely saturated. i'm sure that's not good. i'm gonna try a new shaft and hope for the best. found a borg for 199 shipped, might as well jump on it.

 

[towcat]

okay i decided to get dirty and find out where my leak was coming from. turns out the return line is leaking right on top of the shaft where it connects to the box. it has that plastic thing over it but from what i can feel ( i couldnt get it off unless i broke it) the joint under there is completely saturated. i'm sure that's not good. i'm gonna try a new shaft and hope for the best. found a borg for 199 shipped, might as well jump on it.

this is what's hiding under the shaft cover. it's the rubber biscuit I was talking about earlier. if you get a later steering shaft assy, the rubber is now synthetic so it's oil resistant and you get the u-joint where the trunnion used to be. be sure to reinstall the plastic cover. if you ever get any rocks kicked up there and the cover is missing, you may actually jam your steering.

 

[warhog]

Thanks towcat! I'm a visual person, so I like pictures a lot better. Anything I invision in my head never ends up looking like the real thing lol. Had that problem with a few girls back in the day...

Gonna replace that leaky hose and shaft and hope for the best.

 

[towcat]

Thanks towcat! I'm a visual person, so I like pictures a lot better. Anything I invision in my head never ends up looking like the real thing lol. Had that problem with a few girls back in the day...

Gonna replace that leaky hose and shaft and hope for the best.

that's what I like about heath's trespasser. she had an ex-bf post some pics of her that was "supposed' to be private" now everyone has knows what her ******* looks like.

 

[warhog]

that's what I like about heath's trespasser. she had an ex-bf post some pics of her that was "supposed' to be private" now everyone has knows what her ******* looks like.

*Like*

 

[riotwarrior]

My god man..6" of free play and your driving that thing....get it off the road and fix it...STOP driving it it's NOT SAFE....FIX it...

If not capable...pay someone..but FIX IT don't drive it....

 

[warhog]

Can't fix it without knowing what to replace

 

[icanfixall]

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Just a note of information. See the two distint shafts and the collar. Well this is a safety slip joint just incase your in a heand on collision. The shafts will slip into each other and not send the steering wheel thru your chest. Also in this joint is a flat spring about 1/2 inch wide and 3/4 inch long in a plastic sleeve. Thats breaks sometimes and you get all kinds of slop between the two shafts. Its hell to get in there too but go shopping at a wrecking yard and learn how to on there stuff first. Be sure to get the parts off the truck that looks like your shaft parts. There are some differances here.

 

[warhog]

Thanks for the info. Unfortunetly, the entire shaft moves with the same amount of free play. Not just one half, or the other. I didn't want to break the plastic shield off the box end of the shaft but i'm assuming from what people here are suggesting, that the joint there is shot. We'll find out when the new shaft comes in.