So I put a new steering box in my truck after I replaced a bunch of front end parts. My steering still was not good, it was wondering a good bit, so I took it to a shop. While they were working on the truck they said the steering box needed to be adjusted, well I got the tuck back and it still wonders (I am thinking that the ball joints may be a little stiff and I need to put some miles on them, I also think I tightened the top crown nut too tight the first time around so they re torqued the bolts) but the steering is tight, but the wheel does not return to center. So I am wondering if there is a procedure for setting the steering box correctly, of should I just back the bolt out a little at a time until it returns to center. Again this is a newly rebuilt box, not a worn out box. Thanks for any help.
How to set the steering box?
- Thread starter cardana24
- Start date
87crewdually
Full Access Member
A newly built box should of never been touched. But too late for that. By adjusting the screw your loading or unloading the gear. If the screw is tight, your pushing on the gear probably enough to cause a bind. Your going to have to either unbolt the center link or jack up the truck so there is no strain on the steering. Then feel for binding by turning the wheel side to side. It should be smooth through the whole cycle. Any binding, back the screw out a little and try again. Remember to lock down the lock nut when complete by holding the screw so it doesn't move and tightening the nut.
Any drastic play or wander may be not enough toe, caster, or worn intermidiate steering shaft if all other parts are new.
Any drastic play or wander may be not enough toe, caster, or worn intermidiate steering shaft if all other parts are new.
Its about the same either way now the best I can tell. Once I turn the wheel it stays in that position, rather than coming back. For examle: if I am going around a traffic circle, when I make that first turn of the wheel I can take my hands off and the truck will go around the circle by its self.
alienturtle
Human
neato lol. i just installed a 4" lift on my f250 and did a full energy suspension bushing kit. included all the leaf bushings and the arm pivot bushings. Also did both new inner steering rods and new outer tie rods. the ball joints had been replaced about 3k miLes ago so everything is new under my truck. i took it to the alignment shop (les schwab) and they did the full alignment on it. i got it back and mine is doing the same things yours is. it doesn't want to self center and the steering is very tight. on the alignment paper they gave me it shows everything in the green. i also noticed when i turn full left the inside of the tire hits the leaf
but when i turn fill right it does not. i have to take it back to them and see whats up. I believe they cranked down on my gear box. i wish there was a way we could set it back to factory and adjust from there.
icanfixall
Official GMM hand model
You need to back off on the adjusting nut on top of the box. Just back out around 1/2 turn at a time till it returns mostly to center. Then look at the slip joint between the shaft and the box. There is a flat spring in there that takes up the slack between the shafts. Mine was broken to many pieces. Wrecking yard parks and its all better now. No play in the wheel. Knda like a racer now...
If there is a problem with the slip joint wouldn't I beable to tell when moving the steering wheel back and fourth when looking for slop? It did not appear to loose any of the movement when moving the steering wheel back and fourth until it got to the steering box. What is that boot over the slip joint held on with? It seems like it is just glued on there.
MUDKICKR
Full Access Member
sounds like a caster problem.
I assume that would have been taken care of in the alignment that I just had
Where do you adjust the caster on these trucks?I assume that would have been taken care of in the alignment that I just had
Caster is usually adjusted with offset eccentric bushings. Chances are they didn;t bother adjusting it as that would require the purchase of one or more offset bushings to get it done. Unfortunately , most allignments consist of *set the toe and let it go*, especially on trucks. and dont think a computer allignment rack means you are going to get an accurate job because those things are out of calibration about 90% of the time and allow for an incredible amount of slop to be considered within tolerance( My allignment guy had a computer rack for a very short time and he quickly tired of putting out sloppy jobs and got rid of it and put his old manual rack back in so he could do proper allignments every time )
i also noticed when i turn full left the inside of the tire hits the leaf
This happens a lot, and it shouldn't. The steering box is made to be tight in the center, and loose on either side of center. This gives it a good tight feel when driving down the road, but is easier on the system when making tight turns in parking lots.
So the steering box has to be centered when the wheels are straight ahead. The problem is someone may take the steering wheel off and put it back on wrong, or this can happend with the steering input shaft also. Instead of checking the box to see if it's centered, the alignment guy will just level the steering wheel, and then turn the tie rods to make the wheels straight. This is why the truck turns sharper one way than the other, and since it's not centered, has a very sloppy feel to it. It can also ruin the guts of the steering box if the box is running out of travel internally. The suspension stops are supposed to stop the box, not the guts bottoming out.
To see what's going on, the first thing to do is get the truck running straight ahead, and then stop. Then take the pitman arm loose, the small end is easiest. Then take the steering wheel and turn it one direction till it stops. Then turn it the other way till it stops, counting the turns. Take this number and divide by two, and put the steering wheel exactly this number of turns to center it. Don't pay attention to the steering wheel position.
Once it's centered in it's travel, go under and try to put the pitman arm joint back in. If it won't go, that's a sure sign it was off. You will then need to loosen both tie rod end adjustments, and turn them equally the same number of turns to move the pitman arm link till it will go back into the pitman arm.
You can also at this time pull the steering wheel off and re-position it so it's level.
Any adjustment made to the steering box has to be made while it's sitting in the centered tight spot.
