New P/S pump but still stiff steering/won't return to center

[MtnHaul]

Put on a new pump and still have the same symptoms. Steering feels stiff and takes a bit more effort than normal and the steering wheel will not return to center/straight like it usually does. I've never dealt with these symptoms before and some internet reading suggests various things from seized front u-joints to steering column. I checked the front stub shafts and they spin freely with the wheels turned to lock at left and right, removed the steering damper, greased all the zerks, and still no change. The steering gear/box is a cheap reman but it is less than 3 years/30k miles old. No weird sounds or grinding when I turn the steering wheel. I've never dug into the steering column before--any special tools required?

Any suggestions here would be appreciated as I do not want to blindly throw any more parts at it if I can avoid it.

 

[Cubey]

Have you previously messed with adjusting the gear box any to remove slop, right before the problem came up? If it's put too tight, that'll happen.

 

[gnathv]

I had that problem and it ended up being the bearings in the steering column. There is also a u joint that can bind. It is inside the cab, not the one under the hood. I thought it was my power steering pump at first, hard to turn didn’t return to center.

 

[jwsfarrier]

I had similar issues. Replaced the steering gear( Red Head ). Problem solved

 

[jwsfarrier]

(Edit) I replaced the stock unit with a Red Head steering gear.

 

[Double-S-Diesel]

ran in to the steering column bearings more than once

 

[MtnHaul]

Have you previously messed with adjusting the gear box any to remove slop, right before the problem came up? If it's put too tight, that'll happen.

No, that would have been too easy.

ran in to the steering column bearings more than once

Are these bearings relatively easy to replace?

 

[Cubey]

An easy way to check the steering shaft bearings is to just loosen the clamp bolt of the shaft end (where the rag joint is) from the gear box and push collapsible shaft towards the firewall, then see the steering wheel should freely spin with no resistance at all if the bearings are good. It might do you better to just find a good used steering shaft assembly from a junk yard than trying to rebuild the original.

 

[MtnHaul]

With steering shaft disconnected the steering wheel spins OK but there does seem to be a tiny bit of drag and some sounds, not grinding but not smooth either. Definitely leaning towards the column rather than early failure on steering gear.

 

[Black dawg]

If the steering feels stiff to you, but the column doesnt feel too bad with it disconnected, I would be checking ball joints first.

The best way is to disconnect the tie rod from each knuckle and see how much effort it takes to move it through its range of motion.......just noticed the kp 60.....still worth a check?

 

[u2slow]

Steering column usually gets sloppy and crunchy well before seizing up. I had to change mine (95 F350) because it was to far gone.

Did this tightness show up after the dana 60 swap? or is it just a reluctance to return to center on its own? Where I'm going is... do you have enough caster angle? Does the linkage and knuckles steer smoothly when disconnected from the steering box?

 

[MtnHaul]

The tightness showed up suddenly. I drove out to a client's house about 30 miles and noticed nothing, truck sat all day, on the way home suddenly the steering was stiff and felt like I had only partial power steering. The 60 has been on for 5 years or so and the steering components were all replaced at the time of the swap and have roughly 40-50k miles on them. I grease the front end pretty regularly.
While parked the steering feels smoother just moving from lock to lock as opposed to making a turn at 25-35mph.

Does the linkage and knuckles steer smoothly when disconnected from the steering box?

It's been a while since things were apart but I guess that can be checked next.

 

[MtnHaul]

Disconnected the drag link from the pitman arm and everything moves smoothly. At this point it seems either steering gear or column but columns are rather expensive it seems. No junkyards nearby have anything. I hate to do it but maybe tomorrow I just try another steering gear so I can either rule it out or start wishing I had bought a Redhead in the first place.

 

[MtnHaul]

New steering gear and problem persists so I guess it's the column.

 

[Cubey]

Check https://row52.com/