Steering Wheel Play

[icanfixall]

Well for about a year now I have noticed some play in the steering wheel. About 7 years ago I had the same issue and found it was the spring between the collaspable parts of the shaft. So off you the wrecking yard and got those pieces. Cost was nothing because they fit in my pocket and.. I already paid an enter fee.. Its a tuff job to seperate the two sliding shafts and install the plastic holder for the flat spring that takes up the slop between the two shafts. Well I thought because I was seeing a leak that the box has worn out. So I tightened up the adjuster.. Nope.. Not enough.. So again I adjust it but still the same slop. Soooo. I climb up on the engine. Bend over and try to feel any movement.. Sure nuff. I need to replace that crappy spring once again. Well its time for a new box and maybe a better shaft. Kinda tired of redoing my repairs. Fit it once.. Fix it right.. Be done with it.. Move on to the next issue... Like time to clean the battery terminals...

 

[trucknorris]

Just had Red Head put under my hood. The steering is day and night.. It's tight.. it feels like you have to apply some muscle to it, but not much. Waiting for front end alignment now.. Went to 1 shop... waited for 1 hour for them to tell me they can't align it because they dont know how to do it.. lawl..

Took it to another shop, and these guys are worst than my dentist. They have an appointment book... truck is sitting parked until Monday.

 

[riotwarrior]

RED HEAD box makes me think of ( http://www.scarlettmadison.com/ ) and BORGESON shaft Gary,

NUFF said!

 

[subway]

Just did the box in my truck, it helped a lot. Just make sure you use a good pulled to get the pitman arm off. I blew a jaw off my craftsman gear pulled using that. Then also make sure to re check the bolts down the road.

 

[trucknorris]

I had to take my truck to the shop to get the steering box replaced. I could not release the pitman arm off. They had to use an airhammer, and then they had to replace it...

 

[whalebus]

Are you talking about slop in the wheel left to right? Mine is like that and I replace the box and rag joint and still have slop. If this is what you have then could you explain a little more in depth? thanks

 

[icanfixall]

Ok... The slop is between the inner and outer shafts that slide into each other when the front end is crushed. This is a safetly item so the steering shaft does not come thru your chest like it did in the 50s and early 60s. Look at the rag joint and then up towards the firewall. There is a collar. Unscrew that. Unbolt the shaft at the firewall and dlide everything upwards off the shaft connecting to the rag joint. The plastic and the flat spring is right there. Caution because Ford has some differant types of springs.

 

[gonecrazyi]

A bfh hammer and a pitman arm puller makes short work removing the pitman arm. Just like removing a tie rod without a puller. A little tension and a fee good smacks and your good to go.

 

[riotwarrior]

A bfh hammer and a pitman arm puller makes short work removing the pitman arm. Just like removing a tie rod without a puller. A little tension and a fee good smacks and your good to go.

Been doing this method for a long time! I must say I agree it works most every time...the ODD RUST WELDED/FROZEN ones need heat but that's so rare!

I'll see about some pics of said shaft and springs for ya'll after I get this efn forklift done! UGH!

 

[gonecrazyi]

I haven't found to many vehicles it doesn't work on. I've never had the spring Gary's talking about actually wear out. Its generally that plastic sleeve between the slip shaft that wears or falls out.

 

[icanfixall]

On my failure the plastic filed and the spring was broken into several pieces. I have spares.. I just don't like standing on the bumper and bending over working at my shoe level standing on my head. But its bothering me with that sloppy joe settering. Now that I have adjusted the steering box twice I probably have it too tight. But I can fix that.

 

[Devon Harley]

If you can't get the pit arm off you need a Bigger Hammer you don't even need a fork! Smack it on the side good maybe a bunch of times in my case to small of hammer at first but one smack with a 15lb sludge an it came off like butter with no damage