The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Steering Wheel Slop, where do I start

Joe, if your very capable wife will turn the steering wheel just 1/2" back/forth (with wheels centered ahead) you should feel/see movement at the end of the pitman arm. So...and this won't be exact but it will get you steering safely...loosen the 5/8" nut in the center of the plate held on by 3 screws (on the side of the steering box opposite that of the pitman arm). Loosen it about 1 turn. Now with a stubby screwdriver tighten the slotted screw in the middle of that nut you loosened until 1/2" steering wheel travel produces movement and then back off just a hair...you don't want it too tight in my experience. Back off maybe 20 degrees out of a circle. And then holding the central screw still, tighten your 5/8" nut to hold it in place. That should take care of your steering box adjustment for the time being. Now fill your steering box with whatever type of lubricant you prefer (like motor oil or potato salad or cole slaw if you ask 50 different people you'll get 50 different answers...so you pick what seems most logical). Folks here have mentioned 00 grease. As long as what you purchase is self-leveling you'll be okay. Just fill it until it starts running out of the hole where the fill plug is. Now re-attach your pitman arm and adjust each end of it. The best way is to disassemble and clean (in gasoline) all the parts. If you do this please understand there is an axle end and a gear end to your pitman arm. The sequence of re-assembling the parts is important. On the gear end, it goes like this: spring goes in first, then the spring plug (with the small part facing toward the closed end of the pitman arm), then one ball seat, then the ball in the middle, the other ball seat and finally the screw plug. On the axle end, it goes like this: one ball seat in first, then the ball in the middle, then the other ball seat, then the spring seat with the small part facing the opening of the pitman arm, followed by the spring and finally the screw plug. Adjustment is: tighten each screw plug tight to remove all play. Then back off 1 complete turn plus what is necessary to fit the cotter pin in the hole and through the screw plug. Do that for each end, use a grease gun to re-lubricate them and you're finished with that. Now, do the same thing for each tie rod end and please note: each tie rod end reassembles this way: spring seat first (small end pointing toward the open end), spring next, one ball seat, ball in middle, next ball seat and the end plug. Now grease those and adjust this way: tighten each screw plug until the springs are completely compressed and back off only until you can insert a cotter pin through the hole. Now, if you have done all of this, you should not have 3 inches of slop...you should be able to feel/see some motion with just a bit of steering wheel movement. DISCLAIMER: if your pitman arm balls and tie rod balls have worn egg-shaped, you may still have too much play. If those balls are round, all will be Jake. If they're egg-shaped, you need to replace them. When all of this is done, jack up the truck until one front wheel if off the ground...grab at top and bottom and try to move in/out. This will tell you more or less the condition of your king pins, king pin bushings, etc. That will also cause front end looseness and it is another repair sequence altogether.