The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk excessive play in steering wheel

the steering wheel has excessive play and a delay in correcting. Is this a tough job for an office worker such as myself?

Thanks.

It could be a big job. There are many diferent things that could be wrong. It could be the steering gearbox, steering links, kingpins, etc. Find out what is causing the play and go from there.

Not too difficult to take care of, just need some basic hand tools and a little patience.
On the engine side of the steering box, you'll see a lock nut/screw on the side. Take the nut loose, then turn the screw part in until the play is gone. Don't get crazy with tightening the screw, just go easy until the play is gone. Then tighten the locknut. You may have to use a bit driver wiht a ratchet, or a stubby screwdriver, full size screwdrivers won't fit very well.

Get yourself an original service manual, there is a section that will take you step by step through the process. As stated above, it could be a multitude of things, I would do the steering box first, then check your kingpins.

I can't tell you how many steering boxes I have found that were bone dry. Back in the day 90 wt gear oil was used and has probably long since run out. In many cases the upper bearing is the first to go. Try pumping the gear box full of grease and along with the other suggestions, it might help.
Fred

When you adjust that steering gear box, (as above, very easy to do) test drive and make sure the steering wheel returns on its own following a turn. If you tighten too much, the wheel will remain following a turn and you'll drive your truck into someone's living room!!! Putting in oil is also an easy next step. After that it gets pretty hard.

All the components of steering from the king pins to the steering gear box are probably worn such that each component puts some measure of play in the steering. It called backlash when machinery gets worn and has wiggle in it that cannot be compensated for by way of adjustment.

The best mix for the steering gear box is 50/50 90wt and grease.Ron.

There is a Topic on this under Tech-Tips, it's pretty straight forward. You'll find it under Suspension and Steering. Good Luck.

Raise the front end & with the wheels straight ahead have someone move the steering wheel back & forth through the freeplay while byou watch underneath to see where the play is comeing from. When you adjust the gear like the fellow bolters described make shure the wheels are straight ahead. You didn,t say what year it is but if it has king pins they must be greased good & grease goes through the fitting. If they bind it will drive bad & not return after a turn.

Hi 59blueapache,
I have recently gone through the same issue with my truck. After I was through I had completely rebuilt my steering box and made all of the linkage adjustments. King pins had been replaced about 3 years ago. Steering was MUCH better but not as good as I would have liked. Last month when replacing front springs I noticed one of the spring hangers attached to the frame was loose. I removed the old rivets and bolted it back on tight. I would never had noticed the loose hanger if I hadn't done the spring job. Then I had the front end aligned and this old truck steers like a dream. White knuckles have turned pink again. Just a thought to check those spring mounting points while you are doing all this work.

I just went through this on my 1 ton. The lash screw was rusted solid into the lock down screw thing. I could get the lock down loose, but I could not move the lash screw.

I put like three/four days worth of rust breaker on it. Letting it soak for a long time. Then I loosened the lock down screw. Held it with on wrench and the lash screw with a vise grips.

Then...you just squeeze them together and pull them apart. It only moved just a bit each time...but every time I pulled them apart the lash screw turned just a bit more. I could feel when it was getting tight because of rust build up...then I would change direction.

It took a good ten minutes to get the lash screw fully loose....but it was effective. I know have a fully adjusted steering box. This was after the PO told me that a mechanic said there was nothing left to do.

(THANKS TO WRENCHBENDER for saying it was still adjustable. It gave me the patience to work on it.)

As to figure out if it is the gear box or all the connections/parts...I just put my hand around the steering shaft...in the wheel well and turned that. I could see it turning a lot before the pitman arm/shaft out of gear box even started to move. So I knew it was there and not in the other parts.

Dave