Bob L
I'm Awesome
First find the problem then fix it. A part causing 4" of play should be easy to find.
Steering slop won't go away
- Thread starter 92_Bahama
- Start date
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chipskittles
I'm Awesome
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2013
- Messages
- 183
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Most rebuilt steering gears are junk. They take a core and slap a rebuild kit in it. That means a new output bearing, new seals and if it passes the pressure checks it's good. The reason there is still play after all that is that the gears themselves are worn and they don't ever get replaced in a rebuild. The gears when new have lines machined into the faces that work kind of like a bearing preload and take up play. These lines will eventually get worn off the gear faces after 100s of thousands of miles and once the gear faces are shined up there will always be play. This link has pictures of what i'm talking about : http://www.stangerssite.com/CanISteeringBox2.html. No rebuilder will tell you this.
The other thing that you want to do before installing any gear box is to adjust the preloads on it to spec. Just because it came in a box doesn't mean it was adjusted right.
Midwest Steering carries brand new Delphi steering gears for not terrible prices, especially as good rebuilt boxes for our trucks get harder and harder to find.
The other thing that you want to do before installing any gear box is to adjust the preloads on it to spec. Just because it came in a box doesn't mean it was adjusted right.
Midwest Steering carries brand new Delphi steering gears for not terrible prices, especially as good rebuilt boxes for our trucks get harder and harder to find.
92_Bahama
Newbie
For some reason half of these responses didn't show up last time so here we go
Bob L: I believe the last time I checked there was nothing getting to the pitman arm but I just got home from work so I will check tomorrow morning. I have the printout from my alignment and all of my caster, camber, and toe are within spec. Yes when I go around a turn I have to help the steering wheel a little bit before it will automatically bring the wheel back to center, I figured this was because of the larger tires. And yes I thought this would be an easy fix as well as that much slop would be easy to spot.
beardeddummy: I may try that if I plan on replacing the box and see if it helps, I just know that you can fry those SOB's pretty easy after messing with them.
884x4310ci I did not and the more I think about how the steering is set up I should have. That is very high up on the list of things to try. And yes I can go in and get another one via warranty but I don't want to have to go through 5 of this POS's before I find a good one.
chipskittles I have heard the horror of people getting reman boxes and this happening but I really needed to get the truck aligned after the tie rod snapped as my tires are only a couple months old so I never really looked into new options and all of my local part store only carried reman. I have heard of Redhead steering boxes but I don't believe they ever made boxes for my truck. I will probably try adjusting the box knowing that it will probably die not too shortly after that. I will also look into Midwest Steering thank you.
Thanks for all the help you guys I have tomorrow off and will look into all of options.
Bob L: I believe the last time I checked there was nothing getting to the pitman arm but I just got home from work so I will check tomorrow morning. I have the printout from my alignment and all of my caster, camber, and toe are within spec. Yes when I go around a turn I have to help the steering wheel a little bit before it will automatically bring the wheel back to center, I figured this was because of the larger tires. And yes I thought this would be an easy fix as well as that much slop would be easy to spot.
beardeddummy: I may try that if I plan on replacing the box and see if it helps, I just know that you can fry those SOB's pretty easy after messing with them.
884x4310ci I did not and the more I think about how the steering is set up I should have. That is very high up on the list of things to try. And yes I can go in and get another one via warranty but I don't want to have to go through 5 of this POS's before I find a good one.
chipskittles I have heard the horror of people getting reman boxes and this happening but I really needed to get the truck aligned after the tie rod snapped as my tires are only a couple months old so I never really looked into new options and all of my local part store only carried reman. I have heard of Redhead steering boxes but I don't believe they ever made boxes for my truck. I will probably try adjusting the box knowing that it will probably die not too shortly after that. I will also look into Midwest Steering thank you.
Thanks for all the help you guys I have tomorrow off and will look into all of options.
beardeddummy
I'm Awesome
Just adjust a little bit and try it. Kind of like trial and error if you have to grunt back it off. It takes longer this way but I don't know of any exact science but at 263k my box is almost as tight as my stepdads 2017 gmc. And that's on a 4x4 with 33s
