K1500 possible Steering box issue?

[1990Z71Swede]

Update, today the first day of 2023 I celebrated the new year by finaly adjusting the steering box as per the video above (well as best as I could with it still in the truck). I could turn the large input adjuster about a quarter turn. And when I was all done the small Allen head adjuster ended up quite a bit higher than before. The steering is now presumably pretty much as the General intended. No tight spots, with good smooth power assist, returns to straight as it should and I can drive it one handed if I want. There is a little bit of rag joint sponginess, I don't think it is totally shot but it is going to be replaced anyways.

One thing that I noticed is that the Steering box does not look like the GMT box that I was expecting it to be.. they apparently have "83" cast on the housing. This one does not. It also only has 2,75 turns from lock to lock. I tested that when the draglink was disconnected to make sure nothing else was limiting.

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The power steering does struggle a little bit with going to full lock when absolutely stationary, but works fine when rolling ever so slowly. Not a problem really but this and the 2,75 turns from lock to lock makes me a little suspicious. Is this a factory 1990 Z71 steering box? (the bore seems to be 3" as the lid measures like 78-79mm)

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Does anyone spot the sparkplug

 

[Schurkey]

Does anyone spot the sparkplug

Part of one, anyway.

 

[Caman96]

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[1990Z71Swede]

To answer my own question, is that the correct steering box for a 1990 K1500?

It appears so...
If I drop the "P" and search for "26052912" instead of "P26052912" I get this:

1988-1997 GM Steering Gear Box 26052912 | GM Parts Online

OEM 1988-1997 GM Part # 26052912 - Steering Gear Box

www.gmpartsonline.net

And since this P/N (according to that link) also came on the 454SS, the 2.75 turns from lock to lock that I have seems correct too.

So thats great... Now if I could just get the cabin hot when below zero it would be even greater.

 

[Schurkey]

Now if I could just get the cabin hot when below zero it would be even greater.

When that was me, the heater worked GREAT, the problem was rotted foam "gaskets" on the HVAC system, in particular the one between the steel cowl and the plastic inlet for the HVAC blower motor, below the windshield area. There was so much sub-zero air coming in past the gasket that it kept the cabin cold even with the heater working properly. The under-dash area was frigid.

This was NOT fun to fix. OTOH, it cost almost nothing in terms of parts--I sealed the various joints with ordinary foam weatherstripping purchased at a local home-improvement store. $5, maybe. The project was made worse by INCORRECT INSTRUCTIONS in the 1988 service manual. The '88 Service Manual Suppliment was more helpful, but I wasn't smart enough to look there until after the Big Hammer came out, made a bunch of dents, and did nothing useful whatsoever.

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Easy enough to pick debris out of the A/C Evaporator, though.

On my most-recent highway trip just over a week ago, I had to turn the temperature down to just above the half-way mark, or I'm roasted out of the cab at -10F.

 

[1990Z71Swede]

...On my most-recent highway trip just over a week ago, I had to turn the temperature down to just above the half-way mark, or I'm roasted out of the cab at -10F.

Thats some great info right there, thanks!
I'll start a new thread when I get on with fixing the heater, but at least now I know that when it works it WORKS...

One question though, What thermostat are you running, the 195 or the 205?

I know the thermostat that is in there now is part of the problem as the truck's coolant temp fluctuates between 60-80 Celsius. So theres that. The other thing is that the heater return line is not hot, just sligthly warm, but I' ve already backflushed everything including the QD at the manifold.

 

[Schurkey]

When the 195 worked right, I got very good heat. But it'd been running under-temp for awhile. Poked a 205 in place, that's what's in there now. I don't know how long it's going to stay there...it goes well over 205 before it pops open, then the temp goes uppy-downy for several cycles until it stabilizes.

Not too happy about that.

I have another 195 still in the packaging, but I'm not looking forward to changing it.

 

[1990Z71Swede]

To my surprise those obnoxious wheels do have their place in this world, it's just not on an OBS truck.

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