namot

hey guys, just signed up, looking for help.
I have a 1978 150 that I bought new, for a while (o.k. a few years) I've noticed too much play in the steering wheel, somebody once told me they're noted for that but what's the fix? is this wear in the steering gear box?
obviously, I see no point in taking it to a repair shop when they won't know and will just start replacing parts till they get lucky.
if it helps any; 80,000 miles, 351, 2 barrel, automatic, short bed, 4 wheel drive w/ lockouts.
well, if you've run into this, I'd appreciate advice.

Chris_1

iTrader: (1)

Things wear and it isn't as tight as it once was. A mechanic you trust can track down the parts that are getting loose, maybe a couple of things or maybe everything's getting a little loose.
There are a lot of parts connecting your hands to the front wheels - steering shaft, rag joint, steering gear box, pitman arm, inner tie rods and outer tie rod ends. Plus the ball joints will wear, and your wheel bearings need to be regreased and adjusted once in a while.
Doing everything could get costly if you can't do the work yourself, but as I said a mechanic you trust can pinpoint any badly worn pieces in about 10 minutes and not only will it make sure the truck is safe, but you can strip 5-10 years of steering slop off it with just a few loose pieces being replaced.
And then an alignment and it'll feel like a different truck.

burnthelight88

Check the two rag joint nuts first to make sure they're tight. Then replace the rag joint. After that, it's probably the box.

Yes there are a ton of parts between your hands and the wheels, but the rag joint is the weakest link and will give you the most bang for the buck.

whomrig

there is also a provision for adjusting the steering box, that may be a place to check for play.

burnthelight88

I forget the exact instructions for doing this but there is definitely a way and you can probably eliminate some of the play. There's a screw on top of the steering box which is the main adjustment point. DO NOT attempt to do it without the instructions, it's very easy to screw up and once it's screwed up its very hard to fix. Don't be like everyone else and just take a screwdriver to it to tighten it down, you'll almost surely mess it up worse.

DrinkinGasoline

As stated, check the Rag Joint on the column shaft first. If that, and the rest of the steering components are decent, look toward the gear box. There are a few good YouTube videos about the adjustment but be careful not to over-adjust it as it may cause the steering to lock up.
Our gearboxes are notorious for wear given the fact that there are no shaft bushings from the factory.

These are a great alternative if the gear needs to be replaced. They are a little pricey but well worth the investment if you are planning on keeping the truck.

http://www.redheadsteeringgears.com/

They hone the housings and install bushings where the factory should have

I have one in My 84 F150 and I am very pleased.