Fixitman

OK - I had front aligned and checked. Mechanic said that it was ok now. He said he adjusted something on the top end(????)(gearbox?). Also he greased the upper ball joints.

Now the truck doesn't wander all over the place but I hear an almost grinding/metallic noise when I turn steering wheel and drives like the power steering in not half working. More effort than before to turn steering wheel. He also says the 1/2 lateral wobble in steering shaft is OK.

Ideas Thoughts, or suggestions.

jkenprice1

I assume you have a 2wd. Everything is not alright . If all the pivot points in you steering linkage are tight, the problem is probably in the steering gear box. To check the steering linkage, have someone move your steering wheel back and forth while your under the truck looking for play in all the joints. If those are tight, lift the hood and check the steering shaft. Theres a connector between the steering shaft and the steering gear box. It has a rubber piece that looks like a piece of tire sidewall. See if it is tight. If all those things are good, your steering gear box is likely the problem. The reason your truck turns harder is the adjustment your mechanic made. Most of the wear on the gears in the steering box happens at the position the gears are in when your driving straight down the road. With that many miles, the gears are pretty worn. When the mechanic adjusted the play between the gears, he helped the play where the gears are worn, but that made the gears too tight where they're not worn. Tharts why it harder to turn now. My guess is you need a new gearbox. By new I mean junkyard.

jkenprice1

You do have an upper and lower bearing in the steering column. Thats probably whats making the noise. That might be whats keeing your wheel from centering. I have changed those bearings, but its been a long time ago, so I won't even begin to try to tell you how. If you can get the steering wheel off, you might be able to lube the top bearing. That might help.

Fixitman

jkenprice1: Thanks for your ideas and I am beginning to think the same.

Any chance of the steering locking up while going down the road? Safe to drive? Will be a while due to work and weather until I can get in there. Does the front end have to be aligned again after gearbox or steering shaft change? Should I even attempt to loosen the gearbox adjustment even 1/8 turn?

Truck is drive-able but I don't want to find myself in a field or worse! Thanks again!

jkenprice1

Could it lock up? Maybe. Will it? I don't know. Is it safe? You're gonna have to pay a lot more attention to driving it. Your into a risk management situation. I don't know where you live, how much traffic you have to deal with or how far you drive each day. Obviously, if you live in the country and and can drive a few miles to work without encountering any one else, or driving off a cliff, ther's a lot less risk than living in a city and having to drive in bumpe to bumper traffic. That's kinda your call. You shouldn't need another alignment unless the steering whell isn't straight after the new gearbox. You've brobably already paid for a couple you didn't need. If you loosen the gearbox, your steering will get looser, but you'll get more play. Try it and see what happens. You can always tighten it back up. I really wish you could get some lube on the upper steering column bearing. Just to see if that helps with the stiffness. Also, do you see any sighns of oil leakage on the gearbox. I've never had one go dry, but anything can happen. That would explain a lot. Good luck.

Fixitman

jkenprice1: I concur. I will only drive it in town as I have another vehicle for work.

Also, the steering shaft has at least 1/2" of lateral play(wooble) at the joint between upper and lower shafts.

Can I access the upper U joint by removing just the plastic panels. I have had the instrument cluster out before but do not remember if the u joint was accessible.

No signs of oil leakage but pump is noisy(always been so).

It is tough around here to find a good mechanic that is interested in really doing a diagnosis that takes any time. Thanks again.

jkenprice1

Thanks. No, you can't access the upper bearing without pulling the steering wheel. The more you explain things, the more I realize your gearbox is probably the source of most of your problems. When you gt a chance, I'd check the stering column bearings, but I'd focus on the gearbox. By the way, Have you checked the power steering fluid? Just thought I'd ask.

Fixitman

Yep, the fluid level is good and the color is dark red to almost brown. May be original fluid after 338K miles!!! I expect I will get to the U-Pull'em lot and see if I can find a box and steering shafts that are any good. Got top read up on defeating the air bag on the steering wheel, pulling the shaft and box. Thanks again for you help. I had been thinking gear box for some time but all the alignment mechanics say it is ok. NOT!

akdoggie

It sounds like the tilt wheel mechanism is not tight. You say you can move you wheel up and down and or sideways? If so, the three bolts that hold the mechanism might of come loose. This was a big deal in the Gen 8 and 9's. Gen 10 is a bit different, but not that much. If you have movement in the column, you have this as your problem. They will make noises, rattle, wobble, and all that kind of stuff when they come loose. Advise if that is your problem.