7700SCREW

So I recently bought a 91 f250 4x4 from a friend who had no time to work on this rig so sold it to me for a song.
Anyway it had a few small issues that I have since fixed an this was one.

He thought the steering box was toast because the steering wheel had about 4" of play while driving and wandered a bit.

I went over it and found no wore parts until I got to the slip shaft between the steering box and firewall. It had a ton of play where the solid shaft slips inside the pipe.

What I did was drill a 5/16" hole about an inch from the bottom of the pipe and put a grade 8 5/16" bolt in it with nut and lock washer and tightened it down.

Now the steering is tight and the truck drives and steers perfectly. It may not be your sloppy steering issue but its worth a check!
Only takes a few minutes and is basically free.

Ill post a pic in this thread of the fixed shaft tomorrow when I can get a pic in the light.

Warlockk

I have to note the danger here especially considering the extreme duty and off road use we often put our vehicles through. The slip joint is designed as a crash safety. In an accident the steering shaft is made to collapse. In older early 60s solid shaft vehicles, it wasn't uncommon for drivers to be impaled by the steering shaft. This may be a quick temporary fix but with the low cost if a steering column from a bone yard and quality replacements available I recommend a proper fix and keep the safety element operational.

7700SCREW

Yes I forgot to add that. This is also why I used such a small bolt and didn't weld it solid.
In an extreme situation the bolt will break.

That being said I don't think you should group the off road community into this warning as almost no custom rigs(but still street legal) run slip shafts because the combination of big tires and extreme off road situations wear them out very quickly!
A lot of guys Weld them solid for that reason.

The point of the thread is that its a common wear point that can be overlooked and can be fixed in many ways. This is an easy cheap fix and if worried one could put a lower grade bolt into the hole.

Warlockk

Just wanted to make sure people knew the problems. I would still point out that a small bolt is much stronger than flesh and bone. The proper way for an off road upgrade is an upgraded slip joint or a splined shaft. As I said though it does make for a good quick fix.

Just call me Sean

iTrader: (1)

That's stupid. Not you, just your stupid fix.

Warlockk

I love how tactful you are.

7700SCREW

Ya I totally agree.
We all know that the "proper" way rarely is the way it goes in this day and age. Most would rather spend the money else where on there rigs.

I'm going to run it this way, I think if I get into an accident bad enough to push my frame/steering box back ill be dead anyway. Lol

Crownman

In one post you said the bolt isn't a tough bolt and should probably snap in an extreme situation, but in the OP you say its a grade 8 bolt. That's a damn strong bolt even at that small size.

I'd personally use a much lesser grade bolt. Which I have done. I've also drilled the hole and hammered in a regular roll pin in several cars over the years, those will easily fold up if the column needed to collapse.

Warlockk

It doesn't really matter either way. A piece of steel is going to be stronger than flesh and bone. You will be trying to shear a piece of steel by pressing on a tube with your forehead or chest. That's why its designed to move freely. If your going to pin it the column will be rigid. Its just a matter of weather you care or not.

Just call me Sean

iTrader: (1)

Plus the fact that the cab wiggles on the body bushings
independent from the frame the steering box is mounted to.


Somebody had to say it.