Steve83

Why would you even consider replacing a good part? Where would you get one that could have a chance of lasting as long as this original, other than an identical used one from a JY? What would be the point in that - you already have a used one that looks good.

If it was VERY difficult to access later, MAYBE you'd put a new one in as a preventative measure. But this isn't - it's easier to change than a headlight bulb.They don't seem to think much of their work - 90 day warranty last time I checked. And it's just a reman, but they price it like it's new unobtainium. I put a plain reman from Advance in my truck decades ago - it had a year warranty, and lasted much longer. If you want something WORTH the extra money, buy a MotorCraft reman.

Eric Fullerton

I'd pay the extra for the redhead, they machine it to accept bearings where Ford just used the housing. Any other rebuilt is just likely going to be just a cleanup and new seals.
Btw did you even try to tighten up the existing one?

Our re-manufacturing process:

• Machining out the housings and installing needle bearings
• Flame-spraying or replacing the shafts as needed Installing new control valves on some applications
• Custom fitting each worm & piston assembly with special ordered, precise over-sized ball bearings.

Other things we do to produce a top quality product include:

• Install every sector shaft on a lathe to check for straight and true
• polish the sealing surface to a higher polish than new.

Lazarus-F150

I was considering your earlier suggestion that the slop may be beyond the steering box. Is the rag joint the only part of the steering shaft that can wear out/lead to steering slop?

Lazarus-F150

I tightened it up twice, which helped, but there is still a lot of play between the steering shaft and the gear box. From some reading and Steve83's suggestion, it sounds like a gearbox problem (at least).

Steve83

No, but it's the least-likely (IMO) to wear out. Every part (small & large) can wear out.

Eric Fullerton

Steve83

That's the older rag joint - the '87-up is different, and vastly superior.

Just replace the box for now. After that's fixed, you can re-check for slop.

Eric Fullerton

More about showing the concept than an exact match.

Lazarus-F150

Quick update. I had my wife hold the wheel while I tried to move the steering shaft and there's essentially no movement; however, with the wheel free to rotate, there's tons of play (wheels on the ground and truck off). If I understand everything that's been posted so far correctly, then Steve83's advice (just replace the box and see if that fixes the problem before replacing the shaft too) is the way to go. Am I getting that right?

Steve83, what's the difference between MERCON and synthetic ATF for the power steering pump? I have Royal Purple ATF in there now, but I'm more than happy to change. I'm just curious about the difference(s).

Thanks!

Steve83

Mercon meets all Ford's specs, and is what the system was designed to use. I have no idea what's in RP ATF, or if it's anything like Mercon. Just because a fluid is more expensive doesn't make it better for any specific application. Mercon is expensive enough, and it's the "right" fluid. If you think the RP didn't cause the current problems, keep using it. But I don't know how that assumption could be made, rationally. It's not what Ford recommends, and something happened that shouldn't have - I'd assume the wrong fluid had SOMETHING to do with the failure, and I'd start using the right fluid, exclusively.

The absolute WORST thing to put into any PS system is generic "Power Steering Fluid" from a parts store. Never ever put it into your Ford, unless you plan on replacing lots of parts anyway.

Read these:
https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubrican...ission%20Fluid
https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubrican...eering%20Fluid
https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubrican...ission%20Fluid

The rest of that site is interesting to browse...