- Staff
- #1
These instructions are for a late model type steering box like the 88+ has in it, earlier trucks is similiar though.
1.Heres what we start off with as this job is MUCH easier to do with the box out on the bench.
2.Start off by taking a hammer and a large flat punch and loosen then remove the locking ring from the steering shaft of the box.
3.Next take a spanner wrench and tighten the thrust assembly in until it is firmly seated. You don't want to torque it down as this WILL dmage the internals of the steering box, just tighten it until it is pulled down snug. If you don't have a spanner then you can use an allen wrench in one of the holes and a large screwdriver wedged in between the allen and the steering shaft to tighten it.
4.Next take and make a mark from the thrust adjuster and the steering box housing(the black lines). Then loosen the adjuster until it is back to the red arrow which is roughly a 1/4" back from the black one.
5.re-install the jam nut and tighten it back up. They make a socket for this job, but I'm to cheap to buy one.
6.Get a crescent wrench and put it onto the steering shaft so that it is holding it snugly. You can also use a 12 point socket for this part.
7.Turn the steering shaft to one lock and then count how many turns it is to the other lock. Now turn it back to dead center, but leave the wrench installed.
8.Take a box end wrench and put it onto the jam nut and install an allen wrench into the center adjuster. Loosen the jam nut while holding the allen wrench. Now you take and begin rotating the steering shaft with the crescent wrench and slowly turn the allen in until you just begin to feel tension increase on the steering shaft, then I go 3/16 of a turn more MAX from the point of where you just begin to feel tension increase. If you go to much the steering box WILL bind when it is centered, but not enough and it will wander. You will have the most tension at dead center as these steering boxes are designed to have a heavy on center feel to them to help reduce vehicle wandering when going straight down the road. Earlier steering boxes do not have the heavy on center feel to them so you simply adjust those until you begin to feel tension increase, then go about a 1/8 - 1/4 of a turn until it is at the desired tension which should be about 20 inch pounds of rotational force IIRC.
9. Hold the allen tightly and tighten the jam nut up without moving the allen.
10.Your steering box is now adjusted to factory specs and when adjusting this way you can take up all the slack possible without making it stiff like happens when you only adjust the sector shaft tensioner. It won't be new, but most likely it will drive good for another 100K miles or so. I've adjusted quite a few this way now with excellent results. You can also take this time to install new seals if your box doesn't leak as they aren't that bad to re-seal.
1.Heres what we start off with as this job is MUCH easier to do with the box out on the bench.
2.Start off by taking a hammer and a large flat punch and loosen then remove the locking ring from the steering shaft of the box.
3.Next take a spanner wrench and tighten the thrust assembly in until it is firmly seated. You don't want to torque it down as this WILL dmage the internals of the steering box, just tighten it until it is pulled down snug. If you don't have a spanner then you can use an allen wrench in one of the holes and a large screwdriver wedged in between the allen and the steering shaft to tighten it.
4.Next take and make a mark from the thrust adjuster and the steering box housing(the black lines). Then loosen the adjuster until it is back to the red arrow which is roughly a 1/4" back from the black one.
5.re-install the jam nut and tighten it back up. They make a socket for this job, but I'm to cheap to buy one.
6.Get a crescent wrench and put it onto the steering shaft so that it is holding it snugly. You can also use a 12 point socket for this part.
7.Turn the steering shaft to one lock and then count how many turns it is to the other lock. Now turn it back to dead center, but leave the wrench installed.
8.Take a box end wrench and put it onto the jam nut and install an allen wrench into the center adjuster. Loosen the jam nut while holding the allen wrench. Now you take and begin rotating the steering shaft with the crescent wrench and slowly turn the allen in until you just begin to feel tension increase on the steering shaft, then I go 3/16 of a turn more MAX from the point of where you just begin to feel tension increase. If you go to much the steering box WILL bind when it is centered, but not enough and it will wander. You will have the most tension at dead center as these steering boxes are designed to have a heavy on center feel to them to help reduce vehicle wandering when going straight down the road. Earlier steering boxes do not have the heavy on center feel to them so you simply adjust those until you begin to feel tension increase, then go about a 1/8 - 1/4 of a turn until it is at the desired tension which should be about 20 inch pounds of rotational force IIRC.
9. Hold the allen tightly and tighten the jam nut up without moving the allen.
10.Your steering box is now adjusted to factory specs and when adjusting this way you can take up all the slack possible without making it stiff like happens when you only adjust the sector shaft tensioner. It won't be new, but most likely it will drive good for another 100K miles or so. I've adjusted quite a few this way now with excellent results. You can also take this time to install new seals if your box doesn't leak as they aren't that bad to re-seal.
