I was wondering if someone could help with my question. I've had issues with the front end of my truck feeling loose. In other words play in the steering when your driving down the road. I have newer ball joints (installed 1yr ago) and I just installed the 2008 steering parts today, including the new dampener and pitman arm. I still need to get the front end aligned Monday but I still feel play in the wheel. If I get under the truck and grab the steering wheel shaft right at the steering gear I'm able to move (rotate) the shaft pretty easy. It moves left and right about 3/8" in rotation and the steering wheel actually moves (truck not running) Is this normal ? Should it be that easy to rotate ? The Steering gear was replaced 1 yr ago too. Anyway, I could some advice. Thanks

 

Check out the post," front end clunk no more", currently up right now. I think alot of people have your problem.

 

I dont have a clunk or any interferences...just play in the steering.

 

I think a lot of people have your problem also(loose steering feel). My ball joints were also changed about a year ago. I have changed to the updated steering, put in a steering box stabilizer and tried the adjustment on the steering box. I bought some new trackbar bushings to put in but have not had time to do it yet. Everything that I have done so far has been in an attempt to tighten the steering feel. While each of these things have made an improvement, the steering still feels looser than it should be to me. I will also be interested to hear suggestions to solving this problem.

 

Put your hand up against the sector arm at the same time. If it stays still while you move the steering column shaft, you have a steering box adjustment to do. If it doesn't, look at tie rod ends etc.

 

I would guess steering box or track bar, adjust steering box then recheck play. Center steering wheel then loosen lock nut and turn allen screw in until it stops. Back off allen screw 1/2 turn then hold allen screw from turning tighten lock nut. Check for binding with wheels off ground. If wheel binds passing center position (wheels straight ahead) then loosen screw another 1/4 turn and check again. This wil take the play out of steering gear.

 

Thanks for the instructions as I had no idea what the proper way to adjust was!

 

Well it's not the proper way but it will take most of the play out of you steering box. I have found over the 25 years working on Dodge trucks most new gear boxes set 1/2 to 3/4 turn out from 0 gear backlash setting. Too tight could cause excessive steering efford and failure of steering to return to center on a turn. So be careful not to get adjustment too tight. You are adjusting mesh load only. If you have the time and proper tools this is proper way to adjust steering gear.


ADJUSTMENT
CAUTION: Steering gear must be adjusted in the proper order. If adjustments are not performed in order, gear damage and improper steering response may result.

NOTE: Adjusting the steering gear in the vehicle is not recommended. Remove gear from the vehicle and drain the fluid. Then mount gear in a vise to perform adjustments.

Remove the steering gear from the vehicle (Refer to 19 - STEERING/GEAR - REMOVAL).
Mount the gear carefully into a soft-jawed vise.
CAUTION: Do not overtighten the vise on the gear case. This may affect the adjustment

Hold the steering gear upside down over a drain pan and rotate the input shaft back and forth several times lock-to-lock to discharge the fluid from the steering gear
Rotate the input shaft to the left stop and then back-off approximately 45 degrees. Using an inch-pound torque wrench on the input shaft, record the peak torque required to slowly and evenly rotate the input shaft clockwise ½ turn (180 degrees) starting from the 45 degree position. This peak torque reading is the preload torque. The preload torque must be within 2 - 10 in-lbs.
Rotate the input shaft to its center of travel (approximately 1.5 turns from either stop). Place the torque wrench on the input shaft with the handle in the vertical position. Rotate the torque wrench slowly and evenly ¼ turn (90 degrees) each side of center and record the peak torque measure on or near center. This total on-center torque reading must be 5 - 9 in-lbs higher than the previously measured preload torque without exceeding a total of 17 in-lbs. The value of the total on-center minus the preload torque is defined as the meshload torque
If required, adjust the on-center torque by loosening the adjuster screw lock nut and turning the adjuster screw until the total on-center and meshload torque readings fall within the specified values. Turn the adjuster screw clockwise to increase and counterclockwise to decrease the torque reading. While holding the adjuster screw in place, tighten the lock nut to 34 N·m (25 ft. lbs.).
Re-check the preload and on-center torque readings.
Install pitman arm on the steering gear (Refer to 19 - STEERING/LINKAGE/PITMAN ARM - INSTALLATION).
Reinstall steering gear to the vehicle (Refer to 19 - STEERING/GEAR - INSTALLATION).
1 - INPUT SHAFT
2 - OUTLET
3 - INLET
4 - VALVE ASSEMBLY HOUSING
5 - PITMAN SHAFT COVER BOLTS
6 - STEERING GEAR
7 - MESHLOAD ADJUSTER NUT
8 - PITMAN SHAFT

 

I've adjusted my steering gear several times in about 200,000 miles. It is a good thing to do and will remove some steering play. I have done this on many vehicles and would never be tempteed to remove the box from the truck first. Way too much work and completely unnecessary.

First, center the steering wheel with no load on the steering. Meaning don't just turn the wheels while stopped, but roll the truck a bit.

Then loosen the jam nut on the adjusting screw (meshload adjuster shown in the above post) while holding the adjusting screw steady with an allen wrench.

Then, while holding the jam nut, tighten the adjuster screw (clockwise looking down on it) with the allen wrench, just until you feel some resistance (probably 1/4 to 3/4 turn). That's all, no further. It won't just stop, it will begin to get tighter. We're looking for zero play here, not tight.

Continue holding the adjuster in this position and tighten the jam nut.

Done.

If you go too tight the steering will feel tighter and less able to return to straight. And you'll be stressing the box with too much preload.

This is just one piece in the puzzle to reduce front end play. Another common problem is the track bar bushings. I recently re-packed my front wheel bearings and tightened up the preload on them. It helped with steering play a little bit too.

This can be done every 50,000 miles or so to minimize the play. I've done it to every vehicle I've owned and it always helps. Some cars, like Mercedes, require turning the adjuster in the other direction (unscrewing it) to reduce play.

 

Thanks for the replys. I've adjusted the mesh preload before (different steering gear before this new one) I thought the only reason to adjust that was for "over sensitive or twitchy steering". Does agjusting this actually take the play out ?.
My sector shaft does not move when I rotate the input shaft so adjusting the over center nut will help ?

If I adjust this will I be able to rotate the input shaft by hand ?(like I can know) or will it be tight and unable to rotate by hand
Thanks

 

You will feel the resistance as it goes over centre but should be able to turn it by hand. I think you should be able to set it per spec without taking the box out of the vehicle. The last one I did I just undid the oil lines and rotated it back and forth to push the oil out. You have to take the arm off the output shaft or the tie rod off the arm and then use an inch-pound torque wrench on the steering wheel nut.

 

Update on my steering woes. The 2008 steering linkage/dampener/pitman arm with the front end alignment I got this morning did the trick. I also adjusted the steering gear 1/3 turn tighter. These 3 things basically took my steering back to the way it drove when I drove it off the dealer lot back in 2003. The steering gear is VERY easy to adjust on the truck just by crawling under the truck and spending 5 minutes. The steering still returns to center so I know I didn't over tighten the meshing gear. I already had some experience adjusting that on the last steering gear I replaced. Thanks everyone for the advice

 

this is exactly what i was looking for when tightening the steering gear! thanks

 

So do you need to jack the vehicle up and try to get the wheel centered between the play?

Or can you you just try to park the vehicle with the wheel as straight as possible and get the play as close to the center as possible?

Also, what size wrench is the aduster nut? What size allen?

Thanks guys

 

Glenn,

Re-read my earlier post. I don't remember the wrench sizes but you can figure that out.