diagnose steering play

[Kurt Combs]

I have some play in my steering and I am wondering how to diagnose it. It is difficult to see which parts have the slop in them. Do I use a crowbar, visegrips, or something else? Is there some easy trick to it, or do I take it to a front-end shop and have them tell me?

Thanks in advance.

Kurt

[kid]

LOL
Sharp edges under the tie rod boots is an indication of severe wear. Lay under the truck and have someone move the steering wheel. Lay where you can see everything from the steering coupler down to the rod ends. If one piece moves and the whole system does not move at the same time then it is wore out. If the coupler rotates before the pitman arm moves the steering gearbox is sloppy. The Pitman arm moves with the coupler but the drag link lags it is the drag link at the pitman arm end. Each part should have minimum slack before it follows the part closer to the steering wheel. !/2 inch of play at the steering wheel comes out to about 1/8 inch of play at each rod end.

As for Kingpins raise the truck with a hydraulic jack directly under the Radius arm to I-Beam attachment bolt. If the wheel falls in or out just as it clears the ground (side to side) then the Kingpins and bushings are shot.

What kind of truck do you have?

[Kurt Combs]

Kid,

Thanks for the reply! I will do as you suggested. My guess is that the steering box is worn, but I won't know for sure until I climb under the truck and look. It is a 1972 F250 with about 170,000 miles on it.

Thanks again.

Kurt

[kid]

I have changed only one gearbox in my life and that was on my current F-350. It failed due to the force I was putting on it in a left hand turn with my frozen kingpin. The rod ends fail more often followed by the kingpins. Though if brake fluid dripped on the steering coupler it will fall apart and get real sloppy before it looks real bad.

[67heavystepside]

check the rag joint, they get weak, and get sloppy with time.