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loose steering

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weaverT1971 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 08-July-2014 at 1:02PM
Hello all, hopefully some one can help me with this question.
 
 My 71 torino I just bought had rather loose steering especially when breaking, it kind of went all over the place!! So I replaced the power steering control valve and the power steering cylinder. Now it drives and steers a lot better even when breaking but, the wheel has about 2-3 inches of play in it? When you're driving at high speeds it feels a little unsafe. So tonight I started the car and had my wife rock the wheel back and forth, you know, the slop in the wheel? And looking at the pitman arm I can see it moving the nut where it connects to the power steering valve? Now I know that it's supposed to move because there is a boot in there that's greased. But it seems that's where my 2-3 inches of slop is coming from? All of the other steering components are not moving and have no play at all? What gives????? Help?
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Big Bird View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Big Bird Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-July-2014 at 1:08PM
It will move a tiny bitto operate the valve, but it shouldn't be very noticeable. Usually most of the slop in the wheel is in the steering box...
Look at the steering box when the wheel is being moved and see if the steering wheel shaft is moving without the pitman arm moving.
"What we do in full frontal view, is more honest than your cleaned-up mind."
Randy
1979 T-Bird
2005 F-150 STX RCSB 4.6, 3.55 LSD
How the Heck does a REGULAR CAB SHORTBED weigh over 5200 pounds?
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weaverT1971 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote weaverT1971 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-July-2014 at 1:18PM
The shaft is moving a inch or two in both directions with the pitman arm barley moving at all.
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Big Bird View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Big Bird Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-July-2014 at 1:25PM
It's really not supposed to.
"What we do in full frontal view, is more honest than your cleaned-up mind."
Randy
1979 T-Bird
2005 F-150 STX RCSB 4.6, 3.55 LSD
How the Heck does a REGULAR CAB SHORTBED weigh over 5200 pounds?
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weaverT1971 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote weaverT1971 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-July-2014 at 1:27PM
steering box then?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote californiajohnny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-July-2014 at 1:57PM
look on the top of the box, there should be an adjustment screw and lock nut, loosen the nut and slowly turn the screw inwards a little at a time, to remove the play in the box, if you get the play out, check to make sure it's not worn to bad by turning the wheel all the way both directions, if you feel it hang up when turning back, you'll have to back off the adjuster a little and live with that amount of slop left or replace the box, but you should be able to get a lot of that play out
JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
70 CHEV C10 P/U
68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION
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weaverT1971 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote weaverT1971 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-July-2014 at 1:59PM
Really? I had a old jeep that you could adjust the play like that but I thought on these you couldn't adjust them, and if you tried you would screw it up?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote californiajohnny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-July-2014 at 2:13PM
problem is most people don't ever adjust them and they wear bad in the center , fords seem to be prone to that for some reason
JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
70 CHEV C10 P/U
68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION
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weaverT1971 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote weaverT1971 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-July-2014 at 2:14PM
Well thank you I'll give it a try
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote californiajohnny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-July-2014 at 2:16PM
check the splines and rag joint too,
JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
70 CHEV C10 P/U
68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION
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weaverT1971 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote weaverT1971 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-July-2014 at 3:14PM
The rag joint actually looks pretty good, don't know about the splines though.
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weaverT1971 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote weaverT1971 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-July-2014 at 12:19PM
All fixed. loosened up the nut and turned the screw....took pretty much all the slop out. Steering is nice a tight now. Thanks everyone!
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