It's Sloppy n Floppy - No... My Steering...

[mmitchell57]

I have an 85 that I have some steering concerns with. The steering wheel is sloppy and floppy.  When driving the wheel can move about 2in in either direction before it affects the direction of the vehicle. I was out there cleaning it yesterday and went to twist the steering shaft from the steering wheel and there was a lot of movement. I'm guessing it should not have any rotational movement at all.  

 

On top of the steering box i see a bolt around a flat head screw. Looks like it's an adjustment of some type. Would that effect the play in the steering column? Any help is appreciated. :) 

[datzenmike]

First be sure that the wheel bearings are properly pre-loaded. They may wave worn slightly and are slightly loose. Next the ball joints on the steering rod ends and the cross rod ball joints. Next the idler arm bushing may be worn. Any and all of these can add up to a significan't amount of movement. Keep in mind that the steering box has a 20:1 ratio so 1/8" of total slack in all the parts previously mentioned will be 2.5" of back and forth at the steering wheel. If replacing steering parts be sure to have an alignment done.

 

Now the steering box itself can be adjusted for wear but box wear is not usually on the entire range from lock to lock but primarily in the middle where most driving is done. If you remove the slack in the middle the steering will bind to the sides during a turn. The box adjustment only compensates for box wear and will not help other worn steering parts.

 

If adjusting the box, raise both front wheels off the ground. Loosen the lock nut but hold screw from turning, and turn screw in the tightening direction. Try 1/8 to 1/4 turn. I believe this reduces the gear lash. Test by quickly steering full left and right, lock to lock. If you notice ANY tightness back your adjustment off till it turns smoothly again. Hold screw when tightening the lock nut and check once more.

[mmitchell57]

Datzenmike,

 

   Thank you for the heads up. I went ahead and tightened up the steering box a bit. It's ok, but like you said, it didn't to a ton to help. I'm scouting out ball joints, pittmans, and bushings for the front end. Found a ton of good diagrams. Thanks for the heads up on not getting too wacky with it. 

[mmitchell57]

I'm looking at replacement parts for the suspension and here is the list i've come up with. Let me know if this makes sense or if I'm missing something. 

 

-Upper Driver Side Ball Joint

-Upper Passenger Side Ball Joint

-Lower Driver Side Ball Joint

-Lower Passenger side Ball Joint

-Control Arm Bushings

-Pittmant Arm

-Tie Rod Ends

-Wheel Bearing

-Strut Rod Bushings

-Sway Bar and End Link Bushings

[Charlie69]

I just did the suspensions on my 1986 720 king cab 2wd and thw 1980 720 regular cab chassis under my 66 520.  I used Moog parts for the 520 and used Centric  & DLZ parts on the king cab.  Both trucks received Moog Ball joints and upper and lower control arm bushings.

 

I had problems with fitment with Mevotech parts. had to buy replacement that fit.

 

The pitman arm on the 2wd 720 does not wear.  Waste of money changing it. 

[720_Jeff]

The pitman arm on the 2wd 720 does not wear.  Waste of money changing it. 

 

I'll throw in, I haven't seen a new 2wd pitman for sale anywhere.

[mmitchell57]

So I'll mark off the pitman arm then. Most of the parts are Moog prices, but I don't recall 100%. WIthout the pittman, I think I save around 40 bucks. Outside of that, i'm guessing I got everything covered so I'll picking things up. Any of these bearings require a press fit or are they all just a tap in and out w/ a hammer? 

[datzenmike]

Unless the bearing is bad I would leave them alone. The inner and outer bearing races have to be tapped out and in.

 

 Do not take apart without replaceing the grease seals

[Lockleaf]

Front lower control arm bushings requires pressing. Also often involves cutting off the bolt and installing a new one on each side.

 

I install poly 2 piece bushings specifically on this one bushing because pressing a new one in is so incredibly difficult. I use factory style bushings everywhere else.

 

However all my experiencev is on 4wd 720s, not sure how the 2wd setup varies.

[mmitchell57]

Good info. Thank you. The ordering processes will commence shortly. 

[Charlie69]

My brother made a tool for removing & installing the lower control arm bushings on the 720.  Used it to install new bushings on my 80 720 chassis under my 66 520 and used it to push old bushings out and new ones in on my 86 720 King Cab.

 

All the tool consisted of was a hardened piece of allthread hardened nuts and washers and an bushing he turned out on the lathe that fit the shape of the end of the bushing and the outside diameter was a slide fit so you would be able to push the old bushing out.  The shape to fit the end of the bushings was so you could push the new bushing in on the outside sleeve of the bushing so you would not damage the rubber.

 

We used a 1/2 ingersol Rand impact gun and it pushed the old bushings out and the new bushings in.  We tried pulling but pushining was easier.