Durdyk5
Registered Member
I have a new steering box on my blazer and still have a good bit of slack in the steering. What is the best way to get it out
CK5
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Sloppy stearing
- Thread starter Durdyk5
- Start date
rampage
3/4 ton status
Best to have a helper saw the steering wheel back and forth (truck off) while you look at steering components like the rag joint, frame at the steering box, pitman arm connection, drag link, and tie rod ends. Also one side at a time, jack up each front tire and check the bearings by grabbing the wheel at the 3 and 9 o’clock position and shaking looking for play. Then while still jacked up, place a pry bar under the outside edge of the wheel and press on the pry bar and look at the ball joints for play. Just put a piece of plywood between the tire and pry bar so you don’t damage the tire. There are a few other things but this should catch about 95% of what it could be.
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If you're in a hurry, I'd start with the rag joint and the tie rod ends...in my experience those are the usual culprits.
Durdyk5
Registered Member
Ok I’ll check out the rag joint. I had new tie rod end out in yesterday
Durdyk5
Registered Member
How much should you tighten the gear box? The rag joint seems to be fine from what I can tell. Looks like slack is coming from gear box. Also when the truck is sitting still or braking the steering seems to be getting tight. I wouldn't think this is normal. Anyone have any suggestions on what else to look at. Tie rod ends are new and new gear box
Check drag link and ball joints. Just did drag link on my crew, huge difference, ends were shot. I had become used to it for a while, drives like it should again. They looked fine static but, as stated above, when someone else wiggled the wheel for me I could see the slop in the joints. I did it truck on, power steering put full force on the joints and exposed the loose stuff. You don't need to move the wheel much, just back and forth a bit. New gear on this one too.
When you say the slack is coming from the gearbox, do you mean that when the shaft enters the box it's turning a bit before anything happens on the output side of the box? As if the box is somehow absorbing some movement before it starts to turn into movement on the output side? Is it a new box or a rebuilt one? Is it bolted tight to the frame using those stock spacers? And I hate to ask, but is the frame solid...no tears or cracks around the gearbox?
Durdyk5
Registered Member
The frame is solid no issues there. Yea it is the shaft entering the box turning before hitting anything else.
Steering gear rebuilt by who?
Durdyk5
Registered Member
Steering gear is new
rampage
3/4 ton status
Return it and get a new one. I have replaced several gears over the years, NAPA and Oreillys, never had to adjust the tensioning screw. Its not really there to mess with, just to set the preload internally. You should not have to adjust a new or properly rebuilt gear.
I second that. It sounds like your gearbox is bad. If that's where the movement is getting "absorbed", and it's a new box, there's a problem. A couple of cm's of movement in should be giving you movement out. If it's not, something isn't tight inside. You shouldn't have to adjust anything to get it right, it should have left the factory tight. Not the first time for bad "new" parts, but it always is a pain to discover all that work is for nothing!
Durdyk5
Registered Member
Thanks for the help fellas, replacing the drag link this afternoon as well as replacing the old steering stabilizer. Hope this corrects the issue. If not I will break it down some more and look into. Will also probably replace the steering gear again as well
Let us know what ends up working for you good luck!
andyblack
Registered Loser
I got a rebuilt box once and it didn't help the slop in the steering. I tightened that screw up a little and it still steered bad, but it was harder to turn, so it was actually worse. I loosened the screw back up after that. The tie rod ends were shot and the pitman arm was actually wallowed out where it attaches to the shaft coming out of the steering box. No amount of tightening on the pinch bolt would get it all the way tight. Those three items were causing my issues.
I've never had zero play in the steering box. Are you sure that it's more than typical? There is always some neutral feeling in every truck, or old car for that matter that I have driven. I actually like it for driving on the street versus a hydro setup.
Nice
Durdyk5
Registered Member
Changed the drag link and it did help some. Got the rag joint today plan on changing it tomorrow along with a leaky pressure hose. Hoping this solves the hard steering at low rpms. If I still have slack in the steering afterwards I guess I’m gonna buy a psc gear from ord
As mentioned above, I would really recommend making sure the "slop" you have in the steering box is greater than normal before dropping $700 on a PSC steering box. Not sure what you are used to driving so don't take this the wrong way.....but if you are trying to compare how tight the steering feels on a Blazer that is based on a 40+year old design compared to any car or truck built in the 2000's there is no comparison! I don't think the steering on my K5 is bad by any means but my 2003 2500HD with 150k on all of the original steering parts feels way more solid.
