adjusted gear box, made things worse! need help fast!

Eagle said:

A replacement steering box is going to cost you probably $350 or so.

Matthew is correct, the over-center lash adjustment should be approached with caution. Technically, you're supposed to take the box out of the vehicle and adjust the worm bearing preload before messing with the over-center adjustment. However ... if you're ready to buy a replacement box anyway, you really have nothing to lose by trying an adjustment first. Unless you're one of those drivers who churns the wheels from one side to the other when the vehicle isn't moving (which will kill a steering box AND the tie rod ends AND the drag link real quick), your box should not be too worn to adjust.

You'll need access to the top of the steering box, which means pulling the air box. Looking down at the top of the steering box, you'll see a cover plate held on with three bolts, and in the center is a stud with either a slotted end or a recessed hex drive, with a lock nut. That's the adjuster.

Procedure: First ensure that the wheels are pointed straight ahead. THIS IS CRITICAL. The box is looser off-center -- if you adjust it off-center, it'll be too tight over center and will either wear out quickly or bind up. Then shut off the engine but leave the key in the unlocked position so the steering wheel can turn.

I don't remember what size wrench fits the locknut. Use a box end wrench, not a socket. Use the hex wrench to hold the adjuster screw while you loosen the lock nut a couple of turns.

Having done that, you can grab the steering input shaft with your right hand and turn it far enough each side of center to feel where it has free play and when it starts to actually try to move the tires. Just keep moving it back and forth across the center point as you gently take up on the adjuster. You want to take almost all the free play out of it, but leave just a tiny bit to ensure that you haven't over-cooked it. Once you have adjusted out the free play, tighten up the locknut again, replace the air box, and go for a test drive.

If the adjuster bottoms out before the free play disappears, the box is toast.

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dfreeman616 said:

of course, i could lossen it back up, but that doesn't seem like a great choice. anyone?

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dfreeman616 said:

it's deathwobble alright. can't keep driving it. wheels were recently balanced, so that's not the problem. i had deathwobble before, but not til higher speeds than 45 when hitting bumps or going around corners or some other combination of things. flat pavement, could go 65-70 if i wanted. i adjusted because there was significant slop in the steering. as the wheel was being turned, i looked for the loose place, and the only play was at the steering box to column. adjusted it, and that play is gone. alignment is good. drag link is good, trac bar is good. control arm bushings are probably due for replacement. ball joints are good. i did the tire pushing test for tie rod ends, and it didn't move. however, i can pivot the tie rod in an arch. not turning it to adjust toe-in, but more or less up and down. also, driver side u-joint is shot. don't know about the dampner.

i'm just confused as to why tightening up the gear box made it worse.

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dfreeman616 said:

it's deathwobble alright. can't keep driving it. wheels were recently balanced, so that's not the problem. i had deathwobble before, but not til higher speeds than 45 when hitting bumps or going around corners or some other combination of things. flat pavement, could go 65-70 if i wanted. i adjusted because there was significant slop in the steering. as the wheel was being turned, i looked for the loose place, and the only play was at the steering box to column. adjusted it, and that play is gone. alignment is good. drag link is good, trac bar is good. control arm bushings are probably due for replacement. ball joints are good. i did the tire pushing test for tie rod ends, and it didn't move. however, i can pivot the tie rod in an arch. not turning it to adjust toe-in, but more or less up and down. also, driver side u-joint is shot. don't know about the dampner.

i'm just confused as to why tightening up the gear box made it worse.

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xjnation said:

How do you know they did it right? Ive nver had a good balance job well i could keep paying for more balancings, but if you've never had a good one, then how can i expect that to change things? no reason to think another one will be any better. but just in case, i'll rotate my tires to see if that changes anything.

what are the allignment specs?0" toe in per selec trac specs, caster was corrected when the lift was installed (3", no DW after that)

only way to check it is to remove it and check for play if you have not you dont know trackbartrac bar is new

control arm upper bushings will create DW how about lowers? i've got both on my list of things i'm replacing

the drag link adjuster is there play there? no

How did you check the ball joints? pushing on the tires on both sides at 12 and 6 o clock

all I see here is you have alot of speculation and very little definative answers as i said before, there's no play anywhere else that i can find. i checked for play in or the condition of everything i listed. none of that was speculation, except that the LCA/UCA bushings are due for replacement, and that's now a definate.

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