this posting helped a ton.. i also adjusted the steering box too. took out a ton of slop from the steering.. all the i do have to replase the track bar as it slops about 1/4 of play but other then that its like a whole new truck....

 

so i finally got the time to do this a few weeks ago, but i noticed WTF are the bolts for? are they locking the sleeve down? there is two bolts on the sleeve but not connected to anything. anyway, all i had was vice grip and i couldn't get enough leverage or grip on the round sleeve. what could i use for grip? maybe a piece of a inner tube? i think another issue is getting the sleeve to turn at all. would liquid wrench or pb do the job?

 

Correct torque specs are 45ft lbs for those adjuster bolts.

You'll need to soak that sleeve down GOOD with PB blaster or a quality rust destroyer. The two bolts are through a clamp which keeps the sleeve from turning. There's usually a bracket affair that attaches to those clamps to keep them from turning with the sleeve and the whole mess is usually rusted tight.
It may require some careful raps with a hammer or even some heat to get it all loose. But soak it down a few days first, then wire brush as much of the guckus off as you can before bringing on the heavy artilery.
I slip a screwdriver in the adjustment slot to turn my sleeve.
Make sure you keep that bracket on so that the clamps don't turn with the sleeve.

 

those bolts aren't doing anything though so i don't know what they are torquing down? if i knew how to post pics, i would show yall what i mean. i just have two bolts on the sleeve with nothing else.

 

So you're saying the nuts/ bolts are just spinning? My guess is your clamps are rusted tight to the sleeve so it looks like one big piece. It's not.

 

Sounds just what i have,truck drives fine and dose not pull either way but steering wheel is off center to the point i have to look around it to see my gas guage

 

Yeah I don't have the affair that connects to the two bolts. That's what I meant by that the bolts don't connect to anything. They just sit in their respective threads.

 

I had the alignment done at my old job at Les Schwab. Rob got it all aligned, then had me sit in the truck (so he didn't have to run back and forth) and had me tell him when the steering wheel was cocked slightly left, because when you tighten the sleeve it has a tendency to pull right just a hair.

He also told me that the alignment on the rear was out, but nonadjustable. Make sure that even though it's a 2 wheel alignment, they do a 4 wheel check. The right tire is toed out a bit. My steering is still crooked, because I have to compensate for it, even though it's straight with everything in the front end.


Hey, how did you adjust your steering box? I have a lot of play, too.

 

Procedure in the manual says ya gotta pull it to do it right..... However, I 'quick and dirty' adjustment is a 16mm wrench, and the right size alan wrench. (don't remember the size...) Having a second pair of hands is good too.... Even an eight year old will do.

On the top of the steering box, is a cover, held down by four bolts. In the center of that cover, is the 16mm nut, with a stud poking up thru it. Put your wrench on the nut, and find the correct size alen wrench. Crack the nut loose, and use the alan wrench to turn the stud clockwise (looking down at it from on top......) Have your second pair of hands rocking the steering wheel back and forth while you do so.... How tight to make it? Trial and error. Turn it in, hold the alan wrench, and tighten the lock nut, give it a shot. It is eminently possible to get it TOO tight, and then your truck will absolutely REFUSE to go in a straight line, and you will have to fight it to even get a close approximation.......(dont ask me how I know this.....) if you get to that point, back off the alan screw a quarter turn at a time, until you find an acceptable compromise.

The book method involves a spanner wrench, an inch pound torque wrench, and having the steering gear in a vise...... I am going to try this later this summer.... and see how much difference it makes from just adjusting the pitman shaft tension....

 

Wow what a difference that makes, pulled the truck in to the garage loosened the bolts and turned the shaft till it was streight. had to do it twice after a test drive but she is right now.