just bought tonight and has a new pitman arm and track bar and shimmy shock, but drives straight down highway but steering wheel like sideways and alot slop? maybe steering box bad? I heard can adjust those? and i assume pitman arm can take loose straighten wheel then re-attatch?

 

you can straight ur wheels up, then take loose the steering shaft from the box and straighten it up then put it back on. i have heard the box can be adjusted also to take some slop out, but i myself have never done it.

 

thanks ill try that

 

First, make sure al steering components are good. There is a write up in the DIY/FAQ section to adjust the steering box. After everything checks out to be good, and the slop has been taken up, there is an adjusting sleeve (actually two) in the steering compontents. The lower one connected to the left (driver) tie rod is for toe. The other one connected to the tie rod that connects to the pitman arm will adjust the centering of the steering wheel. Park the truck with the wheels straight, loosen the two bolts clamping it down, and turn the sleeve either direction until the steering wheel is straight. Ritighten bolts. Done.

 

There are no stupid questions right? lol

Does the axle need to be up on jackstands to do this?

 

To check the steering? Yep. Makes it a LOT easier. Having two people also helps. (one to wiggle, and the other to see what's moving.)

 

I just want to straighten my steering wheel. I've replaced damn near everything in the front end now and the steering wheel is a little to the left.

 

Oh, I would park it, and make sure the wheels are straight, leave the steering unlocked, leave the tires on the ground, and center the wheel.

 

Beauty, thanks Hey You....

I've screwed with this a bit already. Would jack it up, adjust, test drive, swear a bit, jack it again, forgot which direction I turned the sleeve, make it worse, swear some more......... Never did get it right.

I replaced a leaking axle seal, hub bearings, u-joints and ball joints. You'd think this would be the easy part haha.

 

Don't feel too bad, even the guy that does alignments for a living turned mine the wrong way the first time.