Over/underadjusted steering box?
Administrator
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 87,411
Likes: 4,214
From: Clayton MI
Geez Louise, change your diaper. Back before you even dreamed of owning one of these trucks, there were threads on steering gears everyday, and the actual consensus was/is, including from reputable rebuilders, is that the adjustment is not to take slop out of the box. It is to set the preload at the rebuild stage or manufacturing stage. It should never be done after the box has worn out. In fact, Redhead puts a lock on it and WILL NOT ALLOW RETURNS if the end user removes the lock to adjust it. Get off my back if you didn't want advice.
Can you post a link to a reputable source that says otherwise? I would be interested to read it.
Champion
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,103
Likes: 109
From:
Hhhmmm..... I am not finding anything that agrees with this statement. There are NUMEROUS sites/threads that detail exactly how to do it though. Of course, they also state that if you get your over-center adjustment correct, and the box is still sloppy, replace the box. I have done this particular trick on more steering boxes than I really care to count, and in 90% of cases, it dramatically improved the steering. For the others, only solution was a new box.
Can you post a link to a reputable source that says otherwise? I would be interested to read it.
Can you post a link to a reputable source that says otherwise? I would be interested to read it.
Then I must be in the 10% percent because that's what they told me, even with two trips to their actual shop where I pulled in for them to work on it. They finally sent a second one and I made sure to not/never adjust the screw. It's probably because most people don't know how to properly do it and actually end up ruining the box instead. I'm sure you have the right touch.
Administrator
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 87,411
Likes: 4,214
From: Clayton MI
https://redheadsteeringgears.com/contact/
Then I must be in the 10% percent because that's what they told me, even with two trips to their actual shop where I pulled in for them to work on it. They finally sent a second one and I made sure to not/never adjust the screw. It's probably because most people don't know how to properly do it and actually end up ruining the box instead. I'm sure you have the right touch.
Then I must be in the 10% percent because that's what they told me, even with two trips to their actual shop where I pulled in for them to work on it. They finally sent a second one and I made sure to not/never adjust the screw. It's probably because most people don't know how to properly do it and actually end up ruining the box instead. I'm sure you have the right touch.
All that adjuster does is change preload between the pitman shaft, and the cylinder that moves it. Those DO wear over time, so, I really don't see the harm in the adjustment. (unless you screw it up....)
Thread Starter
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 257
Likes: 14
From: Texas
Yeah, it IS easy to screw it up, and over-tighten it..... that makes driving in a straight line REALLY challenging, if not impossible...... Since they do a pretty thorough rebuild, I would like to think they lock those down so that folks DON'T screw up their new steering box. All that adjuster does is change preload between the pitman shaft, and the cylinder that moves it. Those DO wear over time, so, I really don't see the harm in the adjustment. (unless you screw it up....)
All that adjuster does is change preload between the pitman shaft, and the cylinder that moves it. Those DO wear over time, so, I really don't see the harm in the adjustment. (unless you screw it up....)