Too much play in steering, told to get

[Dustystrucktoo]

I had my truck inspected a couple of weeks ago. I was told that I needed a new ball joint, and I also needed to get a new steering box. OK I agree with the ball joint. I would like a whole new suspension, but... A new steering box because I have excessive play in my steering?
I brought it home and decided to check the adjustment torx bolt. I loosened the nut, and started cranking down the torx bolt. I tightened it down a a turn or two and secured the nut down. Nice and firm results. Now I am looking at the flex joint coupling.... rag joint. I took it off, cleaned it up and put it back on. No rips, tears, all solid It needed to be cleaned anyways. It looked horrible.
The part that bothers me, is that the guy who inspected my truck told me that I needed a new steering box in order to pass inspection. It was easily adjustable.
So, if you are told that you need a new steering box, ask if there was any effort to see if the play could be tightened up. And if they say it can't be, just point to the center bolt sticking up that has a recess for a torx. Loosen the nut that holds it in place, while holding the bolt in place with a torx, then try tightening the bolt down 1/2 of a turn at a time. Hold the torx bolt in place and tighten the nut down and then test. Or, like me, take a guess and go for the 1 to 2 full turns. 1 turn probably would have done the job.. I have no idea. But I do know that a steering box having play, can be tightened up.
Steering boxes are not cheap. And it doesn't take but a few minutes, not several, just a few minutes to adjust the box.

[joe231]

It is NOT recommended to adjust the box as you did. I have heard horror stories of the gear box locking up after adjusting the screw

quoted from WikiAnswers
LINKY

DO NOT Use the adjusting bolt w/ the lock nut on top of the gear box. This adjustment is meant for setting the lash on the worm and sector gears only. These gears are hardened steel, running in oil and almost never wear. Instead, slack in the box is normally caused by movement in the bearings. Tightening the lash adjustment normally results in binding of the gear. This causes the steering wheel to bind in the last position, requiring constant adjustment and is very annoying.

[Shane]

For what it's worth, you probably ruined the worm and gears in that steering box by doing what you did.

[Dustystrucktoo]

Well, there is very little play in the steering now and there is more thread allowing it to still go down quite a lot.. It is called a pitman lash adjusting screw for a reason. I think I will be doing fine.

[SCOTI]

We've always packed 'em w/grease.

[XXL]

3 people, each with thousands of posts on the board, just indicated that using the adjusting screw in the manner you did is not the correct procedure. One even provide another web reference to substantiate his statement. Are you looking for someone to just agree with you?

[see ten]

I was always told that adjusting that would "hold you over" til you replaced the box (or found someone else to take whatever vehicle it might be off your hands). Not necesarily intended to be a fix.

Steering boxes (especially used ones) are considerably cheaper then what the cost might be if your adjusted box fails. Nobody on this forum would scold you from saving a dollar on a home fix if it was safe...

Welcome to the forum bro! I'm sure you'll enjoy it once you've been around a bit and gotten to know us. Nobody is busting your chops...They're just trying to help you.

[Shane]

GEAR LASH is not the same as steering slop.

Duct tape will hold a windshield in place too ... for a while. That doesn't make it a good idea nor does it make it the correct repair.

[cparman]

when I first bought my truck you could turn the steering wheel from about 9:30 to about 1:30 before anything happened. I was guessing the box was worn out. Drove my truck 550 miles that way to get it home. The following week I made it have power steering. Slop was gone, did not adjust my box, and there was an old man that was not out of breath from trying to park his truck!