How to tell if the steering box is worn out.

[fiddler]

I have a 1974 chevy Stepside C10.  I have had the front end rebuilt and aligned by professionals.  The wobble and shake and shimmy is all gone now, but the steering is still squirrely.  The truck wants to wander all over the lane I am driving in.  It seems that there is too much play in the steering still.  I found that it has a 3 1/4 post to post steering box.  I don't know how long those boxes have been available but is it possible that the box is worn out?  Anybody know how to tell for sure?  I am thinking of replacing the box but if it is not worn out it's kind of an expensive troubleshooting action.  Thanks for any help

ricky

[blazer74]

Check your rag joint at the top of the box where it connects to the steering shaft and also at the top of the shaft where it connects to the steering column for play/slop when turning the steering wheel back and forth.

[blazer74]

Also check for up and down or side play at the shaft out of the bottom of the box.

Just turning the steering wheel back and forth with engine off will show how much the input turns vs the output of the box.

The shop should have checked all this when they did the work

Another thing are the bolts holding the box to the frame for looseness and a cracked frame at the mounting area.
The cracked frame is more common on the K 4x4 trucks but does happen on the C trucks.

[AZ4X4SQBDY]

I would also look at the rear spring shackles and bushings. One of my trucks, as I pulled away from a stop, I always had to counter steer to the right a little bit. I personally didn't notice it until one day when I was trying to make it drive better and had checked the entire front suspension and found nothing loose or worn. When I finally got the rear springs and shackles out, one of the front spring bushing was wasted.

I also replaced the steering box too because I had more than 3 inches of play before the tires began to turn.

I never realized how bad it drove until I changed these two things.

[fiddler]

So I turned the shaft at the input to the steering box with the engine off and I get maybe an 8th of a turn before I feel the steering box on either end.  I am thinking this should be like a now kind of deal, not having to turn the shaft until I feel the box.  The rest of the linkage seems to be pretty much a now kind of deal.  I have decided to go ahead and replace the box. I understand there is some adjustment but that would only delay the inevitable.  My guess is this box came out of a used auto parts place somewhere.  I will go ahead and order a new box next week after my grand daughters wedding.  This week I have to host wedding guests....No playing with the truck.  :-(

[Dr_Snooz]

FWIW, I adjusted the Worm Thrust Bearing Preload per the GM manual and it reduced the play in my box quite a bit. The manual says not to, but you can adjust it without removing the box from the truck. Only took maybe 30 minutes for me, and I'm slow. If money's tight, or it will be awhile before you can get around to the repair, it's well worth trying.

[fiddler]

Adjustment sounds worth a try as a debug tool at least.  Maybe good for a few years even.  I think I will try it after all.  Actually nothing to lose at this point....  Thanks for the suggestion.

ricky