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Manual Steering Question

ProjectBronco70

Full Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2005
Messages
271
Loc.
Tennessee
I bought a 74 Bronco a few months ago with manual steering and have noticed the steering turns a quarter turn to the right and left before it actually starts to steer. So I opened the hood and took a look at it. I noticed that I could actually take the steering shaft and turn it a quarter turn to the right and left before it would actually engage the wheels. So I immediately thought my steering box was bad. I replaced it with another box and it did the same thing.

After closer inspection it seems like it is coming from the "Bell" portion of the steering shaft. It looks like it slides around the steering box splines before it actually engages the box. Does anyone have any suggestions of what might be going on?

Thanks for the help.
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,835
That tulip (bell) joint is a very simple slip/flex joint. There should be 2 nylon squares that ride getween the grooves inside the bell on the steering box and 2 pins on the end of the steering shaft. I have seen those little plastic blocks disintigrate over time which then makes for a sloppy steering shaft.

If the pin and tulip are not damaged I have seen those little plastic squares for sale somewhere before.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,355
Mine are steel (look like the ones in the picture), but still worn to the point of sloppiness. Hmm, wonder if the nylon was over the steel and completely gone?
If new ones don't get rid of it completely, you can slightly "crush" the outer tulip housing to make it tighter on the slugs. It's pretty stout, so you have to whack it good, but it can be done.
Now, if your slop is actually at the splines of the input shaft and tulip joint, then you need to inspect it closer and make sure that nothing is worn or broken there and that the clamping bolt is doing it's thing.
Even with the bolt loose though, I don't remember much play in the splines themselves. They should be tight and play-free.

Also, while you're inspecting all this steering stuff, do the wiggle-test and have someone move the wheel back and forth enough to wiggle the tires (on the ground with the full weight of the vehicle on them) and inspect all of your other links in the system. Trackbars and tie-rod ends are often worn out just to the point that, even though you can't see any movement when you grab them, you can see movement when you use the weight of the truck and the torque of the steering box to expose them.
I know the box is new, but you didn't mention if you'd done anything else, so I mentioned it, just in case.

Paul
 
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