Steering issues

[Gsav69]

Hey folks. Still wrestling with my steering install. Have a borgeson power steering box, a toms 2 piece shaft and a wild horses pitman arm and aduljustable drag link. Here's my issue and i suspect its because im a geometry moron and shitty mechanic. I center the box without drag link installed and it's perfecto. I install the adjustable drag link onto the new pitman arm and the box makes it 1.6 turns one way and 2.6 turns the other. I take it apart, clock the pitman arm A tooth and then still get the same result. I have to be missing something. First pic is the difference in the 66 pitman arm and the wild horses one and I wonder if this isn't part of my issue. Other pics are the box at full throw up either side, obvious sending the pitman arm much farther left than right. Please tell me if I'm completely dumb or if I'm missing something. Thx in advance for amy help.

 

[Oldtimer]

Remove pitman arm
Turn steering wheel till it stops
Turn steering wheel back 2-1/8 turns (1.6+2.6=4-1/4)
Install pitman arm, pointing at center of driver side coil spring (stock width axle)
Install drag link on pitman arm.

If you don't get equal turn left & right, check stop bolts in knuckles.

 

[Gsav69]

I've been aligning the pitman arm parallel with the frame. I will try this @Oldtimer thank you.

 

[Gsav69]

Remove pitman arm
Turn steering wheel till it stops
Turn steering wheel back 2-1/8 turns (1.6+2.6=4-1/4)
Install pitman arm, pointing at center of driver side coil spring (stock width axle)
Install drag link on pitman arm.

If you don't get equal turn left & right, check stop bolts in knuckles.

I've done it twice and it's not fixing it. I'm completely perplexed. I've even moved it a tooth farther to the right of the spring to no avail.

 

[.94 OR]

Pitman arm does not have indexing splines in it? (look like a set of double splines)

 

[Gsav69]

This one does not. All splines. I have narrowed down that with the arm and drag link on the truck, with the alignment set as it was, the box spins 3.75 spins end to end. If I find the middle at 1.875 the steering is kicked out to the left. Am I nuts or if i want the box to be centered, I'm due for a trip to the alignment shop?!?! Can I fudge this by kicking the arm back one spline and readjusting the track bar shorter? And this is a fairly stock vehicle and Im not close hitting the stops in either direction and nothing is rubbing anywhere. I gather I could draw them out.

 

[Oldtimer]

Center steering box
Point pitman arm at center of driver side coil spring and install
Point tires straight ahead
Adjust drag link till ball joint goes into pitman

 

[Gsav69]

@Oldtimer Its not getting it dead center to appease my ocd or i cannot comprehend simple instructions. Id also report that 2 different splines point at the spring and
i tried both. This drag link and my forearms are getting a work out. Lol. The steering range is different with and without the steering connected and it's throwing off center Plus under closer review, I'll need some new stop bolts. Its not rubbing but theyre mucked up and wont be of help. I have now tried to trick the box by finding the middle of the range with the steering connected, which kicked the tires out a tad, then dropped and spun the pitman arm back 1 tooth to face the inner side of the spring and reconnected the drag link. I'm not dead center of the box but I'm a lot closer. Thx for all the help folks. Will drive and reassess.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Drag link disconnected, steering wheel side to side, find center. Lock it in. Bungee cord, zip ties, a 2x4, don't care what. Lock it that way. That is the steering box centered, no way around it. The rest of the linkage and pitman arm will conform to that position.

Point the tires straight.

At this point you just need to connect the dots. You need a pitman arm installed. You need a drag link connected to it.
You have a universal pitman arm that can be installed in multiple spline configurations. You have an adjustable drag link that can be used to dial in the distance. With both being adjustable it will be nearly impossible to not find a way to get everything hooked up.
If you have the steering wheel locked and the wheels pointing straight, connect the dots. If you turn the wheels to connect the dots, you did it wrong.
Do you have the wheels pointing straight? Is the steering wheel still locked in the centered position? Is all the linkage hooked up? If you answered yes to all 3, It's centered and you can remove the steering lock.

stock, the pitman arm points to the spring. Aftermarket, maybe it points to the spring, maybe it points straight back. the joy of aftermarket, may or may not follow the original design.

If that still doesn't work, drag link off and axle on jackstands. Turn the wheels lock to lock and make sure there isn't some interference, incorrect steering stop bolt adjustment, etc.

 

[Gsav69]

Drag link disconnected, steering wheel side to side, find center. Lock it in. Bungee cord, zip ties, a 2x4, don't care what. Lock it that way. That is the steering box centered, no way around it. The rest of the linkage and pitman arm will conform to that position.

Point the tires straight.

At this point you just need to connect the dots. You need a pitman arm installed. You need a drag link connected to it.
You have a universal pitman arm that can be installed in multiple spline configurations. You have an adjustable drag link that can be used to dial in the distance. With both being adjustable it will be nearly impossible to not find a way to get everything hooked up.
If you have the steering wheel locked and the wheels pointing straight, connect the dots. If you turn the wheels to connect the dots, you did it wrong.
Do you have the wheels pointing straight? Is the steering wheel still locked in the centered position? Is all the linkage hooked up? If you answered yes to all 3, It's centered and you can remove the steering lock.

stock, the pitman arm points to the spring. Aftermarket, maybe it points to the spring, maybe it points straight back. the joy of aftermarket, may or may not follow the original design.

If that still doesn't work, drag link off and axle on jackstands. Turn the wheels lock to lock and make sure there isn't some interference, incorrect steering stop bolt adjustment, etc.

Thank u brother. I think I have it now. Appreciate all the help and guidance.

 

[Gsav69]

I do have a question around the steering stabilizer on this truck. Do the u-bolts of this steering stabilizer go on either side of this plate on the drag link? The previous owner had this mounted almost at the end of the stock drag link which has no such plate. Just wasn't sure if this bracket was the centering point. Thx again for all this help.

 

[Broncobowsher]

In theory, yes.
But you are dealing with something that has been modified with aftermarket parts. So it likely won't apply. Think of that tab more as an assembly line aid for when they were being slammed together going down the line. Not a one location fits all once stuff has been modified.

For now, leave it off. Make sure you are getting all the stroke with correct linkage and not being limited by an improperly installed steering damper.

 

[.94 OR]

I second leaving it off. I bought a shiny new one from Tom's and it turns out it doesn't have enough throw to allow my tires to turn lock to lock.
I think this is a reoccuring theme in this thread so don't add another variable.

 

[Gsav69]

Thank you. And this was not hooked up when I was working on the box. Back at it tomorrow for the never ending power steering install project. . Appreciate everyone.

 

[DirtDonk]

Even though I’ve seen the pictures, and might be able to determine from there, I’d still like to hear a confirmation. You said it turns one way more than the other. Which way is it?
Does it make 2.6 turns to the passenger side? Or 2.6 turns to the driver side?

Now, I’ve read through this a couple of times and don’t think I have seen you say what exactly is stopping it.
So when you turn it to the direction that it makes the most turns, what is hitting what?
Is the steering stop touching the knuckle, or is the tire touching the radius arm?
Now go back to the side that it’s steering the 1.6 turns. Is the steering stop hitting, or is the tire hitting?
If neither of those, you need to find out what is actually stopping. Maybe even disconnect the tie rod from the driver side knuckle so that the steering box only turns the passenger side.

You said you left the steering stabilizer off during the testing. Completely off? No brackets? Just wondering if something is jamming up.
Last, maybe I missed it, but can you post a picture of the entire front end steering assembly from side to side. Not fine little details, but everything.

And when you’re doing these tests, are the tires on the ground, or are there jackstands under the axle.

And last lastly, I forget if you said it was lifted or not. Seems like it was 2 1/2 inches. Correct?
Have you measured from side to side to make sure that the axle is centered in the frame? Are you running an adjustable track bar, And drop track bar bracket? A trackbar drop must be used with a Pitman Arm drop so that the drag link and track bar remain parallel.
And though centering the axle isn’t likely to make this big of a difference side to side, it never hurts to make it correct from the get go.

 

[Gsav69]

Hey @DirtDonk thank you for your continued support. Upon further review I do have some updates.

Truck is stock height, 66 u13. New Borgenson PS box has those master splines on it and the new updated pitman arm does not but the pitman arm is noticeably longer than stock. The box was spining a lot farther to the left than right. I added an adjustable drag link. All installed the system spins 3.25 rotations lock to lock (smidge less, but theres squoosh at the end) and the knuckles are indeed bottoming out on the stops (which could use replacing), before the tires rub, at least with the front end up. It's just under 1.75 one way and 1.5 the other. The pitman arm is facing inside the center of the spring. I tried moving a tooth at a time in the pitman arm and this is the best I could get. Also the stabilizer is strapped up but not connected or hitting anything. I wonder if I got the proper end of the adjustable drag link and used my stock pitman arm, how much easier this would be. This pitman arm is clearly longer and the head is so beefy I'm not sure what puller I'll use to get it off. The 66 pitman arm has those master splines but the adjustable drag link should give me what I need. I'm really annoyed by this. I'm buying parts I don't need to create more problems lol.

What you did say that strikes me as possible is the front end possibly being off a bit. Previous owner got it all back together BUTTTT when I look down the side of the truck, the drivers side front looks a bit in, in comparison to rear wheel (could be my mind playing tricks). How and where would I measure or find the measurements for that matter? New terrain for me.

Thanks again.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Body lines can play with you. Compare left and right sides.
Any lift? With a stock track bar (frame to axle) the arc it travels as there is lift will shift the axle toward the driver's side.
By chance are you referenceing the steering wheel being level as a straight ahead position? If so, stop. The steering wheel can be removed and re-indexed for straight. With a touch of fine tuning via the drag link adjustment (which wasn't possible when stock without the adjustable drag link)

 

[Gsav69]

Body lines can play with you. Compare left and right sides.
Any lift? With a stock track bar (frame to axle) the arc it travels as there is lift will shift the axle toward the driver's side.
By chance are you referenceing the steering wheel being level as a straight ahead position? If so, stop. The steering wheel can be removed and re-indexed for straight. With a touch of fine tuning via the drag link adjustment (which wasn't possible when stock without the adjustable drag link)

Steering wheel has only been used to measure turns. No lift. Stock track bar. It's up in air but I'll drop it down and check to see if front end is in there square. Thx again @Broncobowsher

 

[.94 OR]

Stock '66 could have a chance of sag in the front end which would push the axle to the passenger side.

 

[DirtDonk]

The body lines are your first line of comparison, but as said, they’re not always accurate. There’s room for tweaking.
But if you measure from the frame rail to the inside of the tire, or somewhere consistent with the frame, you should get your answer as to whether or not the front axle is shifted to the passenger side from spring sag.
There’s also a way to compare, using a known value for a stock height bronco. The general approximation is 7 inches in the front and 6 inches in the rear. As measured between the top of the axle tubes and the bottom of the frame rails.