Steering Box alignment

[rockg]

I am almost complete with a power steering conversation and i am at the point where i need to hook up the steering box with pitman arm. When I had removed the original manual box i had turned the wheels to get a better angle to work on it, and the new rebuilt box i acquired is now installed, which i'm not sure where it is turned to on the box.

My question is how to make sure everything is lined up? I'm thinking that i need to hook up the steering wheel and turn the new box to equal the middle of the turn ratio and then jack up the front end and align the wheels to center. This should get me where i need to be and hook it up at that point...correct?

I would prefer not to do it twice.

 

[70_Steve]

My question is how to make sure everything is lined up? I'm thinking that i need to hook up the steering wheel and turn the new box to equal the middle of the turn ratio and then jack up the front end and align the wheels to center. This should get me where i need to be and hook it up at that point...correct?

One step at a time.

Yes, hook up the steering wheel turn lock to lock, then half-way back to center the box. Then install the pitman arm on the box where desired. Stock configuration has the pitman arm point slightly to the drivers side with the box centered.

Then go from there. Of course at some point the wheels need to be straight. If you install the steering wheel straight when the box is centered, then it's just a matter of adjusting the length of the drag link to get the wheel centered again once you have the drag link hooked up and can verify the wheels are straight.

I would prefer not to do it twice.

Good luck. I've come to accept that I can't do anything on my Bronco less than three times...

 

[Viperwolf1]

Yes, that is correct. However you may find that your pitman arm is keyed so it can only attach in 1 of 4 positions. That really means one position cause the shaft only turns about 90 degrees. If this is the case you don't have much choice. You can use an adjustable draglink to keep the box centered but it isn't absolutely required.

If the pitman arm isn't keyed you're good to go.

 

[Timmy390]

Yes, that is correct. However you may find that your pitman arm is keyed so it can only attach in 1 of 4 positions. That really means one position cause the shaft only turns about 90 degrees. If this is the case you don't have much choice. You can use an adjustable draglink to keep the box centered but it isn't absolutely required.

If the pitman arm isn't keyed you're good to go.

Was about to say it's "keyed" and 1 of 4 positions is all you can choose from.

When I got my new boxs, I slid the pitman arm on and gave the box a turn, found the center and then put the pitman arm on in the only position that was close.

Tim

 

[70_Steve]

Yes, that is correct. However you may find that your pitman arm is keyed so it can only attach in 1 of 4 positions. That really means one position cause the shaft only turns about 90 degrees. If this is the case you don't have much choice. You can use an adjustable draglink to keep the box centered but it isn't absolutely required.

If the pitman arm isn't keyed you're good to go.

I got around the issue of a keyed pitman arm by eliminating the key! I used a triangular file and filed the middle of the key to make two more splines.

 

[xcntrk]

There was a video floating around on here that showed a good procedure. Unfortunately I didn't book mark it.

Something about putting a piece of tape in the center top of the steering wheel. Then hook up the steering shaft input and count the number of turns from lock to lock. Then simply center the wheel straight in the middle, straighten up the front wheels, and hook up the pitman arm. Of course this assumes the pitman isn't keyed as mentioned above...

 

[rockg]

I checked it out at lunch and noticed the four keys. Thanks for your input...

 

[Broncobowsher]

Also remember that the stock Bronco pitman arm does NOT point straight back with the wheels pointing straight forward. It is slightly angled toward the drivers side.