73 bronco steering

[Mclock]

Hi guys. Any help would be appreciated, All my steering is new, Nothing loose. When you first turn wheel it almost feels like it’s binding up then turns easy. Even on a slight bend in the road it does this.

 

[73azbronco]

Put it on jacks, both wheels in air, try it again. If it binds, go looking to see what is binding. Be careful under vehicle, use jack stands. Sort of sounds like the ujoint in steering column has too much of an angle.

 

[Mclock]

I will try that. Thank you.

 

[Mclock]

Took all the linkage apart and found pass side binding up. Wasnt loose but had one spot that it was binding up on.

 

[gnpenning]

When you say steering is new, which parts exactly.

Did you undo your linkage on both sides and turn the spindles individually?

Did you or someone else install new ball joints?

 

[Mclock]

Linkage and ball joints couple years old. Steering box rag joint and u joint in shaft couple months old.

 

[Shimmy]

Took all the linkage apart and found pass side binding up. Wasnt loose but had one spot that it was binding up on.

so your ball joints on the passenger knuckle?

 

[Mclock]

so your ball joints on the passenger knuckle?

Tie rod end on pass side.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Did anybody "tighten up" the steering box? Screw with the adjuster screw thinking they were taking play out of the steering box? Mis-adjusting one of those thinking you are taking the play out is a real good way of making it bind up. If the bad ball joints and tie rods don't do it first. Also check the front axle U-joints. They don't spin in 2WD, but they still have to bend.

 

[gnpenning]

Tie rod end on pass side.

Can you give more information on how you tested to determine it is the tie rod end binding versus ball joints?

 

[Mclock]

Disconnected the tie rod and I could feel it binding up when I moved it around.

 

[Mclock]

Did anybody "tighten up" the steering box? Screw with the adjuster screw thinking they were taking play out of the steering box? Mis-adjusting one of those thinking you are taking the play out is a real good way of making it bind up. If the bad ball joints and tie rods don't do it first. Also check the front axle U-joints. They don't spin in 2WD, but they still have to bend.

Not sure if alignment shop messed with it. Hope not, it’s brand new. Is there a way to check that ?

 

[73azbronco]

the tie rod end, the part with threads, should be very stiff to move or its bad.

 

[DirtDonk]

Is the tie-rod disconnected at both ends? If so, see what else binds up. As az said, a tie-rod end is supposed to be very tight when it's good. So much so, that you should not even be able to spin it in it's socket by hand. At least not easily.

While it's disconnected, twist the knuckles to test the ball joints and u-joints on each side. If that's ok, then turn the steering wheel to see if you still feel binding. With nothing else connected, then any binding is either in the steering column/shaft assembly, or the box itself.

Paul