Steering

[BubMullen]

I am learning but still have questions

I have a 1973 with a 302 and power steering. It seems that the steering floats down the road. While my family had a 1969 LTD wagon it reminds me of that. Is there a way to make the steering feel tighter or just enjoy what I have ?

 

[phred]

By floating down the road do you mean the steering feels light and quick?
You can add a steering stabilizer to help damper the steering speed. In my experience a lot I’ve early power steering trucks seem to have a bit too much gain in the pump so it feels really light. This is very handy off road when moving very slow.

 

[SteveL]

35s

 

[.94 OR]

Don't forget the rear end. The leaf spring bushings were shot on mine when I bought it. Adding poly bushings and getting the U-bolts tight helped quite a bit too.

 

[Slowleak]

I just went thru mine and replaced the ball joints, tie rods, bushings, and bearings. I added more caster and set the toe. Steering was still a little light when cruising. Kind of like the old land yachts instead of a modern truck.
I had my steering box rebuilt and it really fixed that. The torsion bar and valve can be changed if needed to make it less sensitive and give you more steering feedback.

 

[stout22]

73s would have a 6 turn box. A "newer" 76-77 steering box should be an improvement.

 

[BGBronco]

I'm not an expert in this but I've done it wrong a few times. You have to know what you have and then what can / should be replaced or you just end up throwing money at the problem and don't solve it. Specifically, I think knowing your castor is a great place to start because if that's off, you're just guessing, unless other areas are visible worn / wrong.

 

[BubMullen]

Thanks guys. Yes it feels like floating I will make some notes and see what I can learn !

 

[Broncobowsher]

Before throwing a single part at it, get some before alignment numbers. Between caster and toe it is easy to get floaty.

 

[BubMullen]

Will do !!

Thank you

 

[Apogee]

If it's not a steering gear issue, and often it's not, then caster, toe, tire air pressure and track bar bushings have been the usual suspects in the past, with an honorable mention to loose U-bolts on the rear axle.

 

[DirtDonk]

How's about some more details Bob?
Anything you know about it, plus things you might not know about but we can see in pictures.
Have you had it awhile, or is it new to you? Have you driven other older vehicles, especially utility vehicles such as Broncos, Jeeps, Scouts and such? I got the reference to the old station wagon and that does count! But it's just a start, as that was a long wheelbase, lower center-of-gravity passenger car type rig. Not the same as a Bronco at all, but the Broncos can still be made to be fun to drive.

Another aspect would be, how old are the tires? And not the mileage, or visual condition. The actual age. The DOT numbers are on the sidewall with the date of manufacturer, unless it's too old. In which case, they're too old!
Apogee mentioned air pressure, and that's one of the first things you can check. Quick, easy and free.

To post pictures directly you need to become a contributor for 12 bucks a year. If that's not something you're ready to do just yet, you can post them to your "garage" and "gallery" functions in your User CP above. Or you can use an online image hosting site.
Or, in a pinch (and if you're not in too much of a hurry!) you can e-mail some pictures to me at paulb@wildhorses4x4.com and I'll post them up for you when I get them.

Good luck.

Paul

 

[BubMullen]

Thanks Paul. I will be back home this weekend and get you some pics

I bought it in October so still new to me

The engine and transmission had been rebuilt and evidence points to that being true.

I had to rebuild the heater then replace the sensing unit in the main tank but both work

I need to install a headliner I bought so that will begin this weekend

It came to me out of Phoenix so rust free !

 

[DirtDonk]

Nice! Hope you get more fun and smiles per mile out of it than most other vehicles.

Oh, and while you're at it, and are at the vehicle of course, you can perform a quick steering test that we've been promoting here for decades. Variously called the "dry test" or the "wiggle test" or some variation on that theme, you will need a helper to turn the wheel while you're underneath looking it all over.

You do not need to have the engine running for this test, but it does make it easier for the helper.
With the vehicle weight fully on the ground (never lift the tires for this test), the helper can rack the steering wheel back and forth continuously while you watch what every part of the steering linkage and suspension are doing. They don't need to turn it all the way in each directly. About a half-turn each way is usually sufficient.

With the power of the steering system working against the weight of the vehicle, nothing that is loose is going to be hidden long. Usually just looking or moving by hand is not enough. But this method is a quick and easy way to find hidden gremlins right down to a cracked frame behind the gear box!
What you're looking for obviously, is anything that is moving when it should not be. For example:
The trackbar ends moving on their bushings or bolts.
The tie-rod and draglink moving/wiggling without moving the other.
Tie-rod that is "rolling" more than it should. Making the rod ends rock in their sockets.
Loose steering shaft above the steering box.
A moving steering box itself, indicating loose bolts or a cracked frame.
Loose wheel bearings will show up when you see the wheels moving independently of the steering knuckles.
Ball joints that are loose will show up as well.
Even the rear suspension can be diagnosed with this test. You can see leaf spring bushings wobble, u-bolts wobble, etc.

It's a test that, frankly, every old vehicle owner should perform now and then. If driven a lot, do it once a year. If just a garage queen, just doing it right up front when you get the rig can tell you lots!

Hope that made sense.

Paul

 

[BubMullen]

Paul that is a great idea !

Thank you

 

[BubMullen]

As promised a few photos

 

[DirtDonk]

Thanks, looks great! Popular color in 73 and 74.

Looks nice and unmolested too. Next time you get a chance, take pictures of the steering linkage and suspension bits. Just to see if we can tell if anything’s been done underneath. Such as new springs and shocks and such.

 

[SLOWnEASY]

I need to install a headliner I bought so that will begin this weekend

Seriously of all the things I've done to my Bronco over the years; I will say my favorite was when I had an upholstery shop put a new car style headliner on the cardboard liner before I put it up. In fact I loved it so much that after 15 years it started to sag so I took it down and had it redone. Both times I just used a standard upholstery shop like the kind you would bring your dining room table chairs to be recovered, not an auto upholstery shop. It not only looks way nicer than white cardboard, it has also quieted it down a bit inside.

 

[.94 OR]

Seriously of all the things I've done to my Bronco over the years; I will say my favorite was when I had an upholstery shop put a new car style headliner on the cardboard liner before I put it up. In fact I loved it so much that after 15 years it started to sag so I took it down and had it redone. Both times I just used a standard upholstery shop like the kind you would bring your dining room table chairs to be recovered, not an auto upholstery shop. It not only looks way nicer than white cardboard, it has also quieted it down a bit inside.

Did you apply any sound deadener to the bottom side of the metal roof before you put the headliner in?

 

[SLOWnEASY]

Nope, just the glued on headliner material. Sound dampener would definitely improve and quiet things like road noise down even more. But I personally still want it to keep some of the sound. Plus I'm frugal on certain things and I think sound deadening material is just too expensive for my taste.