Power steering problem

[Pineyguy]

I recently put new seals in my power steering box (the one with 76 on it) and finished stopping all the rest of the little leaks in the system. When I was done with the box, I bench- adjusted it so there was no binding, clunks, whatever. With it on the truck (not moving) there is a pretty good clunk at one spot when turning right. I don't believe its anything downstream of the box (no one around to turn the wheel for me while I watch) and it was not there before the rebuild. I tried adjusting the box 2 turns incrementally in both directions, but no noticeable change. The balls in it weren't different sizes, so I know its not that. Do I just need to adjust it more?

[randyscycle]

Is the noise just there when turning the wheels while the truck isn't moving? Or is it there when driving too?

The reason I ask is because when sitting still, mine will clunk a bit from one of the front spring shackles shifting when I turn the wheels. Of course I don't notice it when driving and with the manual steering, there was not much way to turn the wheels smoothly when sitting still.

Try to regrease all the shackle fittings and see if the noise goes away.

[Pineyguy]

I'm not sure if its there when driving, haven't taken it out of the garage yet since the re-installation. (It's been rainy and I currently don't have any kind of top.) I'll try a road test and see what happens. I put the adjustment back to "0" for now. If it were out of adjustment what would the symptoms be? I thought that once the gears were properly meshed it should be good, maybe that's the case and it is a spring shackle or something else.

[fng]

Are you sure it's not a ball joint? Maybe get a neighbor or borrow someones kid and have them turn while you lay under it.

[Ronner]

Be willing to bet the spring & shackle bushings are worn and are shifting side to side when you turn the wheel. Like FNG said, have someone turn the wheel while you look - easy to see right up front. I've never had the back ones do this but have had a couple that would at the front.

[randyscycle]

There isn't really anything in the steering box that could make the kind of noise you describe, and if it did, I'd think you'd feel it binding at the same time.

My bet is a spring shackle or maybe a kingpin. Just for the heck of it, jack up the front of the truck with both wheels off the ground and turn the wheel with no load on the suspension and see if the noise goes away.

[Pineyguy]

Are you sure it's not a ball joint? Maybe get a neighbor or borrow someones kid and have them turn while you lay under it.

Haha! I have plenty of kids (5), just none were home while I was (working nightshift 6-6.) I just assumed it was the box. I'm going to try it again tomorrow when someone is home and I'll check out the ball joints and spring and shackle bushings. Thanks guys.

[Pineyguy]

Well, I need a tie rod end. Anybody know a part # or interchangeable application? I saw in a previous thread that Compexp says Napa has them and the whole assembly (which I don't really need) from VPW is 80 bucks, but no other info that I could find.

[brute4c]

Its been posted quite a bit...as recent as yesterday in fact...

Tie Rod Ends

[Pineyguy]

Its been posted quite a bit...as recent as yesterday in fact...

Tie Rod Ends

Oops, sorry. I searched "tie rod" and nothing came up, so I switched to "ball joint."