88 Ford Bronco II steering slop.

ghost

ghost

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 25, 2006
Location
Hartsville/Camden,SC
Ok so a good friend has this 88 he’s in love with and fixing up as a DD. He’s actually DD’n it now. His steering is sloppy. He’s had just about everything in the front replaced. I looked at it and it looks to me to be in the column. With the column locked the steering wheel moves at least a half inch. I know the Jeep/GM column has the tilt mechanism that bolts get loose. This is a title column. Anyone been in one of these or know of a good write up on rebuilding them? I’m thinking there is a joint worn out where it tilts.
 
I don’ know about the tilt version but there is a small u joint on the steering shaft right down at the fire wall that can get wore out too.
 
skyhighZJ said:
I don’ know about the tilt version but there is a small u joint on the steering shaft right down at the fire wall that can get wore out too.
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Rag joint. Affects rotational slop

Not sure on the B2/Ranger, but on the full size trucks there's a piece in the tilt column that breaks and causes the whole upper column to move side/side.
 
skyhighZJ said:
I don’ know about the tilt version but there is a small u joint on the steering shaft right down at the fire wall that can get wore out too.
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I’ll double check that, sounds like you referring to the shaft from column to box. His steering wheel has slop with the column locked and car off.
 
ghost said:
I’ll double check that, sounds like you referring to the shaft from column to box. His steering wheel has slop with the column locked and car off.
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If it is wobbling at the tilt joint, it is still pulling it all apart and tightening the torx bolts that hold the assembly together. It is more prominent in jeeps, because everyone uses the wheel to pull themselves into the driver's seat.

If it is slop / wobble somewhere else, then I completely misunderstood the question and read what I wanted to see.
 
5311CCBB-9959-42C1-B75C-CEB2A489C1B7.png


This is the exploded view of it helps
 
shelby27604 said:
If it is wobbling at the tilt joint, it is still pulling it all apart and tightening the torx bolts that hold the assembly together. It is more prominent in jeeps, because everyone uses the wheel to pull themselves into the driver's seat.

If it is slop / wobble somewhere else, then I completely misunderstood the question and read what I wanted to see.
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It’s not wobbly it’s got play. Lots of play.
 
I would just replace the steering column with a JY unit if you know the problem is in the column.
 
shawn said:
Rotational or lateral?
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Rotational.
drkelly said:
I would just replace the steering column with a JY unit if you know the problem is in the column.
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Actually dug deeper for a few minutes yesterday. @skyhighZJ Glad you suggested the shaft. It's not the shaft or the joints. The rotational play when locked is the probably the lock mechanism worn. However when checking the shaft I noticed it was moving too. So it appears his "new" steering box from LMC truck has slop in it. At least it looked like it to me. He's got a friend that was a Ford mechanic for years that is going to look at it in a couple weeks. He's also got a play or vibration issue at speed he says. New tires so it's not that. Anywho thanks for the suggestions. This group always helps out when they can.
 
ghost said:
Rotational.

Actually dug deeper for a few minutes yesterday. @skyhighZJ Glad you suggested the shaft. It's not the shaft or the joints. The rotational play when locked is the probably the lock mechanism worn. However when checking the shaft I noticed it was moving too. So it appears his "new" steering box from LMC truck has slop in it. At least it looked like it to me. He's got a friend that was a Ford mechanic for years that is going to look at it in a couple weeks. He's also got a play or vibration issue at speed he says. New tires so it's not that. Anywho thanks for the suggestions. This group always helps out when they can.
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Cant guarantee new tires arent causing vibration at speed. There are alot of junk tires being made these days, even from Big names.

If the steering box has play, he should be able to tighten the sector shaft gear mesh.

Does the play when locked translate all the way through the column? Or does the wheel move, but the rest of the column doesnt?
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
Cant guarantee new tires arent causing vibration at speed. There are alot of junk tires being made these days, even from Big names.

If the steering box has play, he should be able to tighten the sector shaft gear mesh.

Does the play when locked translate all the way through the column? Or does the wheel move, but the rest of the column doesnt?
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True on the tires.

I did not know that. I guess I'll have to look that up.

Yes the intermediate shaft from base of column moves but from what I remember the pitman arm does not.
 
ghost said:
True on the tires.

I did not know that. I guess I'll have to look that up.

Yes the intermediate shaft from base of column moves but from what I remember the pitman arm does not.
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Should be similar to this:

 
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