Dead spot in center of steering

[ghunt]

Just wondering if this is common or not, as I'm used to vehicles with rack & pinion steering-- My truck feels like it has a good size "dead spot" in the steering when the wheels are straight ahead. It also doesn't feel like the wheel wants to return to center.

I just put all new tie rods (inners, outers and sleeves) on it over the summer and had it aligned, but it does not feel much better now than it did before I had it aligned.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

I am not sure if your "dead spot" is looseness in the steering, or loss of power steering, but not wanting to return to center sounds like someone tried to adjust slop out of the steering box and tightened it too much. Try backing the steering box adjustment out a 1/4 turn and see if that helps.
It may mean you need a new steering box however.

 

[david85]

I had this problem with my truck for years. Part of the problem in my case was the low amount of caster angle normally present in the 1986 I beam axles. I mistook stiffness in the steering for slop in the steering box and tried tightening the adjustment bolt (don't do that!!!!). Turns out I had a badly worn out bushing on both sides and after replacing the other side I finally have a nice light an precise steering feel.

The catch with me is that the friction was not noticable if I lifted the truck off the ground and tried to steer the wheels by grabbing the tires. The stiffnes/friction was only happening with the weight of the truck on the front knuckles.

Now even with the mild caster angle, the truck can be steered past 80 MPH with gentle input from a single finger tip.

Shadetreemechanic,

Can you elaborate on the loss of powersteering? can that affect the poor return to center?

 

[ghunt]

Where's this steering box adjustment at?

 

[david85]

Where's this steering box adjustment at?

Right on top of the steering box about in the center of the housing. You back off the lock down nut and back off the bolt stem to loosen the adjustment. Are you sure the steering box has been tampered with? if not it might be best not to mess with it.

Keep accurate track of any adjustment you make so you can still go back to where it was.

 

[ghunt]

Well I don't know if anyone's messed with it or not. Probably not.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

Well I don't know if anyone's messed with it or not. Probably not.

If you mess with it, I second david 85, move it in 1/4 turn increments and keep track of how much you turn it.
Steering that doesn't return to center on its own is a classic symptom of a steering box that has been overtightened. I don't know how long you have had the truck or this problem, so it might not be relevant to you. You might be able to tell whether it has been adjusted by checking the locknut for wear.

 

[Alex S]

I drive both regularly my DD is a car with rack and pinion and speed sensitive steering. And then i jump into any of the trucks in out family and its night and day. As for handling and and road feel the typical saginaw steering box setup used in cars and truck is crap. just doesn't cut it it will never be close. I do believe Freddy Flinstone had a similar setup in his car. But it is a HD system thats simple and it works well and can take allot of abuse.

 

[david85]

I'm not sure what speed sensitive steering is, but I will agree that rack and pinion will give better feedback. However the problem with rack and pinion is that there can be too much feedback and in the case of a truck, the wheel could be yanked out of your hand from some uneven terrain or a slight sideways bump in the road.

For a truck I don't think its wize to have rack and pinion, but that didn't stop dodge from doing it.

No matter what type however, the vehicle should be able to find center when comming out of a turn. If it can't do that, something is wrong.

 

[Alex S]

basically speed sensitive steering just lowers the power assist the faster you go, so the steering gets heaver and you have a better feel of what the front tires are doing.

agreed rack and pinion would be pointless in a truck their not meant to go around corners fast

 

[towcat]

for the record, I am not for anyone messing with the steering box. do check the intermeadiate shaft that connects the column to the steering box for play first. there's plenty of things to go wrong on the shaft. the trunion at the top, the part where the two halves slide in at out at the middle, the rag joint at the bottom. have a helper work the steering wheel as you are checking out these items first. the steering box should be the last thing to touch and if you do need to touch it, it needs to be replaced.

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Since we rebuilt the steering in my moms 94 F350 the steering has been extremely difficult to turn and you have to force steer it back into center. We replaced all power steering components as well as the steering shaft, the steering box and the steering arm. We pretty much got sick of taking it back to the suspension shop time after time with them returning it still with the loose steering so we just replaced everything. But now its so hard to steer I actually break a sweat driving it at times. The steering box was a warranty replacement unit from our local parts store, so Im wondering if their "rebuilt" units are just tightened up or something.