I'm sure it could but what's changed? Something isn't right the way it is now. I'd just be covering up the symptom instead of addressing the problem.

And by the way, every alignment winds up being at least $500 once they replace all of the "bad" front end parts.

 

If it needs parts, it needs parts. My alignment 3 years ago cost me $1100, the one I got this spring was $70, all parts were in spec.

 

how far off is the wheel?

 

The wheel is off about 1/8 of a turn....the crossbar is at a 45 deg angle instead of being flat.

 

See in this photo the wider spline tooth? What hooks to that only goes one way. try taking it back apart and moving it to line it up correctly.

 

You mean the pitman arm? I don't think I could put that on wrong if I wanted to...there are 4 wider teeth that mate with the 4 grooves and it would only go on one way.

Or do you mean take the box apart and move the sector shaft a little?

 

it's been a long while since I had to do something like this, but yeah, take it apart and move whatever it is you can to line the steering wheel near correctly

 

Just a quick update on where this project is... I pulled the gearbox out again to see why it wouldn't adjust properly and also to see if there was anything keeping the steering wheel out of alignment. I think I figured out the steering wheel part....I had replaced the pitman arm and assumed it would be identical to the original and could only go on one way...can't make a difference right? Well from what I've read they aren't all identical and changing the pitman arm can throw off the steering wheel alignment.

Now onto the steering adjustment issue....I pulled the sector shaft out and separated it from the adjustment housing. Inside of that I found broken metal bits....not good. This is probably what started my leak in the first place. So after all that time and work (but only $14 at least), I have ordered a reman gearbox and hope to install it over the weekend. Oh, got the broken clockspring all changed too...wasn't too bad. I have a seatbelt tied to the steering wheel right now so it won't happen again....good tip, thanks!

 

When it comes time... and if you can... have another person physically hold the steering wheel straight to get a better outcome.

 

The new (rebuilt) steering box just arrived and I don't know that it's adjusted properly. I can't even turn it by hand at all....seems way to tight. I don't want to mess with the adjustment because I was told these would be factory set...but I also don't want to install this box and have it now work....any suggestions?

There is only supposed to be 1-2 ft . lbs of torque on the input shaft....should be able to turn by hand, no?

 

Well, I went ahead and installed the new steering box. There are no leaks but the wheel is very hard to turn, just as I suspected it might be. I just hate to start adjusting a brand new box as that opens up another can of worms.

Is there a chance it will loosen up? I put a few miles on it this evening but it didn't seem to help. If it would spring back on it's own after turning I'd be fine with it, but it doesn't. Will this nightmare ever end?

 

I was really hoping that the hard steering was a bleeding issue but I don't think it is. I followed the Ford procedure for bleeding and it hasn't helped. The steering is stiff throughout the turning range but really stiff when centered...almost too hard to turn one handed while driving. The steering wheel still does not return after turning.

Could the new pitman arm be causing any issues? Can the pump be bad even though it's not leaking? Any other ideas....anybody?