Loose Steering??

[Turdle]

Found an all metal shaft in a 97 sport at my favorite salvage yard. I pulled it my self, it was a little rusty and slightly bent, but I got it and the shaft that goes through the firewall and connects to the steering wheel for $10.

I pulled my stock steering shaft and the plastic was cracked, put it in a vice and put a little torque to it and there is the slack. I am going to go out and put in the junk yard part now.

You might need to trim about 1/8" from the firewall end of new shaft-so it goes on far enough for th bolt hole to line up
also---tell me if your steering wheel is off about 1 /16 of a turn afterwards---
if so you adjust it at the tierods---just count the turns on each side--carefully to keep alignment correct.

try to avoid using all that stuff--thru firewall that is

good luck!!

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Thanks for the info, Ill trim the end before I start. I just grabbed the other piece just for fun, I really don't want to replace it, and don't plan to.

 

[Turdle]

Thanks for the info, Ill trim the end before I start. I just grabbed the other piece just for fun, I really don't want to replace it, and don't plan to.

Whoa boy!!
I said might---slip it on to be sure---lol

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Trimmed it up and put it in. The two ends are slightly out of phase, so the steering wheel is a little crooked. The steering is a little stiffer than before, I assume because of the shaft being out of phase. I am going to adjust my tie rods today, if I mess up my alignment I have Lifetime alignments at Firestone. I went to days in a row last week.

But now I have no slop in my steering. I suspect that the headers heated the plastic junk until it failed. My brownish plastic sleeve was cracked, I suspect that had something to do with it. I still think the other rack was messed up as well, since the slack improved after the new rack.

 

[Turdle]

Mine failed before I ever had headers--it is the rubber bushing between the 2 metal sleeves which is the culprit, well, along with the pinch bolt area loosening
glad it is fixed

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I got my tie rods adjusted- too far now it is slightly turned the other way now. Ill turn it a few turns back today.


This is for all others who may have the same problem I had:

Pull your steering shaft before messing with the rack! Put the bottom of your steering shaft into a vice or something solid. Turn the top with a big pair of pliers. My defective shaft feels tight in hand, or even with two pair of pliers, but in the vice I can feel the slack.

 

[bkantor]

I feel your pain... I'm searching the yards right now to see who may have a good selection of junk X's. Too bad your not closer to MN

Right now when I grab the intermediate shaft I can move it a good 1/2-3/4 of an inch in any direction... that can't be a good sign.

Glad to hear it fixed your problem.
Brad

 

[MountaineerGreen]

You may check your lower pinch bolt and make certain it is tight. Your intermediate shaft shouldn't move when you grab and and try to move it around, no matter what.

Ped5stang has those early style intermediate shafts, he is a little proud of them IMO, but he has em.

 

[bkantor]

Ok, so two quick questions (I don't own any service manuals )

1) What's the best way to get to the pinch bolt. The easiest way I've found so far is with the battery and tray removed. I can get at it from the front with approx 18" extension.

2) What size socket?


Brad

 

[Turdle]

I found it easiest to turn the steering, to point the bolt head forward.
Then, from underneath, a 12mm socket on a 1/4 inch ujoint with long extension.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

My pinch bolts (top and bottom) are 13mm. And like Jon said, just get a flashlight and look from underneath. A helper is good when putting it back in. After you have the bolt completely unscrewed, a magnet pickup tool works great. You can put the bolt back in that way too.

Also, with the steering shaft disconnected be careful and don't turn your steering wheel too much. It is best to leave your key off and not move it. There is a spring in there that if over rotated will fail.

 

[bkantor]

Thanks for the tips... mine are 13mm as well.

My explorer appears to be a rarity... it has a Feb '97 manufacture date, the '96 style intermediate steering shaft, gt40p heads (should be too early), etc.

I yanked it out a few minutes ago. For the life of me I couldn't get a good angle from down under but found it easy access from above... I never could do things the "easy" way Anyway, there's slop in the u-joint. It looks like the rubber end seals have had it and there's some rust inside the joint. Off to the yard to find a new-to-me part.

Now, how do I stop from putting in the TM headers sitting on the shelf at the same time??? I gotta drive it Monday!!!

 

[MountaineerGreen]

If you start now you can get the headers done by Monday.

The all metal intermediate shaft was used from 95-97, I believe. I found mine on a 97 at the salvage yard.

 

[Fusion213]

The two 98+ steering shafts i've had are all metal. The plastic is just a sleeve, that's it.
The 98+ joint under that boot is a double u-joint setup with a center bearing.
Since the stock shaft wasn't long enough for my body lift, and the adapter couldn't clear the TM headers I ended up getting a double u-joint setup from borgeson. The problem in that is that the double u-joint setup from borgeson doesn't have a center bearing so the shaft would pretty much loop.
Since that didn't work out well I changed out the double u-joint and put in a single u-joint from borgeson. It works pretty decent now, but it still just barely clears the header.
Also, if you order a u-joint from borgeson, it MIGHT look like the mustang style joint will fit but it doesn't without removing material from the inside of that joint.

 

[bkantor]

Well, got the intermediate shaft replaced... the junk yard only wanted $5 for it, and since I needed a headlight anyway it was perfect timing. The beauty of the junkyard I went to was all engines were pulled and all explorers/rangers were next to each other. A quick look down the aisle was all it took.

I'm not sure yet whether this has fixed the problem as I haven't got it out on the highway yet. Fingers crossed. Thanks all for your help.
Brad

 

[Turdle]

Well, got the intermediate shaft replaced... the junk yard only wanted $5 for it, and since I needed a headlight anyway it was perfect timing. The beauty of the junkyard I went to was all engines were pulled and all explorers/rangers were next to each other. A quick look down the aisle was all it took.

I'm not sure yet whether this has fixed the problem as I haven't got it out on the highway yet. Fingers crossed. Thanks all for your help.
Brad

Junk yard=candy store

Let us know how it works,
also, if your steering wheel ends up just a bit off center.

 

[bkantor]

I can tell you right now I'm not off-center... no grinding necessary either. It was an easy straight swap.

 

[Spas]

Man, i wish mine only had 1/2-3/4" of play.. more like 1.5-2 I traded 410Fortune for a '96 steering shaft out of a v8- I'm assuming there is no difference in the shafts regardless of engine??

Can't wait to get the darn thing in, replace the brand new leaky reman ps rack again, and get my steering back!!

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Man, i wish mine only had 1/2-3/4" of play.. more like 1.5-2 I traded 410Fortune for a '96 steering shaft out of a v8- I'm assuming there is no difference in the shafts regardless of engine??

Can't wait to get the darn thing in, replace the brand new leaky reman ps rack again, and get my steering back!!

From what I can tell there is no difference. I pulled the one I am running now from a 96 sport. If you need some the local boneyard has plenty the sell for $10 each.

 

[Turdle]

Man, i wish mine only had 1/2-3/4" of play.. more like 1.5-2 I traded 410Fortune for a '96 steering shaft out of a v8- I'm assuming there is no difference in the shafts regardless of engine??

Can't wait to get the darn thing in, replace the brand new leaky reman ps rack again, and get my steering back!!

Lindsy

Did this do anything for your sloppy steering?