What do do to tighten up the steering?

[dubCanuck1]

Hi all,

The 94 Explorer XLT has got a fair amount of play in the wheel.....too much for my liking, considering I'm used to vehicles with Rack and Pinion. Is there something I can do to make the steering nice and crisp?

Let me know.

Thanks.

 

[Maniak]

It depends on why its sloppy..

step 1.. check tie rods etc.. if those are worn then you need to replace them
step 2.. check the rag joint (rubber joint) in the middle of the shaft between the firewall and steering box..
step 3.. check if the slop is in the gear box.. have someone bounce the steering wheel in the dead zone and see where the steering stops (where the slop is)

It may be in the intermediate shaft itself (between firewall and box).. Its a two piece shaft.. over time the inner shaft can get loose in the outer one. to tighten it on our rig we used a hammer to shrink the outter tube..

~Mark

 

[dubCanuck1]

Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely check into those. If the slop is in the gear box, isn't there a way to rebuild/refresh it?

 

[Maniak]

I cleaned up my post above (tried to make it make more sense)...

yes, if its in the box itself there is an adjustment screw on the top.. you loosen the nut around it first.. then turn the screw clockwise a little to help close the "mesh" of the gearbox.

~Mark

 

[dubCanuck1]

Thanks!

 

[gmanpaint]

Maniak,

I just looked at my setup after getting sick of the slop and wander. I found everything to be fine in the gear box, and the rag joint rubber is fine. I didn't need to look any further when I discovered that the small top part of the rag joint coupler that slips into the firewall section is loose as a goose. I tightened it down as hard as I could and it did not change the amount of slop in it. I can grab the intermediate shaft and wiggle it (no jokes please LOL) to see all the slop in it. I believe this has happened from the angle change with the 3" body lift, and it has worn and slopped out over time.

Do you know of anyplace that sells the top end of the rag joint coupler assembly? I haven't had any luck so far. I might be using the wrong terms in my searches??

Edit: Never mind. It just dawned on me what it is. It is the steering extension from the body lift that has worn out. The "D" style shaft is now a round style...LOL Whoops!

 

[Maniak]

Since its the extension that's bad, you could do the rag joint elimination and just use a little bit longer shaft (don't cut it as short).

There are 2 threads on here about making a shaft.. One use Flaming river and the other uses that Borg company (I always forget their name..). The Borg one is cheaper..

For now though.. Can you fit a washer between the sleeve and the inner part to take up some slop? I did that on a friends f-150 until we could get a new shaft.

~Mark

 

[jd4242]

Ill add my $.02 like its been said find out where the slop is.if you adjust your gear box do it in VERY small amounts.test drive every 1/8 ish of adjustment. The steering wheel needs to be able to reset to center if you turn it a lot and let off off it (try at slow empty roads) if you adjust it to far the wheel will stay in a turned position and not spin and recenter.next if you have the rubber rag joints get rid of them.some first gen came with ujoints.if not you can make your own shaft, also a good idea if your lifted or have a BL.

Here are some pics of how bad the joint can get and my new shaft.

 

[mr cribb]

I just started driving mine again after it being down a while, I forgot how sloppy my steering was.

Mine is probably everything in the list above, because I know the suspension is worn, but I haven't checked the rag joint or steering shaft.