F-100 steering box questions

[Tacoma Bob]

I installed an F-100 steering box in 2004 and have never been fond of it. I feel as though the car steers too loose. I installed a new front spring and got rid of the rubber ball on the wish bone. The car runs very well and I have many thousands of miles on it. I replaced the cups and felts in the drag link and the tie rod ends and inspected the ball ends and all were fine. I have wondered through time if I don't have the required 25 % spring tension on the rod ends. Tonight I had Sarah sit in the drivers seat and gently move the steering wheel left to right while I inspected the steering components. There is very little play in the wheel with the car sitting. the drag link immediately moves the associated steering components. What I did notice is the axel itself "flexes" somewhat fore and aft. the passenger side of the axel does not flex. The parts in the F-100 box are all new and the machining was first rate. The only other thing I did was put a 1/8 piece of conveyor belt material between the cross member and the spring. I'm running rain maker Ron's tube shocks all around. Any thoughts or comments???

[Bob C]

There shouldn't be anything between the spring and cross member.

Bob

[Ron Lachniet]

If their is no play from your pitman arm to your steering wheel, the problem is not the steering box. I put an F100 steering box in last winter and it made steering much easier.

[hardtimes]

Hey Bob,
I share the sentiments of Ron L with my f-100 steering gear and wouldn't not change.
When I disassembled by '30 roadster, which had never been taken apart, I found in both front and rear....between these springs and the crossmember was a thin ..maybe.. 1/8" thick by several inches long...tightly woven mat material that appeared to be same/similar to the body webbing that I found between body and frame top. This material had CUT OUTs for the head of the spring center bolt. Believing it factory stock for anti squeak, I reinstalled same material in both.
A guy must recheck and RETORQUE the U bolts after installation and shortly after using. I found that my ubolts had to be retightened and NO spring movement thereafter. Also, check for worn out spring hangers, which will allow axle to move.

[JohnLaVoy]

Bob, check the tightness of the bolts holding the steering box to the frame. If they have loosened up it will cause a little slop in the steering.

[Jim Brierley]

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you might remove the pitman arm and re-adjust the box, starting with the worm bearing adjustment. mine was too tight, yours could be off too?

[Gerald D. Walker]

Has anyone installed a shortened PITMAN ARM that Snyder's sells? One and one-half inches shorter than the stock Pitman Arm. (Part # A-3590-S) "Says it makes for easier steering".

[Tacoma Bob]

Thanks Guys. Your comments substantiate my thoughts. I was wondering where to start ( wheels to steering box or box out to the wheels. I have tightened the u-bolts once or twice but that was quite a while ago. I realize the anti quick trick would continue to compress over time. I may start there by removing it all together. Jim's thought was interesting. I did try to snug things up in the box (again quite a while ago) I have searched around on just how to adjust these F 100s. From what I found the shims are for shaft end play only. As I say everything was new when this mod was done so I will look at worm bearing adjustment. Cheers all! TB

[hardtimes]

Hey Bob,
I will second checking box to frame tightness also , as when I had what appeared to be a severe problem (shaking front wheels) when all new. I checked the box and found that it did need retightened. Thankfully, that corrected the entire situation.
BTW...
On 'how' to correctly adjust your f-100 box. Contact the SOURCE of these boxes and get the best info from the best (Mel Gross'..son),eh !

[C4engr]

I have installed one that MAC's sells.. This was summer of 2012 and have had no problem at all. The steering was made easier and the turning radius was shortened.
At the time of Pitman arm change I installed the Mel Gross F-100 steering box.

I love that combination...

Rog

[Mel Gross]

Call me and I will gladly walk you thru on how to adjust a F100 steering box.

Randy Gross 714-292-8660

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Tacoma Bob

I installed an F-100 steering box in 2004 and have never been fond of it. I feel as though the car steers too loose. I installed a new front spring and got rid of the rubber ball on the wish bone. The car runs very well and I have many thousands of miles on it. I replaced the cups and felts in the drag link and the tie rod ends and inspected the ball ends and all were fine. I have wondered through time if I don't have the required 25 % spring tension on the rod ends. Tonight I had Sarah sit in the drivers seat and gently move the steering wheel left to right while I inspected the steering components. There is very little play in the wheel with the car sitting. the drag link immediately moves the associated steering components. What I did notice is the axel itself "flexes" somewhat fore and aft. the passenger side of the axel does not flex. The parts in the F-100 box are all new and the machining was first rate. The only other thing I did was put a 1/8 piece of conveyor belt material between the cross member and the spring. I'm running rain maker Ron's tube shocks all around. Any thoughts or comments???

Lose the conveyer belt. That is why the axle is flexing. It is flexing on the left side because that is where the fore and aft steering force is coming from. On the passenger side the steering force is sideways. The spring won't move sideways unless the ubolts are loose or the centerbolt is broken.
Without the rubber ball in the wishbone socket the clearance needs to be adjusted very close.

I have an F100 steering in my car. You can come out and drive it if you want.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by C4engr

I have installed one that MAC's sells.. This was summer of 2012 and have had no problem at all. The steering was made easier and the turning radius was shortened.
At the time of Pitman arm change I installed the Mel Gross F-100 steering box.

I love that combination...

Rog

The turning radius can not change with a steering box change unless the
worm is bottoming out (bad scene) or you changed the spindle stops on the axle.