Question on a 73 f250 steering box

[manofmerc]

I bought a 73 f250 last October it sat for 14 years .I have it running pretty good (360 c-6 ) dana 60 .Stopping good lights working etc.The suspension is tight enough looks like the king pins have been replaced along with several tie rods and the shocks .The bad is it was pulling to the right .I have a really good alignment guy in my town .I took it to him explaining how it pulls to the right .That after noon he calls and says your truck was out just a bit but it is still pulling to the right it is your steering box .Mine is a power steering box he showed me this am whenever you crank it up the steering wheel turns to the right .According to him there  is a valve inside that sticks and causes this condition .Any of you truck guys aware of this and how you repair it ? I have built a couple of truck boxes and one for my cyclone but not a power steering box with a valve inside .It drive s better now with the alignment but still pulling right .Any and all help would be appreciated This truck is used for picking up steel and running errands .I also have hauled two loads of gravel 3500lbs total .I have a transmission build coming up and a 390 engine swap .The 360  runs really good I was surprised .Any one with prior experience your thought are welcome .Doug

[HarleyJack17]

Is it a 4x2 or 4x4? Not super familiar with the inards of the 4x2 steering box but if it is a 4x4 it has either a Garrison or Bendix external control valve and cylinder and that is typical when they get worn.....just thought I would ask.  I will say I have never heard of a standard steering box making a truck pull one direction but I would think it is possible.

[manofmerc]

This is a two wheel drive .A friend of mine found a you tube rebuild of a steering box similar to mine .There is a valve but what purpose it serves I don't know .My only experience is my 66 f250 steering box I rebuilt it but it was manual steer .When you first crank it up with your hands off the steering wheel it pulls to the right .So something is up .I drained some of the fluid from the pump and replaced it with marvel mystery oil .I plan to drive it a while to see if this mystery valve will loosen up .Thanks Doug

[gdaddy01]

I think some of the power steering boxes are self centering , I think you have to let the box center itself and then set the alignment . Don't know for sure but check into it .

[Rory428]

I never had this same issue, but several years ago, my 74 F350 was drifting side to side, and had a fair bit of play in the steering, even though the kingpins and all the linkage was nice and snug. I talked to a local steering box rebuilder, and he told me these Ford power steering boxes had a habit of wearing the hole in the box for the sector shaft egg shaped over time. They had no bearing or bushing where the  sector shaft went thru the bottom of the steering box casting, just a bored hole in the cast iron case. I looked underneath as somebody wiggled the steering wheel back and forth, and you could easily see the sector shaft just above the pitman arm move side to side. Not only did that play contribute to the slop in the steering, it also caused the lower seal to leak fluid, directly onto the left radius rod rubber bushing, causing the bushing to swell up and split. I had the steering box guy rebuilt the PS steering box, he also bores out the box casting and presses in a bearing to correct the worn bore during the rebuild process. Between the fresh steering box, and replacing the swelled up & split radius arm rubber bushings with some Energy Suspension PolyUrethane bushings, the improvement was amazing, it drove so much better afterwards.

[manofmerc]

Thanks for the info .For now I am just going to deal with it .But I will do what you said Rory and have someone turn the wheel while I look at the pitman arm The box isn't leaking (yet) Regardless it looks like I will be needing a box overhaul before it is over with.Thanks Again Doug