Steering linkage prob

I have a 99 Ford F350 Super Duty 4x4 with a 7.3 psd that has a substantial
lift on it (don't really know how high, how do you measure that btw?) and
the steering wheel is almost 180 deg. off and the turning radius is messed
up. If you turn to the left, it is very good, but if you turn to the right,
you need 3 lanes to go around the corner. It looks like the only adjustment
is on the steering linkage connecting to the steering arm coming off the
steering box, but I do not have enough threads in the coupling that holds
the 2 pieces together. My brother in-law attempted to do some modifications
to it, by screwing out the coupling, but all that did is make it fall off
and now I need to buy a new coupling. Can I buy a longer coupling, or do I
need to buy a stock coupling and get one of the arms modified? I am good at
turning wrenches, but have no real experience with 4x4 or suspension
modifications ( but am really interested in learning) TIA.

Buddah

"Richard Cox" <rkcoxcpf(NOSPAM)@starband.net> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I have a 99 Ford F350 Super Duty 4x4 with a 7.3 psd that has a substantial
> lift on it (don't really know how high, how do you measure that btw?) and
> the steering wheel is almost 180 deg. off and the turning radius is messed
> up. If you turn to the left, it is very good, but if you turn to the right,
> you need 3 lanes to go around the corner. It looks like the only adjustment
> is on the steering linkage connecting to the steering arm coming off the
> steering box, but I do not have enough threads in the coupling that holds
> the 2 pieces together. My brother in-law attempted to do some modifications
> to it, by screwing out the coupling, but all that did is make it fall off
> and now I need to buy a new coupling. Can I buy a longer coupling, or do I
> need to buy a stock coupling and get one of the arms modified? I am good at
> turning wrenches, but have no real experience with 4x4 or suspension
> modifications ( but am really interested in learning) TIA.
>
> Buddah

Whoever installed your lift probably screwed up the steering box
center. What I would do is get the wheels as straight as possible and
then disconnect the pitman arm. Turn steering wheel full left and
then count the number or turns it takes to reach full right. Take
that number of turns and divide by 2 (to get the center point) and
then go back the other way that number of turns to get close to the
center point. Reconnect the pitman arm and drive straight to an
alignment shop to have it checked out. Also, I have seen this problem
if the steering geometry is not corrected due to a huge lift (mine was
6"). Any 4x4 shop can look at your steering geometry and tell if it
has been corrected.

Hope that helps.

Derek

"derek" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Richard Cox" <rkcoxcpf(NOSPAM)@starband.net> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > I have a 99 Ford F350 Super Duty 4x4 with a 7.3 psd that has a
substantial
> > lift on it (don't really know how high, how do you measure that btw?)
and
> > the steering wheel is almost 180 deg. off and the turning radius is
messed
> > up. If you turn to the left, it is very good, but if you turn to the
right,
> > you need 3 lanes to go around the corner. It looks like the only
adjustment
> > is on the steering linkage connecting to the steering arm coming off the
> > steering box, but I do not have enough threads in the coupling that
holds
> > the 2 pieces together. My brother in-law attempted to do some
modifications
> > to it, by screwing out the coupling, but all that did is make it fall
off
> > and now I need to buy a new coupling. Can I buy a longer coupling, or do
I
> > need to buy a stock coupling and get one of the arms modified? I am good
at
> > turning wrenches, but have no real experience with 4x4 or suspension
> > modifications ( but am really interested in learning) TIA.
> >
> > Buddah
>
> Whoever installed your lift probably screwed up the steering box
> center. What I would do is get the wheels as straight as possible and
> then disconnect the pitman arm. Turn steering wheel full left and
> then count the number or turns it takes to reach full right. Take
> that number of turns and divide by 2 (to get the center point) and
> then go back the other way that number of turns to get close to the
> center point.
<snip>

This is exactly what I did, but the center coupling of the pitman arm was
3/4" too short to connect the 2 halves together. Can I get a longer
coupling, or do I need to have 1 half of the pitman arm lengthened.

Buddah

Ps, I think I have a 10"-12" lift on it, but not sure, how do I measure.

"Richard Cox" <rkcoxcpf(NOSPAM)@starband.net> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "derek" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > "Richard Cox" <rkcoxcpf(NOSPAM)@starband.net> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
> > > I have a 99 Ford F350 Super Duty 4x4 with a 7.3 psd that has a
> substantial
> > > lift on it (don't really know how high, how do you measure that btw?)
> and
> > > the steering wheel is almost 180 deg. off and the turning radius is
> messed
> > > up. If you turn to the left, it is very good, but if you turn to the
> right,
> > > you need 3 lanes to go around the corner. It looks like the only
> adjustment
> > > is on the steering linkage connecting to the steering arm coming off the
> > > steering box, but I do not have enough threads in the coupling that
> holds
> > > the 2 pieces together. My brother in-law attempted to do some
> modifications
> > > to it, by screwing out the coupling, but all that did is make it fall
> off
> > > and now I need to buy a new coupling. Can I buy a longer coupling, or do
> I
> > > need to buy a stock coupling and get one of the arms modified? I am good
> at
> > > turning wrenches, but have no real experience with 4x4 or suspension
> > > modifications ( but am really interested in learning) TIA.
> > >
> > > Buddah
> >
> > Whoever installed your lift probably screwed up the steering box
> > center. What I would do is get the wheels as straight as possible and
> > then disconnect the pitman arm. Turn steering wheel full left and
> > then count the number or turns it takes to reach full right. Take
> > that number of turns and divide by 2 (to get the center point) and
> > then go back the other way that number of turns to get close to the
> > center point.
> <snip>
>
> This is exactly what I did, but the center coupling of the pitman arm was
> 3/4" too short to connect the 2 halves together. Can I get a longer
> coupling, or do I need to have 1 half of the pitman arm lengthened.
>
> Buddah
>
> Ps, I think I have a 10"-12" lift on it, but not sure, how do I measure.

If the center of the pitman arm is not long enough, then it sounds as
if your steering geometry has not been corrected for the lift. Your
first task is to figure out how much lift than darn truck has. The
only for sure way I know to tell the amount of lift is to find a stock
truck, measure the front axle to frame and then measure the exact same
spot on your truck. Maybe you can find some numbers somewhere that
might clue you in also. Once you find out the lift, any good 4x4 shop
can tell you what you need to do in order to get the geometry correct.
When I bought my lifted truck, I just bought an extended pitman arm
that hung low enough to connect to the stock steering. Once I had the
new pitman arm, I cound definitely see that the old one was way too
small. Not much help, but my .02

Derek

"derek" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Richard Cox" <rkcoxcpf(NOSPAM)@starband.net> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > "derek" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > "Richard Cox" <rkcoxcpf(NOSPAM)@starband.net> wrote in message
> > news:<[email protected]>...
> > > > I have a 99 Ford F350 Super Duty 4x4 with a 7.3 psd that has a
> > substantial
> > > > lift on it (don't really know how high, how do you measure that
btw?)
> > and
> > > > the steering wheel is almost 180 deg. off and the turning radius is
> > messed
> > > > up. If you turn to the left, it is very good, but if you turn to the
> > right,
> > > > you need 3 lanes to go around the corner. It looks like the only
> > adjustment
> > > > is on the steering linkage connecting to the steering arm coming off
the
> > > > steering box, but I do not have enough threads in the coupling that
> > holds
> > > > the 2 pieces together. My brother in-law attempted to do some
> > modifications
> > > > to it, by screwing out the coupling, but all that did is make it
fall
> > off
> > > > and now I need to buy a new coupling. Can I buy a longer coupling,
or do
> > I
> > > > need to buy a stock coupling and get one of the arms modified? I am
good
> > at
> > > > turning wrenches, but have no real experience with 4x4 or suspension
> > > > modifications ( but am really interested in learning) TIA.
> > > >
> > > > Buddah
> > >
> > > Whoever installed your lift probably screwed up the steering box
> > > center. What I would do is get the wheels as straight as possible and
> > > then disconnect the pitman arm. Turn steering wheel full left and
> > > then count the number or turns it takes to reach full right. Take
> > > that number of turns and divide by 2 (to get the center point) and
> > > then go back the other way that number of turns to get close to the
> > > center point.
> > <snip>
> >
> > This is exactly what I did, but the center coupling of the pitman arm
was
> > 3/4" too short to connect the 2 halves together. Can I get a longer
> > coupling, or do I need to have 1 half of the pitman arm lengthened.
> >
> > Buddah
> >
> > Ps, I think I have a 10"-12" lift on it, but not sure, how do I measure.
>
> If the center of the pitman arm is not long enough, then it sounds as
> if your steering geometry has not been corrected for the lift. Your
> first task is to figure out how much lift than darn truck has. The
> only for sure way I know to tell the amount of lift is to find a stock
> truck, measure the front axle to frame and then measure the exact same
> spot on your truck. Maybe you can find some numbers somewhere that
> might clue you in also. Once you find out the lift, any good 4x4 shop
> can tell you what you need to do in order to get the geometry correct.
> When I bought my lifted truck, I just bought an extended pitman arm
> that hung low enough to connect to the stock steering. Once I had the
> new pitman arm, I cound definitely see that the old one was way too
> small. Not much help, but my .02

Thanks for your input Derek, will do jus that.

Buddah