Steering Damper ?

[C.Jett]

1985 F150 4.9 L w/power steering. Steering is very sensitive, if you look left, it will go left. It’s great for parking but requires total attention all the time. Would a steering damper help with this? Yes, the front end is in good shape. Thanks CJ

[Gary Lewis]

Have you adjusted the setting on the steering sector box?  I tried that once and got what you described - no slack but no feel and you had to drive the truck 100% of the time.

[C.Jett]

Gary, are you saying tighten it down ? Yes, there is no play, so I didn’t think of that, one track mine, adjust to take out play. CJ

[Gary Lewis]

No, I'm asking if someone did tighten it.  That's what I did and couldn't live with it, even just tightened a teeny bit.

But if no one has tightened yours then that is probably not the problem.  However, it costs nothing to loosen it to try.  Mark where the slot is now, back the nut off a bit, and turn the screw counter-clockwise maybe 1/16th of a turn.  Tighten the nut down while holding the screw, and take it for a drive.

That will probably introduce some slop, but it should also give a bit more "feel".  If you don't like that put it back where it was.

[C.Jett]

Gary, do you think the power steering would just overide the damper and not give a “feel”? Feel was the word I was looking for, if you think it, it will do it on my truck. I will give that a try as soon as I finish the rear fuel tank. Thanks CJ

[Gary Lewis]

If you back off slightly on the adjustment it should give a bit more feel as well as slack.  Give it a try - you can always put it back.

[Gsmblue]

Second what Gary said. I went through this with my F150. I tightened it to take the slack out and it was just very direct, like the front axle was over loaded, I back it back off and the slack came back but it was way less direct.

I don't think a steering damper will help with this situation at all. In my experience they are more for "bump steer" absorption, but ultimately I don't think they do anything, at least not on my Bronco.

Sounds like you may be due a new steering gear box. I went with blue top but other here have had success with all sorts.

[C.Jett]

Steering bad because it works too good, LORD Mr. Ford, what have you done? You may be right. I’m gonna tinker with it first. Thanks CJ

[81-F150-Explorer]

I've had good results using Motorcraft Reman Steering Boxes.  QC was better in the past though.

The same power steering gear boxes our trucks use, were used on a plethora of Ford Vehicles from the 60's to the 2000's.

[mat in tn]

use a little caution here. it is very easy to overtighten a steering gear (box) without ever knowing it. in the extreme, you can end up with a steering gear that does not want to return naturally. turn left and it has to be pulled back to center, and so on. caster is used to let the steering wheels return to center using the force of going down the road. unless someone or something is giving resistance. for this reason, it is rare to need to tighten an old box more than 1/4 rotation over the life of the box. the result of overtightening is that the piston gets pressed to the off side of the cylinder so to speak rather than moving freely centered in the bore.

[C.Jett]

Mat, I will loosen up a little like Gary says when it quits raining. Thanks CJ