Steering wheel won't return to center after turn

[Russell J]

1972 2wd F100 automatic with power steering

I've had this truck for over a year now and all the time I've driven it, after making a turn, the steering wheel had never automatically gone back to center. In other words, after I make a turn, I have to manually turn the wheel back to center; it won't just spin back there like any other vehicle I've ever driven.

In the past I've made adjustments to the steering gearbox to tighten the steering a bit because when I got it it was very sloppy. A few days ago I also replaced my old rag joint which dramatically reduced the play in the wheel.

I've been doing some reading about camber, caster, and toe but I haven't been able to find an answer to this problem. It always seems to come down to taking it somewhere for an alignment or doing more adjustment to the steering gearbox.

Do any of you folks out there have an answer for me? Please help!

[HIO Silver]

Caster is what eases the steering wheel back to center... typically caster is a result of ball joint inclination but on these 2WD rigs it's the kingpins. Caster is non-adjustable unless the I-beams are bent/realigned with special tools & equipment

I think the problem is the steering gear and your attempt to correct its looseness in the past.... It masked the deteriorated rag joint and now it's too tight. Undo your past steering gear tinkering and see what happens.

[Busboy]

Couldn't agree more.

[Russell J]

Progress! Thank you!!

I made small changes (1/8 to 1/4 turns at a time) and went for a test drives between each adjustment. The steering wheel definitely started to return to center a little closer each time. I decided to stop for fear of turning the adjuster screw too far out.

What I'm seeing now is that after a left turn, the steering wheel returns almost completely to center. However on a right turn I have to help it back to center almost a full revolution.

Is it possible I am expecting too much out of a truck of this age? My only comparison is a modern-day vehicle and how the wheel returns to center. It's hard to know what kind of performance I should be aiming for. What are the consequences, if any, of turning the adjuster screw too far out? Should I keep going?

[sargentrs]

Maybe just another hair but if left turn returns to center but right turn does not then I'd say it's an alignment from there. Also make sure your tires are equally inflated. You can also jack up one side at a time, stick a tire tool or pipe under the tire, and lift up checking for slop in your king pins.

[67EventHorizon]

Hi,
If you still have this problem, I would suggest you put the front of the truck on jack stands and check your lock to lock. I would venture to guess that left lock to center is not equal to right lock to center. if they are different, adjust as necessary.

When they are equal side to side, your return to center should be roughly fixed, given that you have readjusted your steering gear box lash to a more appropriate loose setting.

Hope you get her figured out!