For the most part, the entire front end is new or newer (haven't installed the new hub bearings yet), so I know all of the bushings, tie rods, springs & shocks are not the issue on this. In the morning, I have better than an 1/8 turn of free play on the steering wheel before the tires even move, but if I drive it for a while & turn the truck off, there's very little play if any in the steering wheel before you can see the tires move. Let it sit for a few minutes, and the play returns. At highway speeds (like 70MPH), if I hit a big bump, the wheels shake for a second (like it's about to rip the steering wheel out of my hands) & then return to normal; if I shake the steering wheel back & fourth at 55MPH, I have a good 1/8 play in the steering wheel before I can feel the tires respond.


A few months back, the power steering pump started to make noise (periodically), but hasn't done that in a while, never needed fluid, and the CHF fluid has remained clean, to the cold/warm mark (depending when I check it), and rarely need a drop of fluid, so I've ruled that out for the time being. The steering shaft has no play when under load or shaken, and the bolts & u-joints appear to be tight, so I was thinking this might be the steering box itself, but cannot seem to find a post with the similar issues at all. I do know that if you have someone shake the steering wheel with the engine off, you can see the shaft turn to the back of the steering box (about the 1/8th turn), but the drop arm doesn't move unless you force the wheel further than the play in it. Thoughts?

 

Search "death wobble".
The steering box can also be adjusted.

 

Adjust swivel pre load makes big difference , check pan hard bushings, actually put a wrench on the steering box bolts, mine looked tight were not

I also did all my bushings

 

That much play at times is odd. I'd put a wrench on every bolt related to the steering box.

 

Thanks for the ideas. All bushings have been replaced with orange poly, all ball joints are new, shocks, springs, and steering stabilizer are new, sway bar bushings have been replaced, alignment is dead on and I checked every nut & bolt I could find on the front end yesterday (that's when I noticed the input from the steering wheel to the back of the steering box was not seen at the drop arm till after the "slop" in the steering wheel tightened up. But then that may be because of gear reduction) Never checked the preload, but did find a pdf in a post that addressed an adjustment nut on the steering box that I might look at today, but can see that going wrong quickly.

 

The pre load is easy to do with Walmart fish scale, tech section has pic step by step, mine were think 5 lbs or less, crazy loose

Do pass side first and leave track rod off so you can get it off the drivers knuckle

Have you checked the actual steering shaft between column and steering box, there is a joint there be sure all that tight and any bolts

Also the nut holding pit man arm to sector shaft on steering box

With the lift sways can actually be helping the issue happen, mine were IMO, links on rear sway had flipped up and jam bed the bar back making it handle all goofy

 

Will run to Walmart & pick up a fish scale. Checked that nut on the drop arm & it's at least 130 foot pounds. I did notice it looked damp though. Checked out the steering shaft. Rag joint & shafts are in good condition and everything's tight (thinking I replaced that a year or so but can't remember). Looked at the sway bars & they looked ok.

 

Scale needs to be more then 15 lbs