Next task is to prove it. Disconnect the drag link from the steering arm; still clunk? (might need to apply some resistance to the steering arm). If it still clunks, disconnect the steering shaft from the steering box; still clunk? That is the way to be certain.

 

on my to-do list for tomorrow!

 

This was my first thought, cracked frame or loose or broken mounting bolts!

Another thought is; Maybe the clunk is in the shaft Before the gearbox? Seems unlikely but . . .

 

I replaced the intermediate shaft 2 days ago. removed it, cleaned the U-joints, relubed it. no binding at all.

here it after being cleaned up and re-installed:

 

performed the tests again checking for any vibration/bump being felt in the intermediate shaft as my helper moved the wheel to the right and then back to center.

I cannot feel any bump in the shaft either on the upper or lower end U-joints.

went to underneath rig. held onto the top ball joint that connects the track rod to the pitman arm. same wheel movement performed. nothing noticeable
or felt on that joint.

I believe the play is definitely in the steering box. tried to loosen the adjuster nut and it's seized on there pretty tight. will need to pick up a 18" 1/2 extension
to get a breaker bar on it to free it. marked the center screw location/nut/housing with white pen so I know where things were before I start messing things up.

hopefullly I can adjust this out....

I checked the steering box both visually and by feel to see if there are any cracks in the frame where it attaches to the frame. looks solid to me...no flexing
when the wheel is moved.

 

picked up a ball joint separator and 1/2" extension to get the nut loose on the steering box.

is M8 X 1.25 the proper bolt size for the centralizing hole?

and with the wheels off the ground and it centralized, is it REALLY necessary to remove the drag link from the pitman arm
to do the adjustment of the steering box?

 

You do not need to remove the pitman arm to adjust the play, it is the just torx on top w the 19?mm bolt. RAVE has a few pages worth reading about this.
I think the only reason to remove the pitman arm would be if you needed to recenter the steering. The bolt lines up neutral, I do think it is an 8mm.

 

got the nut on top of the steering box loosened. then had to break the bond between the center screw...done. (tranny fluid + acetone for the win!)

adjusted the center screw down 1/4 turn...no noticeable effect/change. still feeling the bump returning from a right turn back to center.

will have to add another 1/4 turn and see how that feels.

 

I disconnected the track rod from the pitman arm ...made a nice SNAP sound when it broke loose.

Tightened the adjustment screw another 1/4 turn...and I think that is too far. Am felling some binding when moving lock to lock.
The bump is still being felt with the drag link disconnected...so it HAS to be steering box then....correct?

 

well...I'm back to the original position of the adjustment screw. any tighter and it starts to bind thru turning rack to rack in spots other than at the center where
I feel the bump. this is with the track rod disconnected from the pitman arm.

curiously, there is almost 2" of play in the input shaft that the intermediate shaft connects to before any movement of the pitman arm begins to move.

I guess this means new steering box is in order....