78 ranchero loose steering

hello all, just picked up a 1978 ranchero, and the steering wheel seems very loose. lots of play in it. any ideas what this could be?

As far as I recall, a 78 would have had a conventional layout, with a steering box at the forward end of the steering column. That steering box would normally be out of adjustment after as little as 20,000 miles, and further out after more mileage - unless it had been adjusted, which seldom happened.
And assuming there is a hydraulic actuator (hydraulic piston goody) that shoves the cross steering tube back and forth, see if the joint where the actuator connects to that lateral tube, or where the actuator is connected to the subframe, has any play in it. On a 77 Granada I had to replace the joint at one end of the cross steering tube, after about 80,000 miles.

Adjusting the steering box may require the thing to be removed from the car, but only due to the adjustments being inacessible when its still on the car; I just dont remember that.
The adjustment itself consists of First; adjusting the bearing preloading for the steering shaft, and Secondly; adjusting the preloading of the pitman arm. Once you have done this successfully on any steering box from that era, you know how to do it for all of them. If the steering box was off the car, the adjustments would make the steering shaft stiff enough (due to the preloading), that you would need pliers to rotate it. If its way out of adjustment, it will take more than one 're-adjustment', while the surfaces of the sector gear and the 'travelling ball nut' inside the steering box wear back to a nice contact pattern.


On a GM car, the steering box would have needed the same adjustments, but GM used the Saginaw steering boxes having the hydraulic actuators built into them. I think Ford steering boxes just had the hydraulic valves in the steering box, with external actuator pistons.

With both systems, it wasnt unusual to have 3 or 4 inches of movement of the steering wheel rim, before the car would be responding. With proper adjustment, that should be totally gone, and -Any- sllight movement of the steering wheel rim should result in a slight change to the track of the car. And it should be easy to keep it in the narrowest traffic lane.

There could also be play at the outer tie rod ends, where they connect to the steering arm on the spindle. Also normal balljoint wear will decrease the toe-in, until there is actually some toe-out. This will contribute to a mushy wandering feeling in steering. Adjusting toe-in isnt high tech, but really really makes a difference in how crisp the steering feels. It will also help to counter-act any tendency for the tire treadwear to happen on the inner side of the tread more than the outer side.

good luck....

I would suggest you to visit the nearby service center since it is new you can get the work done for free.

wow!! ummmm yeah.....

thank you for your input denisond. i was able to figure it out. between the steering column and the gear box, there is a coupling assembly with rubber in it, designed to absorb the vibrations from the road. all of the that rubber had deteriorated causing a LOT of play in that "joint" type thing. i took that coupling out, took it apart, and used this (see below) to replace the rubber in it. all is great now. im really liking this car!!

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Help-2-5-8-in-dia-Chrysler-Ford-and-GM-1965-and-newer-steering-coupling/_/N-261w?counter=0&filterByKeyWord=31002&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=102955_0_0_