steering play and poor performace

i have got one for you guys, i have a 98 GMC sierra/ Chevy 1500 SLT with 103,00, miles on it. i have replaced my ft end components(all tie rods, idler arm and pivot and pitman arm had it aligned and replaced the steering box with an AGR lower ratio box. heres the problem driving down the road (highway or the city) the steering has play like from 10 o clock to 2 o clock with no response or slow response at those positions. also my truck has absolutely no power and fuel mileage stinks, i did the intake gaskets, but could the timing be off enough to cause this(no cel). i know its supposed to be 0 to -.02 but i don't have a scanner to see this and a tming light won't work. if i leave my house to go to my dads 90 mile round trip i use about 1/2 tank of gas, a few years ago i could put 5.00 worth of gas in it drive the 90 mile trip from my old house to NH and still have gas left. please help.:banghead:

Boy, didn't anybody ever grease that truck?
My 97 has 135,000 and still steers tight.
I would have somebody wiggle the steering wheel through the play while I explored underneath. Find out where the play is. Either one of the new parts is falling off or the box is poorly set up. Is it a new box? If so and the play is the box, I would go back to where you bought and ask for as replacement.

As far as your mileage question, you need to compare apples to apples.
You mention half a tank of gas compared to $5.00 worth in other times.
How many gallons is your tank and how many gallons did $5.00 buy?

Bob B

that truck was greased every 2000 miles or when i changed the oil, i am the second owner since 19000 miles. the pitman and idler was changed at 50,000. i just put all new components in yesterday(02-12-06) just for my own preference. the box was put in last year because i wanted a quicker steering ratio than the orig. the box was new direct from the manufacturer(AGR). as for the mileage thing 5.00 bought about 2 gallons of gas about 2 yrs ago i have a 31 gallon tank. i was using that reference because the same trip that required 2 gallons two years ago now requires maybe 13 gallons 90 miles round trip. i would fill up before i leave and when i get home i have 1/2 tank left, no smoke, stumbling, leaks and just passed emissions last month. i also put on the redesigned fuel injection spider system last year. it seems that when the first set of injectors went at that time this is when the problem started. i am on my third set of injectors. no problems since the redesigned system.

Are you judging your fuel mileage by the fuel gauge or by actual gallons to fill back up after your trip--fuel gauge inaccurate? Mine works okay until it reads half a tank and then is nowhere near right (don't won't to spend $200+ for sending unit-I just use the trip odometer to judge when to fill up and calculate fuel mileage) $5 gal = 2 gal for 90 miles is 45 mpg-no way, maybe around 5 gals, that would be close to 18mpg

Don't know why your steering is loose if all components are tight. Mine needs a new sreering box.

good point, i miscalculated the amount, i was going by todays prices, a few years ago it was 1.25 gallon so it took 4 gallons to go 90 miles so that is about right....sorry. as for the sending unit it was replaced about 2 years ago with a new pump. i am going to try giving the center nut on the box a 1/4 turn i just went out and i grabbed the intermed. shaft while the eng was running and the box did not respond as well as it should so this could be loose from the start, if this does not work i am going to call AGR and see whats up.

I am sure you would have noticed if the intermediate shaft was loose, but be sure not to overlook it. I know the earlier years had inferior intermediate shafts, maybe GM never improved them. Wouldn't suprise me. It sounds like you are on the right track with adjusting the backlash, keep in mind if you tighten it up too far the steering wheel will not return to center after a turn as easily on it's own.

ok i went out to adjust the steering adjust screw on the steering box and the steering just got tighter but it still has that "float" to the wheel while driving. from about 11:00 to 1:00 it has play then the steering kicks in. everything in the ft end is new. i looked for the steering sensor but did not see it. i even asked a friend at my local chevy dealer and he stated that not all 98's had them but most did, maybe where this was a canada built one that may be why. any other ideas, this is driving me nuts to the point i don't even drive it anymore and that is killing me.:banghead:

Your steering sensor is in the cab about 5 inches from the floor around the steering column.It is about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and1/4 inch thick with several wires coming out of it.