'06 Century Drivabilty Issues

I couldn't tell you either unfortunately. Its been about 5 years since I've had one apart on the bench.

 

I have an '07 Columbia with a Sheppard box. There is no sector shaft adjustment like a TRW. Which box do you have?

When you turn the shaft (under the hood) by hand, how many degrees, approximately, can you turn it before the sector shaft starts to move?

If the slop is in the gear, your new (reman?) box could be bad.

I also drove a Pete with what I thought was a worn steering box. I was tightening the sector shaft adjustment while I rotated the input shaft by hand. I then noticed that the sector shaft was turning but the pitman arm was not moving--the pinch bolt was loose. That is where the slop was.

 

Anything on the suction side of the pump would be suspect. What kind of oil are you using? Is it foaming up?

 

Alright, just for ####s and grins, I checked the play on mine at the rim of the steering wheel... 3/8ths inches. If you have more than that, it should be fairly obvious where the play is at. With the wheels on the ground, it can only be from the steering wheel, down through the last joint in the drag link. The tires on the ground will exert too much resistance to be felt at the wheel if a tie-rod end were bad.

The sector shaft should move in synchrony with the input shaft... zero play. Any play inside the steering box will cause a self-sustained harmonic wobble in the steering when you go over certain bumps, like railroad tracks. You can adjust the sector shaft play until it JUST goes away. Do not over do it... at the very least, it causes the truck to wander from being too tight. And at worst, the steering may lock up.

Being that it's a new box, if there's any looseness, I'd return it and get another.

Start at the steering wheel and work your way down... is the steering wheel tight on the upper head shaft? Upper u-joint on the intermediate shaft? Slip joint on the intermediate shaft... lower u-joint...

Have someone turn the steering wheel only to the extent of the free play while you inspect every inch for slop.

 

Ive spent enough time in a Century type tractor to tell you powerful strong there is NO play in the steering wheel provided everything is correct. The worst problem ever with the front end was actually a failed steer tire sidewall inside the steel itself. A new tire, alingment took care of that damage.

Something is wrong with your rig. (Duh...) but I wonder what it is now.

Here is a thought, have you thought about selling the truck, cut your losses and picking up a truck without such a need for that level of rebuilding? I have to ask....