Lee Mfg Sunland, ca
 

FYI Lee Mfg in Sunland "rebuilt" my steering box and power steering pump for my F250 - 2500 miles ago. The steering box still had play after I installed it. Now the pump shaft is wobbling and the fluid cavitating. No response to my email to them sent almost a month ago.

Really? Im looking at having them do mine and Ive read nothing but good stuff about them.

Im sure you already checked, but are you sure its the steering box and not something else? My Durango and Typhoon have all brand new components including the steering boxes and they still have play in the boxes. Maybe look at Red Head steering boxes http://www.redheadsteeringgears.com/

What year?

Yes, it's the box, they maybe only replaced the ball and not the worm gear. The steering wheel and shaft moves but nothing out the other side of the box.

It's a 73 F250.

They came highly recommended to me too, but since they didn't reply to my email obviously they don't care.

Have you played with the adjusting screw? They aren't just swap in and go, they need to be adjusted after install.

I tightened it up and even turned down all the way there is still play. I backed it off some per the Ford manual.
I was told it was set to specs when it left their shop.
Tightening down that screw just pushes the ball into the worm gear, if the sides of the gear are worn either a oversize ball or a new worm gear needs to be installed. I don't think they did either.

Can you tell if they did anything? Maybe they just inadvertently tagged something as complete that they didn't even hardly touch. (Bad process, but not necessarily bad intent/workmanship?)

There's no way the box can be pre adjusted if its not on the truck. That would be like preadjusting caster camber plates

If they have the right equipment they can be adjusted before hand. I know Red Head has some sort of machine or setup that allows them to adjust it properly.

No way, that's an alignment thing. It can be close, but just like anything steering related, it has to be adjusted after. Red Head themselves even offer adjustment instructions. I know cause I put on on my old truck and had to adjust it afterwards cause it was WAY too tight.

It's not an alignment issue. You can adjust the steering box and it won't affect your alignment at all.

It's better than it was, they probably replaced some bearings but nothing else. It's sort of a pain on trip.
Bigger issue is the pump, guess a rebuilt from AZ. It's a lifetime warranty so why buy the new one for a lot more money, they want a core on both.

It will not affect caster/camber but that is still a part of the overall alignment. Try installing a box that is too tight and tell me how that works out for you.

The pump is definitely bogus, Ford really hasn't changed pump designs at all. The powersteering pump in the mustang is nearly identical to the superduty one and I have used the mustang one as a core before.

Loosening the lock nut and adjusting that allen screw will not affect your alignment at all. That only affects the return to center on the worm gear. After my last steering box install on the Ty (3rd one), I haven't even got an alignment to fix my steering wheel being off center. Ive even adjusted it a few times since the install. I even Googled it right now and nothing reflects that claim.

There is another adjustment on a steering box, but that's done during assembly and can not be adjust once it is assembled.

Since we're gonna piss into the wind here,

Primary angles of Alignment

Front: Caster (left & right)
Front: Camber (left & right)
Front: Toe (left, right & total)
Rear: Camber (left & right)
Rear: Toe (left, right & total)

Secondary angles of Alignment
The secondary angles include numerous other adjustments, such as:

SAI (Steering Axis Inclination) (left & right)
Included angle (left & right)
Toe out on turns (left & right)
Maximum Turns (left & right)
Toe curve change (left & right)
Track width difference
Wheelbase difference
Front ride height (left & right)
Rear ride height (left & right)
Frame angle
Setback (front & rear)


MY POINT WAS
Try adjusting the box since they CANNOT be dead on without being installed on the vehicle due to VARIABLES that a machine cannot accommodate for.