steering box?

[avainaffairs]

Alright...Some history first. 74 Chevy 1/2 ton. Converted to D44 and 14FF etc etc, pretty sure it is the stock steering box still on it. Over the weekend I had a steering problem. Something happened...The steering would steer really hard right and not left or really hard left and not at all right, steering full lock to the right would crank the tires to the right and full lock left would just bring the tires back to pretty close to straight.
So I thought I stripped out the steering arm. So I went out and got another one before checking anything, I just knew I was right. Well the teeth on the steering arm are were just fine, so I though maybe the teeth on the steering shaft out the bottom of the steering box were gone, they are still just fine. So put the new steering arm on for shits and giggles and I am still having the same problem.
All the steering linkages are adjusted to where they are supposed to be, drag link is adjusted right, no bends in the tie rod and the pitman arm is where it is supposed to be so.......(I might have the terminology on pitman arm/steering arm backwards, seems like everyone calls them something else)
My question is this, is it possible I stripped out a gear or teeth inside the steering box? How does one diagnose this problem without puting on a new box and seeing if every thing works. I am only running 33's, how likely is it that I broke the steering box? I have no hydro assist, not running any special or crazy steering set ups. Any one got any ideas?

[bggrnchvy]

Rag joint still intact?

[T-Bolt]

The pitman arm attaches to the steering box sector shaft and the drag link goes from the pitman atm to the steering arm

Did you check the PS pump, maybe it's low on fluid? I have seen sector shafts break at the splines but never seen a stripped tooth.

[avainaffairs]

that is how I had orginally wrote it up but the jackass behind me said I had it backwards....

anyway, yea everything is right where it is supposed to be, fluid is full, no leaks, no kinks in the lines, I can turn the wheel with a finger and the rag joint is good go, it was the first think I checked on the trails

[Smash-K20]

Steering box all gone bye bye on the inside.

[avainaffairs]

Fuck!!!

Are sure, I dont wanna
waaaaaaaaaaaa

[LEPER]

You probably have something bent. Jack the front of the truck up and see if the wheels turn properly. What lift are you running? Your pump may be gone. My daughters K5 had a similar problem, but only at idle. It would turn one way fine and not hardly at all to the other. If you revved it up, it would steer fine. Check that first! I had to put a cooler on my rig. 39.50 rockers and crossover kept making the fluid get to hot. The pump may make some noise as the fliud is cooking and ruining the seals.

[avainaffairs]

Thanks, but I talked to the guys at West Texas offroad, they make the REDNECK RAM http://westtexasoffroad.homestead.com/index.html. They told me the same thing that Smash did. He said their is a pin or something inside there, simple cheap little part that sheered.

[tpi_boy]

sounds like the box is cracked off the frame and is flexing away when turned? Either way do the steering ram and crossover while you are there...you will wonder how you wheeled without it.

[avainaffairs]

for right now, I am going to just replace the steering box, they are amazingly cheap if you look around for them, I found one for 4 bucks, still have to ship the damn thing so I am looking for one locally but right now funds dictate I take the cheap way out if I want to wheel before my next birthday.

By the way, you guys would be impressed with this frame. It is only a half ton fram and is what 31 years old, granted I am only wearing 33's but if there are cracks in the frame from the steering box, they are to small to be seen with the naked eye.