For some of you that have been looking at trac bars to solve your steering problems with no success, you might try this TSB. This isn't new news, but I think the trac bar gets touted as the catch-all for steering problems, and overshadows the bearing and gear adjustments that can be done to help the steering.
I did the bearing adjustment first. The instructions aren't very applicable to the procedure I found. They say to bottom out the bearing adjuster firmly, and back off 9mm. One man's 'bottom firmly' may be another's hand tight. So I tightened it as much as a could, and backed off a smidge. Then reinstalled the lockring. I didn't have a spanner wrench and had to rig up something involving some 10/32 screws and a big nut, and turn it with channel locks.
I also tightened the worm gear adjuster 1/4 turn. I probably could have only gone 1/8th of a turn, as my steering is a tiny bit sticky now.
But, the results are good. The steering tightened up quite a bit. I didn't test the truck between procedures, so I don't know what had more effect.
I did the bearing adjustment first. The instructions aren't very applicable to the procedure I found. They say to bottom out the bearing adjuster firmly, and back off 9mm. One man's 'bottom firmly' may be another's hand tight. So I tightened it as much as a could, and backed off a smidge. Then reinstalled the lockring. I didn't have a spanner wrench and had to rig up something involving some 10/32 screws and a big nut, and turn it with channel locks.
I also tightened the worm gear adjuster 1/4 turn. I probably could have only gone 1/8th of a turn, as my steering is a tiny bit sticky now.
But, the results are good. The steering tightened up quite a bit. I didn't test the truck between procedures, so I don't know what had more effect.