I recently rebuilt the front suspension on my 77 pickup. Had it aligned and it was all over the road. Took it back and a different tech said it had been set to original bias ply tire specs. He readjusted it and it is better, but still feels like it's a bit sloppy. Sensitive, back and forth on the road. He said that my steering box should be rebuilt or replaced and not to bother trying to adjust it. Also said that he couldn't get enough positive camber(?) as he would like. Do I have any options here? I figured replacing everything should give me much better handling then I have now. Kind of disappointed and afraid to let my wife drive it because it's squirrely on the road.

manual steering or power steering? it did not wander before & you rebuilt it cuz it was simply worn out, correct? if so then it has to be in the caster/camber/toe in settings to which he set it to.

It's power steering. It was kind of sloppy before, that's why I rebuilt it. I can tell that it's tighter than before, I just expected way better handling than what I've got. Maybe I should have used Moog problem solver upper bushings? I don't want to have to pull the upper control arms out again and replace the new bushings I used, with the offset ones. Any way to get a better adjustment without doing this all over again?

I ain't sure, I was wanting to get some basic info to try & pin it down some (till the truck guys see this) unless something obvious jumped out at me & nothing is hitting me. EDIT Something just did hit me: if it handled OK before but was sloppy/worn out & now it is tighter from the rebuild but the alignment made it handle worse then it has to be the alignment settings (there were no offset bushings in there before & they ain't in there now)

I adjusted the steering box and noticed it was better. It just has a tendency to scoot back and forth. On smooth flat roads, it's not so bad. Trouble is, there aren't many smooth flat roads! lol

You may aso want to look at where the steering box is mounted,usually cracks and lets the box move,had serveral of these trucks and even seen brace made across frame for support generally speaking i would start there ,then coupler,after that check ball joints(especially if it flows grooves in road or darts from side to side after hitting bumps) hopefully tech checked ilder arm,etc

I replaced all the ball joints, idler arm, inner and outer tie rods and all the bushings. The only thing I didn't replace was the pitman arm. I guess I need to check the box mounting and maybe try to find a Mopar savvy front end guy.

Do you have the alignment numbers they set it to?

Must be a pretty common problem with those old trucks. My '77 has had the front frame boxed along with welded tabs on each frame rail and a 1 1/4" tubing brace bolted across. It was done right at the (rebuilt)steering box. Also someone put in a sway bar, poly strut rod bushings and looks like the control arm bushings have been tinkered with. Got this truck a month ago and still finding good stuff on it.

I'll look to see if they put the numbers on my work performed receipt.

I can't find my receipt from Les Schwab tire shop, so I can't tell you what they set it at. I don't see any cracks around the gearbox mounting area. I had a 79 1/2 ton years ago and the rivets on the cross brace on the front of the frame rails were loose. I never replaced anything on that truck and it handled way better than this one. I still have access to that truck, maybe I'll swap the steering box and see if it makes any difference. Fairly quick and easy and won't cost me anything. I shouldn't be any worse off than I am now.

Did you replace the idler arm? I traced a steering problem on a Suburban to an idler arm. Rockauto has TRWs for $9.00.

Most steering boxes can be rebuilt, you could probably rebuild yours yourself with a decent set of instructions. There's nothing magical inside. I don't know about a mechanic who says a steering box can't be adjusted or don't bother.

At least some of your problems are caused by insufficient caster, which you have thought about as you talked about UCA bushings. Maybe you should change them out while everything is clean and fresh. If you do, do both on each side.

R.