Steering box shaft weird movement

[JM in KY]

I replaced my steering box recently because the original made a popping noise when turning at very low speed. It correlated with a visible motion of the shaft attached to the pitman arm. The shaft moved in and out of the box about 1/4 inch and occasionally made a pop.

Well, the “new” one does the same thing. It’s a reman unit, but seems to work great and has no leaks at this point. The noise is slightly different, but I can still see the shaft slide in and out just a little when steering while the truck is stopped.

What’s up here? Is this normal? Drag link itself doesn’t seem to be making any noise, but since it’s the closest moving part to the steering box, should I replace it and hope for a smoother movement?
I know someone is going to say to check for a frame crack, but my frame is intact. I made sure to look it over from every angle when I had the steering box out. My truck has the least rust of any square I’ve ever seen, so checking the frame was a relatively easy task.

Truck is 1987 v1500 (4WD) with stock steering and suspension setup.

 

[Rickf]

You might try to adjust the steering box play and see what happens. There are several how to videos on you tube.

 

[fast 99]

Need to check box free play when running. Most reman boxes have paint on the adjustment nut, warranty might be voided if disturbed.

Front leaf springs can pop if bushings are shot or loose U bolts.

Of course check all the joints for looseness or inadequate lubrication.