how much play should there be in the wheel of a 2003 S10 pickup? I recently had the upper control arm replaced because the steering was awful... now it is tighter, but there is still about 1.5 inches of play in the wheel... meaning when the steering wheel is counter clockwise to the point where it is about to move the wheels to the left, I can move the wheel about 1.5 inches clockwise until it makes contact where it would move the wheels to the right. This is considerably more play than my ford escape, but that truck is almost new... not sure how to tell exactly how much play is normal.

 

1.5 inches of play is too much. Check the parts of the steering like the rod ends and idler arm.

 

ok... so I measured the play by putting a piece of tape on the top of the steering wheel at the noon position.

I then moved the steering wheel counter clockwise until the wheels started moving... that was 3/4"... then I turned the wheel clockwise until the wheel started moving right and that was a total travel of 1.5" from left to right.

Is that bad?

 

Sounds like too much play to me!!

 

You might have a worn out steering box.

 

Check the linkage tie rode ends idler am and pitman arm they should all be tight no movement at all then check the rag joint at the end of the steering rod again no movement if it bad change it not a hard job finally on top of the power steering box there is a nut with a with a Allen screw in the middle before moving mark the position of the lock nut and the adjustment screw to top of steering box loosen nut turn adjusting screw no more than 1/4 turn realign the lock nut should be tight. That should tighten your steering up as long as all those other thing are good

 

if you still have this issue. I had this problem. Replaced the rag joint and adjusted the steering gear box.