Steering Box Ratio

I replaced everything steering related about 500 miles and there was still a dead spot at the center so I purchased a new box, thinking that's the only thing left it could be. (Bad assumption, but I wanted the tighter ratio box anyway). I have less of a dead spot in the center now, but it's still there. I have not tried to adjust it yet, but I will give it a try, it's easy enough to do. I also need to get someone underneath to see if any of the other new components have some slop in them while there is weight on the suspension, when it's up in the air everything appears tight. The steering wheel moves with absolutely zero efffort from about the 12 o'clock position to the 1 o'clock position, and then it requires the normal effort to keep turning. I was thinking if it was tie rod or pitman arm related, the tie rod would have to be noticeably loose for that much free play in the wheel, but they still felt tight when I swapped boxes.

It's never going to feel precise off-center like a modern rack and pinon many get accustomed to in their daily drivers.

The pitman arm concept just amplifies any lash on a recirculating ball steering gear system. Also, there are more linkage joints with additional lash on a recirculating ball steering gear system than a rack system.