steering problems still.. HELP HELP!!!!

[blazin]

so i have a 72 blazer thats ive dumped alot of money into and the steering is a pain in the butt. new everything.. someone on here said maybe its your tires.. so i changed them.. rebuilt steering box, ball joints, tierod ends everythings new. it has a 6 inch lift. i took the front shims out to see if that would help. NOPE.. still drive strange. i havent redone the brakes yet and it pulls right when i put the brakes on.. could this have something to do with it? when i hammer on the gas pedal.. it takes off straight.. once i let go of it, it seems to wonder or jerk .. whatever it does. when i turn the steering wheel all the way left (when in my driveway), the front end drivers side lifts up.. the whole corner of the blazer. when i turn right, the front end doesnt rise. could this have something to do with it? PLEASE HELP. im desperate here.. its been aligned. it has a steering stabilizer (skyjacker) i looked for cracks in the frame, cant find any.

[Dusty71blazer]

That sucks!
I'm no expert, But I chased a front end problem in another vehicle, replacing part after part and it ended up being a loose bolt. Double & triple check everything, then if you can find a willing buddy have them check (sometimes another pair of eyes works!)

Good luck, hope you figure it out.

[blazin]

Originally Posted by Dusty71blazer

That sucks!
I'm no expert, But I chased a front end problem in another vehicle, replacing part after part and it ended up being a loose bolt. Double & triple check everything, then if you can find a willing buddy have them check (sometimes another pair of eyes works!)

Good luck, hope you figure it out.

i checked the steering box bolts.. everythings tight.

[msgross]

please mind the language in your title,

[blazin]

Originally Posted by msgross

please mind the language in your title,

sorry about the f bomb. do you think i should moved this thread to another area in the board?? maybe putting it under the blazer section wasent a good idea.

[msgross]

Originally Posted by blazin

sorry about the f bomb. do you think i should moved this thread to another area in the board?? maybe putting it under the blazer section wasent a good idea.

seems like you are getting responses, otherwise I'd suggest the suspension or 4x4 section. I can move it if you want...

[Critter]

I'm curious about the rebuilt steering box, was the "slack" ajusted out of it? Also did you do something to correct for the 6 inch lift such as a raised steering arm or drop drag link? A lot of the times with issues like you described it might be a couple different things all working together to cause a bigger problem.

[blazin]

Originally Posted by Critter

I'm curious about the rebuilt steering box, was the "slack" ajusted out of it? Also did you do something to correct for the 6 inch lift such as a raised steering arm or drop drag link? A lot of the times with issues like you described it might be a couple different things all working together to cause a bigger problem.

yes a raised steering arm. its hard to describe the problem. there is no slack in the steering box. i had a 1980 with a 4 inch lift. that thing drove great. no problems at all. this blazer has been a night mare sence the day i bought it. as far as the steering is concerned. first thing i replaced was the steering box, the the ball joints, tie rods, then i thought it was the stock (old) worn out suspenion.. so i added new springs, went with 6 inch. had blocks in the back, so i pulled those and put new springs in the rear. that did fix it, so i pulled the front shims out. nope still sucks. i mean it better then the day i bought it but still isnt as good as my 1980 short box chevy 4x4. the 72-80 years were pretty close to the same steering. i started this build with a full head of hair... i only have a few strains left.

[blazin]

should i be running a dropped drag link with the raised steering arm that came with the sky jacker kit?

[msgross]

Originally Posted by blazin

should i be running a dropped drag link with the raised steering arm that came with the sky jacker kit?

yes, if you have a 6" lift with stock pitman arm, drag link and steering arm then you are going to have major bump steer. This would also explain the truck wanting to rise up when you turn. The drag link (connects the steering box to the steering arm) should be parallel to the ground, not at an angle. They also make an "S" version for even higher lifts.

Have you bled the brake system lately? sounds like new calipers and some new fluid are in order too, that's cheap insurance for many years of stopping power.

[blazin]

Originally Posted by msgross

yes, if you have a 6" lift with stock pitman arm, drag link and steering arm then you are going to have major bump steer. This would also explain the truck wanting to rise up when you turn. The drag link (connects the steering box to the steering arm) should be parallel to the ground, not at an angle. They also make an "S" version for even higher lifts.

Have you bled the brake system lately? sounds like new calipers and some new fluid are in order too, that's cheap insurance for many years of stopping power.

i have a raised steering arm( came with skyjacker kit) with a stock pitman and drag link. i was waiting to do the brake, cause ive been looking for a up grade kit and i cant seem to find one, so i guess i'll stay stock. it would make sence that the brakes are doing it, cause its been doing the same thing sense i bought it and the brakes are the only thing i havent changed.

[blazin]

does anyone have the alignment specs?? caster/camber and toe?

[RustyParts]

It's likely the brakes if it's pulling to the right when you apply the brakes. I would venture to guess that you have a bad seal on your right brake caliper and some dirt has gotten between the caliper piston and the caliper. When this happens this piston cannot retract and it stays in light contact with the rotor causing it to apply before the other side and the vehicle will pull quickly to one side.

I also had a u-joint in the front axle (I'm assuming you have a 4 wheel drive) one time to sieze cause the front end to wobble, but it only wobbled when I started to turn the wheel. Very wierd.

[blazin]

Originally Posted by RustyParts

It's likely the brakes if it's pulling to the right when you apply the brakes. I would venture to guess that you have a bad seal on your right brake caliper and some dirt has gotten between the caliper piston and the caliper. When this happens this piston cannot retract and it stays in light contact with the rotor causing it to apply before the other side and the vehicle will pull quickly to one side.

I also had a u-joint in the front axle (I'm assuming you have a 4 wheel drive) one time to sieze cause the front end to wobble, but it only wobbled when I started to turn the wheel. Very wierd.

i jacked the blazer up and turned one wheel on the front at a time.. and i can hear the brakes agaist the rotors. both sides make the same noise. a light scraping sound.

one of my u joints in the front axle was siezed aswell. so i replaced both sides. the locking hub on the drivers side is a little loose aswell. i tightned the allen screws, but its still kinda loose.. weird hey?

[blazin]

im so upset about this problem.. ive spent 10's of thousands restoring it and it steering like a piece of poop. i dont even enjoy driving it.

one other thing is... the steering pump and front end (pullys) on my motor is off a 86 camero. but im told that it shouldnt be a problem. ive been saving my money to do a serpintine system.

thanx everyone for your tips and help.

[RustyParts]

One other thing, front brake hoses, but you probably installed longer ones when you installed the lift kit. The rubber inside the brake hose would separate inside and block the return of the fluid to the master cylinder acting as a check valve and would cause the brake to apply quicker while driving but would bleed off when parked.

[msgross]

If you don't want to change the pitman arm then look into the S shaped drag link...

[blazin]

Originally Posted by msgross

If you don't want to change the pitman arm then look into the S shaped drag link...

i have a raised steering arm, it came with the skyjacker kit. . do i need a pitman arm or draglink?

[BobbyK]

Howz the rag joint?
That wouldn't cause pulling but it can cause "loose" feeling steering.

[blazin]

Originally Posted by BobbyK

Howz the rag joint?
That wouldn't cause pulling but it can cause "loose" feeling steering.

no rips in the rag joint, but its old. it seems to be fine.

[drunkbus]

You said it was a problem even before the lift? I'd wonder if the truck might have been wrecked at some point in the past. Might have a tweaked frame.

[cleszkie]

If the truck tends to wander, check your camber and especially your caster. Most corner alignment shops only check the toe-in on our trucks since they don't consider caster and camber to be adjustable (which they are). These trucks are spec'd with something like 4 degrees of caster (steering knuckles leaning back) and something like 2 degrees of camber (top of tires leaning out). When you add a lift in the front, back, or both, the caster can get screwed up. If you have too little caster, the truck will not want to track straight, or will not track consistently. Just a thought. Good luck.

[blazin]

Originally Posted by cleszkie

If the truck tends to wander, check your camber and especially your caster. Most corner alignment shops only check the toe-in on our trucks since they don't consider caster and camber to be adjustable (which they are). These trucks are spec'd with something like 4 degrees of caster (steering knuckles leaning back) and something like 2 degrees of camber (top of tires leaning out). When you add a lift in the front, back, or both, the caster can get screwed up. If you have too little caster, the truck will not want to track straight, or will not track consistently. Just a thought. Good luck.

i took it to fountain tire for the alignment.. where could i find the specs?? shop manual? i looked online andd couldnt find anything. its hard to find someone that knows these old trucks here in canada.

[blazin]

Originally Posted by drunkbus

You said it was a problem even before the lift? I'd wonder if the truck might have been wrecked at some point in the past. Might have a tweaked frame.

that could be it.. would that cause some weird steering? maybe i should take it to a frame shop. its 37 years old.. who knows whats happined to it as far as accidents.

[drunkbus]

Originally Posted by blazin

that could be it.. would that cause some weird steering? maybe i should take it to a frame shop. its 37 years old.. who knows whats happined to it as far as accidents.

It could if the frame is bent it wouldn't track straight. A friend of mine had a truck that had been wrecked and had me drive it after he had a few too many cocktails and that thing was a workout just keeping it on the road.