1972 Blazer Steering

[Ryanz]

I've still never been able get my steering to stop swaying or having a bit of a mind of it's own. 33 12.5's. I've done rag joint, Red Head steering box, new ball joints, etc. New leaf springs and bushings - just can't seem to get it like it should be. The toe has been adjusted but not with special castor shims as of yet. My guy is telling me that he thinks a heavy duty dual shock set up should be installed. The single that was on before didn't seem to help. I have it off now.

Thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. No lift on it.

[hemi43]

Shocks wont do anything except affect the ride.
As I've mentioned before, increase caster (especially with larger wheels). I'm at 6.5 degrees.
Set the toe-in to around 3/16 (this can be done with a simple tape measure)
Make sure your steering arm is parallel to the ground.
Install a 73-up front sway bar. (This made a huge difference in handling)
Don't use a quick ratio steering box (useless with the short wheelbase)
My Blazer drives like it on rails even at 80+MPH. I also have 12.5X33's and a mild 2" lift.
Hope this helps !

[CO71Blazer]

Silly question, is your box tight to the frame and the drag link adjusters tight? My 71 would just wander all over the place and didn't want to go in a straight line. Turns out the box was loose and moving every time I turned the wheel. I had a loose drag link end as well which only compounded the issue. Everything is tight now and she drives like a dream. Totally different truck. I'm running 33X10.50.

[Ryanz]

Originally Posted by CO71Blazer

Silly question, is your box tight to the frame and the drag link adjusters tight? My 71 would just wander all over the place and didn't want to go in a straight line. Turns out the box was loose and moving every time I turned the wheel. I had a loose drag link end as well which only compounded the issue. Everything is tight now and she drives like a dream. Totally different truck. I'm running 33X10.50.

Yes, the box is definitely tight - but I will double check the drag link. I also wonder if the 10.5's would be better than the 12.5's. Would you mind posting a picture of your Blazer with tires. I'd really like to see how the 10.5's look. You don't see many.

Thanks,
ryan

[CO71Blazer]

Originally Posted by Ryanz

Yes, the box is definitely tight - but I will double check the drag link. I also wonder if the 10.5's would be better than the 12.5's. Would you mind posting a picture of your Blazer with tires. I'd really like to see how the 10.5's look. You don't see many.

Thanks,
ryan

Here you go!

[SeventyOne]

Incorrect toe setting will cause bad wandering. Get that sucker toe'd in.

[Ryanz]

Originally Posted by hemi43

Shocks wont do anything except affect the ride.
As I've mentioned before, increase caster (especially with larger wheels). I'm at 6.5 degrees.
Set the toe-in to around 3/16 (this can be done with a simple tape measure)
Make sure your steering arm is parallel to the ground.
Install a 73-up front sway bar. (This made a huge difference in handling)
Don't use a quick ratio steering box (useless with the short wheelbase)
My Blazer drives like it on rails even at 80+MPH. I also have 12.5X33's and a mild 2" lift.
Hope this helps !

Sorry, for clarity I meant a stabilizer shock - not actual shocks. He was suggesting a dual stabilizer shock system which may act similar to a sway bar I suppose. However, the sway bar may be the better option and likely much cheaper.

Another question - were the rear sway bars only on the trucks with coil systems? I assume so.

Thanks for all of your help, it's greatly appreciated.
ryan

[hemi43]

Originally Posted by Ryanz

Sorry, for clarity I meant a stabilizer shock - not actual shocks. He was suggesting a dual stabilizer shock system which may act similar to a sway bar I suppose. However, the sway bar may be the better option and likely much cheaper.

Another question - were the rear sway bars only on the trucks with coil systems? I assume so.

Thanks for all of your help, it's greatly appreciated.
ryan

The stabilizer shocks are basically useless on the street and won't affect how your truck handles. They are used when off road so the steering wheel doesn't break your fingers. Adding another one will just increase your steering effort.
I believe Addco makes a rear anti-sway bar for the Blazer, but all you really need is the factory front one IMO.

[68panelman]

I recently switched wheel/Tire combos from 35-12.5 on 8" rallys to
33-12.5 on 10" Indy slots, and boy does it wander all over the place.
Steered absolutely perfect before the change. Thinking about going back.., What width wheels are on your Blazer?

[Ryanz]

Originally Posted by 68panelman

I recently switched wheel/Tire combos from 35-12.5 on 8" rallys to
33-12.5 on 10" Indy slots, and boy does it wander all over the place.
Steered absolutely perfect before the change. Thinking about going back.., What width wheels are on your Blazer?

Mine are 33-12.5 on 8” rallys
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Originally Posted by Ryanz

Mine are 33-12.5 on 8” rallys
Posted via Mobile Device

Am running the same combo on my Jimmy— steering box rebuilt and old school alignment done— zero slop, tracks hands free straight as an arrow at any speed— your wheel/tire combo is not the problem.

[Ryanz]

Originally Posted by Martyt

Am running the same combo on my Jimmy— steering box rebuilt and old school alignment done— zero slop, tracks hands free straight as an arrow at any speed— your wheel/tire combo is not the problem.

Do you have a sway bar? Or just the stock stabilizer?
Posted via Mobile Device

[Ryanz]

Originally Posted by 68panelman

I recently switched wheel/Tire combos from 35-12.5 on 8" rallys to
33-12.5 on 10" Indy slots, and boy does it wander all over the place.
Steered absolutely perfect before the change. Thinking about going back.., What width wheels are on your Blazer?

Wow that is odd that it would be worse? What type of tire/tread are you running on each?
Posted via Mobile Device

[68panelman]

Mmm, I'm stumped then too haha

Stock stabilizer.

[litebulblsc]

Sway bar will not help you if I understand your symptoms correctly. Sway bars are to reduce body roll, not help with steering wander. What can cause steering wander is any play in the steering system from the steering wheels to the driving wheels or an alignment out of wack.

I know you said you replaced a lot, but is there any noticable play if you just turn the steering wheel back an forth? If you Jack each side of the axle up, can you feel any play in the tire?

How good is the guy doing the alignment? Maybe time to try a different shop?

[Ryanz]

Originally Posted by litebulblsc

Sway bar will not help you if I understand your symptoms correctly. Sway bars are to reduce body roll, not help with steering wander. What can cause steering wander is any play in the steering system from the steering wheels to the driving wheels or an alignment out of wack.

I know you said you replaced a lot, but is there any noticable play if you just turn the steering wheel back an forth? If you Jack each side of the axle up, can you feel any play in the tire?

How good is the guy doing the alignment? Maybe time to try a different shop?

All of it is nice and tight. The only thing I haven’t changed is the steering column. I know it is a tilt from a later 70’s van which lots of guys did.
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[68panelman]

Both an all terrain type tire. Only thing I can think of is that the front axle now has a wider stance-track area? I feel like I'm driving a bloodhound who is locked on a scent

[Bigdav160]

Any lift? No mention of dropped pitman arm or raised steering arm. Any good pics of your drag link? Like Hemi mentioned, the arm coming from the steering box to the axle steering arm needs to be close to level or you'll have wander and bump steer

[Blazerowner]

I used the below to set up my toe alignment.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/lro-diy-tst

[BIG BLOCK JIMMY]

Just tagging along here... I have a 72 Jimmy, 4x4, 4" new lift, new red head box, alignment complete and after a very frustrating 1.5 years I'm still chasing the front end all over on anything other than a straight road. The only thing that's not new is the steering column.... so I just ordered one. I have sway bars still sitting pretty in their boxes but no idea how to fab them up to work

[BIG BLOCK JIMMY]

Moving this to where I should have posted to start with:I asked about my front driver's side wheel sticking out 1" further than the passenger side.
This from Hemi43:
Measure the distance from the inside of the front tire to the side of the frame. If the measurements are the same, then this will rule out the axle being shifted to one side. I would then look at the front sheet metal being off location. (rotted/broken body mounts or rad support.)

[SeventyOne]

I think we'd like to see several pics of your axle, spring perches, axle tubes, and steering linkages to start. Pics of your tire stickout as well general fender/panel fitment may help as well. Plus those measurements asked for above.

[simicrintz]

Originally Posted by SeventyOne

I think we'd like to see several pics of your axle, spring perches, axle tubes, and steering linkages to start. Pics of your tire stickout as well general fender/panel fitment may help as well. Plus those measurements asked for above.

Can you get one where we can see the linkage and the pitman arm? Like from the front of the truck looking back.

[BIG BLOCK JIMMY]

Here's some pics I just took tonight to see if anyone notices anything wrong that would make my steering "dart back and forth" as others described above. I'll do the measurement as Hemi43 suggested tomorrow