Lots of Resistance When Turning Hard

[burlapen]

Hey Guys!
Finally getting my truck out for some test drives after a frame off. It's a 63 longbed that I converted to short. It has a 5.3 and T56 manual. I used the front crossmember, suspension and disc brakes from a 72 c10. When I put the chassis together I measured the toe the best I could with a tape measure. The truck still had a lot of rolling resistance when turning. So I took it in and had it put on an alignment machine. It still has the same issue. You can hardly take off with the wheel turned hard in either direction without stalling the engine. I did have to drill the frame for the idler arm from the 72 which I completely eyeballed as I couldn't find any specs on where the holes should go. Opinions? Thanks in advance.

[Richard]

Originally Posted by burlapen

Hey Guys!
Finally getting my truck out for some test drives after a frame off. It's a 63 longbed that I converted to short. It has a 5.3 and T56 manual. I used the front crossmember, suspension and disc brakes from a 72 c10. When I put the chassis together I measured the toe the best I could with a tape measure. The truck still had a lot of rolling resistance when turning. So I took it in and had it put on an alignment machine. It still has the same issue. You can hardly take off with the wheel turned hard in either direction without stalling the engine. I did have to drill the frame for the idler arm from the 72 which I completely eyeballed as I couldn't find any specs on where the holes should go. Opinions? Thanks in advance.

The most common cause of this is the center link being installed backwards. I looked through your thread and could not find any clear pictures of it installed. Nuts on ball joints should face forward.

[burlapen]

Thanks for the reply. I’ll try to double check. This is the way I have it installed currently.

[burlapen]

Based on some other pictures I'm pulling up, It appears I may in fact have it backward. I guess that's what happens when you take something apart and try to remember how to put it back together years later. Going to try flipping it and see what happens.

[Richard]

Originally Posted by burlapen

Based on some other pictures I'm pulling up, It appears I may in fact have it backward. I guess that's what happens when you take something apart and try to remember how to put it back together years later. Going to try flipping it and see what happens.

It is backward. Ball joints on endlinks go toward the crossmember with nuts forward.

[burlapen]

Forgot to jump back on here to confirm the correct diagnosis. It was in fact backward!! Thanks for the help.