roamer - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

rich67 · 11-29-2010, 09:59 AM

my c-20 2wheel has maybe not original, but original era straight treads on front. manual steer. it roams to the left and to the right pretty bad. would like to drive to work someday but think it would wear me the freak out in present condition as its 35 miles one way.im sure i need new rubber. any body have any good replacement tire ideas? and any further suggestions to help the roaming would be awesome. thanx rich

**Papa Smurf** · 11-29-2010, 11:58 AM

since its a c-20 you need to check the rear wheels. I bought one once and it was all over the road. Turns out it had a locker rear with one 16" and one 16.5". give it gas it pulls one way, let off it pulls the other. Just a thought.

**Zeke's Garage** · 11-29-2010, 12:02 PM

Other things to look at are the ball joints, idler arm and tie rod ends. Plus check the play in your steering box. All that coupled with large oddly worn rubber in the front will cause all kinds of strange feelings on the road. Badly worn bushings in the A-arms can cause unsettling feelings as well, mostly during braking.

Shawn

Jacfourteen · 11-29-2010, 12:35 PM

I think tires will help, but the front end probably needs some attention too. Like mentioned above most probable culprits are ball joints, tie rods, and steering box/shaft, but also check the wheel bearings. Easiest way to check for problems is jack up one side and grab the tire in the air at 12 oclock and 6 oclock and try to rock it, if it has play then it is probably ball joint. Then grab it at 3 and 6 oclock and rock it if there is slack in it, it's somewhere in the steering system. If it has play when you rocked it both directions (up/down and side/side) then it could be loose wheel bearings or a combination of problems. Then, set that side down and try the other side. Obviously there is a little more to this, but this will give you and idea of what is going on.

Jacfourteen · 11-29-2010, 12:36 PM

Also I just thought of something else. Check to see if the bushings are good in the panhard bar, if they are sloppy they will cause the tail end to wag around as you drive.

hayhauler71 · 11-29-2010, 10:52 PM

The rag joint on the steering shaft is probably shot. A new rag joint does wonders to steering feel.

rich67 · 11-30-2010, 11:37 PM

thanx folks. plenty of things to check. all of which will probably make better. old county truck. alot of gravel roads. 55000 original miles though.

11-29-2010, 09:59 AM	#1
rich67 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: New Canton, Il Posts: 1,857	roamer my c-20 2wheel has maybe not original, but original era straight treads on front. manual steer. it roams to the left and to the right pretty bad. would like to drive to work someday but think it would wear me the freak out in present condition as its 35 miles one way.im sure i need new rubber. any body have any good replacement tire ideas? and any further suggestions to help the roaming would be awesome. thanx rich

11-29-2010, 11:58 AM	#2
Papa Smurf Active Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Ben Wheeler, TX Posts: 100	Re: roamer since its a c-20 you need to check the rear wheels. I bought one once and it was all over the road. Turns out it had a locker rear with one 16" and one 16.5". give it gas it pulls one way, let off it pulls the other. Just a thought. __________________ 72 Sierra Grande 2500 BB 72 Sierra 2500, 42K miles, factory buckets 72 Cheyenne 20 72 Chevy SWB, Factory BB, Leaf Spring

11-29-2010, 12:02 PM	#3
Zeke's Garage Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Kennesaw, GA Posts: 288	Re: roamer Other things to look at are the ball joints, idler arm and tie rod ends. Plus check the play in your steering box. All that coupled with large oddly worn rubber in the front will cause all kinds of strange feelings on the road. Badly worn bushings in the A-arms can cause unsettling feelings as well, mostly during braking. Shawn

11-29-2010, 12:35 PM	#4
Jacfourteen Big Red - Now its a SWB! Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oroville, Ca Posts: 1,624	Re: roamer I think tires will help, but the front end probably needs some attention too. Like mentioned above most probable culprits are ball joints, tie rods, and steering box/shaft, but also check the wheel bearings. Easiest way to check for problems is jack up one side and grab the tire in the air at 12 oclock and 6 oclock and try to rock it, if it has play then it is probably ball joint. Then grab it at 3 and 6 oclock and rock it if there is slack in it, it's somewhere in the steering system. If it has play when you rocked it both directions (up/down and side/side) then it could be loose wheel bearings or a combination of problems. Then, set that side down and try the other side. Obviously there is a little more to this, but this will give you and idea of what is going on. __________________ 68 3/4 ton (Project)-350 Small Block, .030 over, 10:1 comp, 3998993 heads, C3BX edelbrock intake, comp cams XE268, Holley 670 SA, long tube headers, dual flow 40's, E-fan, Alum rad, currently under the knife getting shortened and bagged build thread 41 3/4 ton (wife's)-flatbed, fully restored to original 01 Tahoe LT 4WD (my daily driver)-Magnaflow Muffler, Rollin on 22's 02 Ford Mustang Convertable (Wife's Car)-Flowmaster 50, Clear corners, Intake, sittin on 18's

11-29-2010, 12:36 PM	#5
Jacfourteen Big Red - Now its a SWB! Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oroville, Ca Posts: 1,624	Re: roamer Also I just thought of something else. Check to see if the bushings are good in the panhard bar, if they are sloppy they will cause the tail end to wag around as you drive. __________________ 68 3/4 ton (Project)-350 Small Block, .030 over, 10:1 comp, 3998993 heads, C3BX edelbrock intake, comp cams XE268, Holley 670 SA, long tube headers, dual flow 40's, E-fan, Alum rad, currently under the knife getting shortened and bagged build thread 41 3/4 ton (wife's)-flatbed, fully restored to original 01 Tahoe LT 4WD (my daily driver)-Magnaflow Muffler, Rollin on 22's 02 Ford Mustang Convertable (Wife's Car)-Flowmaster 50, Clear corners, Intake, sittin on 18's

11-29-2010, 10:52 PM	#6
hayhauler71 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: St. Paul MN. Posts: 1,996	Re: roamer The rag joint on the steering shaft is probably shot. A new rag joint does wonders to steering feel. __________________ Fuzzy

11-30-2010, 11:37 PM	#7
rich67 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: New Canton, Il Posts: 1,857	Re: roamer thanx folks. plenty of things to check. all of which will probably make better. old county truck. alot of gravel roads. 55000 original miles though.

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