Steering woes continued...

[Nukes16]

OK guys here goes, I'm hoping you can help once again. My '86 has severely sensitive steering ever since I lowered it. I dropped the front with 2.5" dropped spindles and 2" dropped coils and in the back I dropped it 5" with hangers and shackles. I also put all new ball joints in, had it alingned... more than once, replaced the idler arm, the pitman arm, and just today replaced the whole power steering box. Much to my surprise/disappointment, my steering is still way too sensitive. One little turn of the steering wheel turns the truck too much. It's OK at slow speeds but at 40 or 50 it's scary.
Any suggestions out there???
Thanks in advance

[J Knight]

Originally Posted by Nukes16

OK guys here goes, I'm hoping you can help once again. My '86 has severely sensitive steering ever since I lowered it. I dropped the front with 2.5" dropped spindles and 2" dropped coils and in the back I dropped it 5" with hangers and shackles. I also put all new ball joints in, had it alingned... more than once, replaced the idler arm, the pitman arm, and just today replaced the whole power steering box. Much to my surprise/disappointment, my steering is still way too sensitive. One little turn of the steering wheel turns the truck too much. It's OK at slow speeds but at 40 or 50 it's scary.
Any suggestions out there???
Thanks in advance

Sound like its toed in to much, tires are fighting each other or check your frame behind steering box for cracks. Also get someone to turn steering wheel back and forth and inspect the rivit that conects small front crossmember to see if frame rail is flexing during turning.

[LONGHAIR]

Twitchy steering can also be caused by lack of "Caster". I would take it back to the alignment shop.

[1LowToy]

Did you remove the center drag link? It is possible to have put it on back wards (left side on the right side) and your truck will steer real messed up.

[lolife99]

Do you have any pics of the front suspension?

[BruthaMan]

Originally Posted by 1LowToy

Did you remove the center drag link? It is possible to have put it on back wards (left side on the right side) and your truck will steer real messed up.

This is exactly what happened on my restoration. We tried everything, and then someone on the forum suggested the drag link was on backwards. Once we changed it, everything was fine.

I noticed it most hitting bumps in the road. The truck would want to "float" all over the place and it was tough to keep it under control.

[Nukes16]

I'm not 100% sure how to tell if the drag link is on correctly or not, but the all of the steering was on the frame when I got it. I have the original frame here with the original steering parts, I wonder if I should switch everything out?
Anyway, here are some pictures of what I am currently running (that isn't working well)

[lolife99]

Looks correct to me.

[Nukes16]

I'm not sure how the drag link could be put on backwards, wouldn't the idler arm and pitman arm not reach?
Do you guys think that I could have an issue with the power steering pump providing me with too much pressure... is that possible? If so, I'm thinking that an increase in caster and maybe a new pump might be the answer???

Thanks again for all of your help guys!

[cr34t3d_by_d4rkd3n]

hummmm sounds to me like you got either a really well built pump or a later model 71 style pump. I base this on nothing at all, but my 71 would go from lock-to-lock with a flick or a wrist, that easy. SCARY easy. Come to find out they called it some stupid 60's name like hydrasupersist or some bs like that, all truck with the HD leaf package got it on GMC's, not chevys... so its possible chevy never changed bolt patterns and u got one.....

This is what i reccomend, if the steering is easy, thats good. it means everything lubed and working well, if its too "twitchy" your pumps preload is most likely too tight. This is that nut /w/ the allen in the middle, as you look down into the engine compartment thru the open hood..... will post pics when I can, but this adjustment "brings the gears together".... too loose=bump steer (sloppy steering) too tight= overheatings, premature failure, and what is explained as "hot steering".... sense the gears are too close to eachoother they create heat, swell, and become closer, swell, exc exc... this can cause the steering to seem super sensitive at first, but is usually followed by "tracking" as the heat increases as u go down the road....

HOW TO CHECK. Turn the vehicle off, turn the steering shaft from under the hood and feel for free play. u want a good amount of slop in these trucks, do more research for yourself before u go messn with gearsets..... i say "gears" when its really alot more goin on there....

butttt chances are u were just used to the old steering, i recommend a steering stabilizer kit, will do wonders esp for the highway.

[Nukes16]

thanks for your input,

Cheers