Pulling to the right w/new springs

[akart]

1984 K 20 4X4. Just put in new springs w/2" lift. Truck pulls to the right a bit while driving and a little bit more when I brake.
New calipers,hoses,springs,spring perch and bushings from Off Road Design and my steering is clocked 45 degrees to the right off center.
Seems like my alignment has changed. Can this be?
Do I need a professional alignment done ??

[Keith Seymore]

Perhaps. You may have changed the caster and lost some of your straight line stability.

You'll want to run as much caster as possible (like even up to 10 degrees).

Or - it may just be due to axle windup during braking. The fore/aft drag link (between the steering gear and knuckle) wants to compress during axle windup. Since it can't compress it physically inputs a turn to the right (or rolls the steering wheel to the left).

It's inherent in the design. The way around that is to control the axle windup, either with stiffer springs or with a "traction bar" of some type, or to add cross car steering.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Just noticed the part about the steering wheel:

you'll need to center that up, because right now you are driving around with the steering gear "off center". The gear is set up to have a specific preload torque, in inch pounds, and then more torque to turn when "on center". This helps with straight line stability.

You can adjust the steering wheel yourself, if you like. Stop the vehicle with the road wheels straight ahead. Adjust the fore/aft drag link until the steering wheel is straight (or where ever you want it).

This fix doesn't affect any of the alignment settings (specifically toe) but since your alignment is suspect anyway I'd take it in to a shop. They will fix the steering wheel for you while they are at it.

K

[akart]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Just noticed the part about the steering wheel:

you'll need to center that up, because right now you are driving around with the steering gear "off center". The gear is set up to have a specific preload torque, in inch pounds, and then more torque to turn when "on center". This helps with straight line stability.

You can adjust the steering wheel yourself, if you like. Stop the vehicle with the road wheels straight ahead. Adjust the fore/aft drag link until the steering wheel is straight (or where ever you want it).

This fix doesn't affect any of the alignment settings (specifically toe) but since your alignment is suspect anyway I'd take it in to a shop. They will fix the steering wheel for you while they are at it.

K

I could probably do the steering wheel adj. myself but I doubt that would solve the pulling problem, and the castor is beyond me.
I will take it to a shop.
Thanks for the advise.