I guess my steering box is bad

[CG]

When it comes to this kind of stuff I'm the idiot haha. That's why when I had the chassis on my panel rebuilt I had Mark Livrat do it up nice.

Kind of a bummer the shop didn't notice. You would have put a new box on and still have problems. Another reason this site is the best ... so much knowledge.

[Oregon 1967 GMC]

Working on it. I got it off right now but I'm hungry and I'll probably watch TV the rest of the night. I'll get out there first thing in the morning and put it together. I pretty familiar with every piece which is a far cry when I started the drum/disc conversion last November. I'll be sure to post some pics.

[Oregon 1967 GMC]

Originally Posted by CG

Another reason this site is the best ... so much knowledge.

Amen brother!

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by Oregon 1967 GMC

Well I feel like a dummy. Thanks to you guys I'll go out this morning and get it right and take it back for alignment. I feel ignorant already so I might as well ask where is the sector shaft nut?

I would not feel bad the PRO's at Schwab could not even make a proper diagnosis! What a handful of a cow pasture that company now is!

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by CG

When it comes to this kind of stuff I'm the idiot haha. That's why when I had the chassis on my panel rebuilt I had Mark Livrat do it up nice.

Kind of a bummer the shop didn't notice. You would have put a new box on and still have problems. Another reason this site is the best ... so much knowledge.

AMEN!

[jjzepplin]

We need to ease up a bit on these fellas at the alignment shop and ourselves. A bunch of us have put these on backwards and so what. I used to do alignments and I may not have spotted it either. I just went outside and checked my own. It is ok but I would not have been surprised as I was not the one who installed the piece. I bought it that way. We all think outside of the box and younger folks need the time to figure out how to do that. I am not even sure I know what the box is anymore.

[Oregon 1967 GMC]

Originally Posted by Boog

"herky jerky" and hard to drive sounds an awful lot like others who have found their steering center link was installed backwards. Your alignment shop might not catch it. Post up a pic below the bumper showing a good view of the center link and tie rods and maybe we can verify yours is on right.
That looks like a fairly new steering sector and they don't wear out quickly.

this was a very good call Boog. I went to put on elbow grease fitting and while putting in "By hand" it stripped on me. So off to get another ball joint. I will post pics later today.

[Boog]

Well as soon as you posted 'herky jerky and hard to drive' I knew it was a possibility the center link was on backwards. This has been popping up lately more and more. One could wonder how many guys just put up with the ill handling condition thinking that's just the way these trucks are.

Like I said it would be easy for alignment techs or any one else to miss it.

Maybe this ought to be put in a sticky at the top of the page like so many other pretty frequent conditions. Title it 'steering fixes' or 'problems with steering' or 'diagnosing steering issues' maybe.

At the very least this thread will give someone cause to go out and check their own truck to make sure theirs is installed correctly. Maybe they haven't gotten theirs on the road yet and can head off that problem.

[Oregon 1967 GMC]

Yeah I was trying to get used to it and telling myself that it's just new to me. Kind of in denial but is bad is bad and when I really had to pay attention driving something was wrong...Waiting on one new ball joint will pickup tomorrow and post pics when done. Thanks again.

[weq92f]

Originally Posted by Boog

...One could wonder how many guys just put up with the ill handling condition thinking that's just the way these trucks are.

Right on. The half ton C10 ( trailing arm ) handles excellent with proper setup and function.

Just today I was at about 80 MPH on the Tollway when I was forced to brake hard and turn with aggression simultaneously to avoid another vehicle. Fortunately my machine performed as expected and there was no incident.

If I'm in my daily driver, I can just go full crazy on the controls and the automatic, save-your-@ss software takes care of it. No drifting allowed here. Even though I can turn that off and do as I please, there is something distinctly different about driving the 50 year old hot rod that will allow me to destroy it with the flick of my right foot.

-klb

[Oregon 1967 GMC]

Ok, got it flipped around and took it for a test drive and it's a lot better. Can't wait to get the alignment done now. Hopefully this is correct.

[Oregon 1967 GMC]

You have to remember the wing tips of the centerlink point towards the front of vehicle and the centerlink comes very close to the crossmember. I had to take off my grease fittings to get the rod end in the center link. Can't say how valuable this board is.

[Boog]

That's looking good now bud.
And now you should install a front anti roll bar. It makes a huge difference in how well it corners. You'll like it.

[Oregon 1967 GMC]

Originally Posted by Boog

That's looking good now bud.
And now you should install a front anti roll bar. It makes a huge difference in how well it corners. You'll like it.

Appreciate that Boog, the man who pointed me in the right direction.

Hey if you're still around I'm ready to slap on the anti-roll bar. It says to put it on at ride height. Does that mean I can't jackstand it up on the frame?

[Boog]

Place your jack stands under the lower control arms close to the ball joint. That will get you close to ride height. Bolt the frame brackets on then the bar on and leave the bolts loose. Drop it down on the floor and finish tightening it all up. The 1/2 ton bar does wonders but if you really want to lean on it they say you can use a 1 ton bar to keep it nice and flat in the turns.

[HO455]

If it is a factory style bar it's easier to do at ride height. I put my Burban on stands and used two floor jacks to lift the control arms up to approximately ride height when I put mine on. I upgraded mine to the 1 1/4" bar that comes on 3/4 ton and above trucks.

After twenty years of good service and value to me Les Swabb died and with him the company and what they stood for. After half a dozen screw ups I have sworn never again. I even saw where they are being sued by ex-employees who were harassed and fired for refusing to run up customer bills.

[Oregon 1967 GMC]

Thanks Boog and HO455, glad I asked, I'll have to use the lower control arms to lift it up. I'll have to measure my bar it's from CPP and think it's for half ton. Wow I didn't know that about Les Schwab. Glad I do most of my own work (except when putting on centerlink haha) but I couldn't see paying hours of labor for something I enjoy doing and I dont' think they'll clean the crossmember, which took me about three days just to do that. Thanks everyone and I guess I could retitle this "I guess my steering box is NOT bad!"

[davepl]

I wouldn't call out an alignment shop for missing this.

However, when I got my 69 Impala aligned the camber is supposed to be set with a large cam bolt on the lower control arm. They apparently didn't know that and couldn't get it into spec with shims, of which there are not supposed to be any of. That annoyed me. Made them take out the shims, showed them where the cam bolt was, they redid it.

Do modern chassis never use a cam adjuster maybe? I don't know what modern car alignment is like.

It's a little late now, but given the dangerous symptoms it causes and the ease with which this bar can be put on backwards, it should have been keyed or marked I think!

[B Myers]

Sign me up for the same problem a couple weeks ago, I finished a total rebuild and had the darting and tire turn squeal issues. Had that center link backwards and I'm an old school 35 year tech, way to easy to do but easy to spot once it happens to you. Quick way to spot is look for the tie rod studs, the nuts are on the front when correctly installed and for what it's worth my old school alignment shop missed it too.