Steering issues on lowered straigh axle

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by LordDevlin

GENERAL UPDATE

I drove it back from the transmission shop and experience the scariest drive of my old truck driving career. I have read a lot about bumpsteer, but for the first time I experienced it baaaad. So, the wheel doesn't turn back on its own, and the truck has bad bumpsteer.

on-going:
- king pins didn't turn well... greasing them, the tops took it but tough getting it in the bottom
- I expect that the steering box/wheels are not centered properly, meaning that its not in the tight gears when its straight ahead, based on our initial investigation.

Yep, the drag link is going up at an angle from the pitman arm to the spindle. It being at an angle "Changes length" as the suspension goes up and down!

First look at centering the box as a starting point. The drag link angle, that's a toughie, shortening the pitman arm, bending the steering arm down on the spindle (not a good idea) raising the steering box is another fix. Or of course getting a dropped axle (sold one a while ago, sorry) and putting the springs where they belong.


Brian

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by LordDevlin

Hi Brian,

When you said the truck probably had only one from the factory, did they come with only one shim originally? I looked at one of my dads trucks, the yellow one in pic, and it only had one shim. automatically assumed it must have lost one or something. Perhaps that's just the way they were.

that's mine in there on the left as we get the steering issue sorted out.

I don't know where I said they would only come with one, or what you mean by that. "One" as in a certain Degree wedge where stacking them to increase the caster would be more than one? Not sure what you mean.

They would have one on each spring. The degree would be determined by the shim "wedge". They are available in many different degrees.



I can't imagine putting one on one side and not the other, that makes no sense to me. I have to assume the spring would just bend and equal it out both sides being the same.

Brian

[dsraven]

fix the kingpin issue. fix the drag link issue, fix the steering box issue. get an alignment. THEN drive it. remember there are others on the road who would like to see tomorrow so get it right before it goes wrong.

[jeffs56]

Try contacting sids dropped axles he knows everything there is to know on the dropped axle and steering on these trucks. I bought his arm for my truck to prevent bumpster. It mounts the ball joint under the steering arm instead of on top leveling it out preventing the bump steer. I have to give credit to Dubie for helping g me out a long time ago. Like he said he's done exactly what you need it sounds like. He's very helpful and explains everything. There's a bunch on here that knows what your dealing with they will get it figured out.