1972 Steering Wonders

[6872SWB]

I have a 72 SWB 4X4 with a four inch lift. The truck has fairlly new 12.5X33 BFG on 10 wide rims. The truck wonders going down the road. New items include shocks, steering stabilizers and steering box. All of the rod ends feel tight as to the ball joints so i did not replace them. Any thoughts as to what the problem might be?

Thanks

[onlyifihadachevy]

they may feel tight but did you jack up one side and at a time and have some one push the tire up/down and side to side and look for movements?

[2tons of fun]

check the toe and caster and replace the tre/dre's

[special-K]

Originally Posted by 2tons of fun

...and replace the tre/dre's

What`s that? Is that tie rod ends and drag link ends?

Do you have play in your wheel?Does the truck dart unexpectedly or just kind of meander from time to time?

How well are your wheel bearings adjusted?I have a wondering problem,too.I replaced my wheel bearings,ball-joints,and drag link.The tie rod ends seemed fine.It still wandered and upon inspection I found the sector shaft had play coming out of the steering box.I replaced the steering box and it still felt about the same.The tires are 12.50s that are worn pretty bad,shocks are spent,and springs in front are real close to the bump stops.So,I`ve been waiting to do my lift and tire job.that stuff definately contributes,but it seems like more.i checked the steering action again and now I see play at the sector shaft and pitman arm.It moves up and down.It`s the same pitman arm and bolt that was on the worn box and I`m figuring the boilt and pitman arm must be worn from the bad sector shaft bearing in the old box.It seems hardto imagine that could wear so bad and that I didn`t notice.buy,I really didn`t think to check for wear there and there`s alot of torque put on that when in operation.i can`t imagine what else it is.I plan on putting a N.O.S. one I have and get a new bolt.I have new tie rod ends to go on to complete the "all new" to my steering.
On another truck I had a Burbank Spring lift on a`71.The truck wondered and I went all through it.Finally I had a friend work the steering wheel and discovered the whole assembly racked back and forth.It was the urethane spring eye bushings causing it.they were all cracked and worthless,only a few years old.Never seen that before or since,either.

[2tons of fun]

yup, i messed up. tre/dle's

[special-K]

Hey 6872SWB,Let us know what you find out.

[LONGHAIR]

Are there by chance tapered shims in the front spring packs? They are intended to "improve" the driveline angle, but what they really do is change the caster of the ball joints. This can cause the wandering that you are experiencing.

[special-K]

Check tire pressure.Seriously,especially if there`s another problem,it will wonder real bad if your pressure is down or uneven.

[6872SWB]

I replaced the ball joints they were in tough shape. Back together still wonders but not as bad. Removed the new duel steering stabilizer i had put on during the truck during the engine rebuild, much better.... I dont have a base line, I bought this truck not runnig, dont know how it drove before I started messing with it.
Next step - Check the air pressure as suggested
Check the tow in

Thanks for the help!

[special-K]

Check for that play at the pitman arm/sector shaft and the entire assembly racking (bushings/u-bolts...really).

[BLAZERMAN]

Lots of good suggestions here....also check your inner axle u joints, I have seen frozen solid from rust and it can cause this same situation.

[LONGHAIR]

Originally Posted by BLAZERMAN

Lots of good suggestions here....also check your inner axle u joints, I have seen frozen solid from rust and it can cause this same situation.

It could, but most of the ones I have seen with frozen u-joints will re-act funny at the steering wheel. They are hard to turn or don't want to re-center after a turn.
This is something that everyone with a straight axle 4x4 should check once in a while. A stiff axle can beat up several other parts. It can be hard on the inner axle bearing, but the part that really takes a beating is the lock-out hub.

[snj8198]

Did you ever find your steering issue?

[odog]

One thing to check that seems pretty obvious is the bolts on the steering box. They are often overlooked, but cause wandering when loose. Happened to me when I put my new box on. Tightned all the bolts, 5 weeks later, 3 bolts were loose and the truck wandered aimlessly, (kinda like me.) Just a thought

[6872SWB]

I found three of the four bolts on the steering box were not tight, must have gotten distractd when I put it on. Steering is a bunch better, still not perfect. I will keep working on it. Thanks for all of the great help....

[57NAPCO]

We have the same problem on my sons 72. I'm picking up a rebuilt steering box tomorrow (man I hate rebuilt stuff). The amount of play in the steering wheel was 5 inchs either side of center. The top shaft would move back and forth and the pitman arm shaft would not move at all, plus the rubber type coupler was shot. I have to order one of those.

[Shaffer4]

Originally Posted by 57NAPCO

We have the same problem on my sons 72. I'm picking up a rebuilt steering box tomorrow (man I hate rebuilt stuff). The amount of play in the steering wheel was 5 inchs either side of center. The top shaft would move back and forth and the pitman arm shaft would not move at all, plus the rubber type coupler was shot. I have to order one of those.

Heh, reminds me of the manual box on my '70 2wd that I replaced... that was one interesting Trip from Walla Walla to Seattle and back over Snoquamie pass.... I think there was a quarter turn of play each way.

[martindc1]

I'd check your toe-in next, a little toe-out will cause it to dart and tramline (erratic steering caused by "ruts" in the road) worse. I've seen various homemade toe gauges that look ok. But one year I was walking through the pits at the SCCA nationals and passed some guys setting their front and rear toe on their race car. They had parallel strings set up at the hub level on either side of the car and were measuring the distance between the the strings and the wheel at both the front and rear of the wheels. It would be tedious to set up right but its how they did it.

[Mudder]

Check tire pressure.

I found mine to wonder with too much air. My 35's get around 20-25 lbs of air. You can check out the front crossmember rivets also. Make sure they are still tight. I have seen them flex there while steering back and forth.