Begging the Collective Mud Brain: after 1.5 years and 3 mechanics, post-lift handling still sucks!!!
- Thread starter OVERRIT
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That should be Georg's shop, Valley Hybrid. Nothing but cruisers. If after a year and a half the shops you're trying haven't figured it out, I would be planning a road trip. Lol
Even after rebuild, preload should still be set... At least checked
Maybe? My feeling is it's not a simple answer or your last 3 mechanics would have found it. I wouldn't want to keep spending money on mechanics to just keep trying things, and for us to just keep guessing at things to do without personal first hand information you're getting wild guesses. At this point take it to a guy that knows exactly how it should be, and likely should spot problems.
It takes :05 to adjust the preload screw. Three mechanics and it would appear not one has touched it.
Yeah, I was the first to recommend adjusting the steering 
Yeah, I was the first to recommend adjusting the steering
- Thread starter
- #50
Just found out today TJ already tried adjusting steering box--no help.
How the heck do you know Georg as you're in Richmond? No matter, thanks a lot for the advice.
Well Scott...that sounds like good advice to me. Next stop Valley Hybrids. See what Georg has to say.
How the heck do you know Georg as you're in Richmond? No matter, thanks a lot for the advice.
So a few guys suggest looking at the rears and it gets overlooked or did I miss something?
I'm not a mechanic, but a picture says a thousand words. You have a metric ton of s*** hanging off the back of your rig. That may be affecting the handling. Obviously, the back end of your rig is under way more stress than the front. Just for grins try this. Remove the spare, the gerry cans, your guns, old TVs, j/k, and whatever other stuff you're hauling around in the back and take it for a test ride. Hopefully, this will level the stance of your rig a bit and make it less squirrely. It will cost you nothing but a little time to try it out and it may give you and indication of where the real issue is. I agree with inkpot and Richard on this, check out the rears. Hope you find it before you break the bank.
A lot of guys running heavier than he is without issue. Hell I have loaded up the back of my cruiser with OME heavies with enough crap to put the rears on the bumpstops and I still drove it 2 hours without whiteknuckle driving characteristics. I agree it's going to probably be something fairly obvious to see once someone with some experience gets their hands on it. i.e. Castor correction bushings installed backwards, loose bearings, worn out steering components, etc.
You may be right. I know for a fact that inkpot runs heavier than just about anybody and has a very similar setup. He doesn't see this issue. Just remembering what it is like to drive a half-ton pickup with a ton of gravel in the bed. Seems like the weight imbalance may be contributing to the problem or may be exaggerating it. Just another point of information that might help figure it out.
- Thread starter
- #55
The handling is the same (bad) whether the truck is loaded or empty.
- Thread starter
- #57
Haven't gone to Valley Hybrids yet--having the steering box rebuilt here first to see if it's that.
ps... and this just in from Beno:
"You can always replace the power piston as well as the sector shaft to the upgraded 105 series parts available in the US market."
ps... and this just in from Beno:
"You can always replace the power piston as well as the sector shaft to the upgraded 105 series parts available in the US market."
Mine handled very similar to your experience until I replaced all Panhard and rear upper/lower control arm bushings. Made a night and day difference. OEM rubber everywhere until I put in a new Metaltech Adjustable LCA with Poly bushings. They were OEM and made a huge impact in both instances.
^^^x2.
I was going to say replace both panhards with adjustable, and make sure they have a uniball joint on one side to remove any rubber bushing play on at least one end while also taking flex stress off the lone rubber side for longevity.
Lifting means your axles are offset now. Front pulls that axle to the DS and rear pulls that axle to the PS - Pythagorus can tell you by exactly how much if you like that kind of stuff. So this is going to accentuate any thrust angle alignment issue out of the box and all that rear weight is going to create even more of a tail wagging the dog experience. This would be a good opportunity to also buy upgraded lower control arms to get fresh bushings and additional beef. The uppers should be fine for now.
In order, I would do 1) panhards, 2) HD LCA (with a uniball joint on one end or just factory rubber), 3) frame bushings on radius arms with factory rubber.
I don't think there is any reason to chase steering component demons at this point until you've done those three things. Again, your panhards and control arms locate your axles, and if the axle can wander, so shalt thou wander.
I was going to say replace both panhards with adjustable, and make sure they have a uniball joint on one side to remove any rubber bushing play on at least one end while also taking flex stress off the lone rubber side for longevity.
Lifting means your axles are offset now. Front pulls that axle to the DS and rear pulls that axle to the PS - Pythagorus can tell you by exactly how much if you like that kind of stuff. So this is going to accentuate any thrust angle alignment issue out of the box and all that rear weight is going to create even more of a tail wagging the dog experience. This would be a good opportunity to also buy upgraded lower control arms to get fresh bushings and additional beef. The uppers should be fine for now.
In order, I would do 1) panhards, 2) HD LCA (with a uniball joint on one end or just factory rubber), 3) frame bushings on radius arms with factory rubber.
I don't think there is any reason to chase steering component demons at this point until you've done those three things. Again, your panhards and control arms locate your axles, and if the axle can wander, so shalt thou wander.