Hard pull to right under acceleration

[00N8]

Has anyone experienced their rig attempting to pull hard to the right under passing gear acceleration?

If so any suggestions on where to start looking would be helpful. Wheels and tires are balanced and aligned, it's only when accelerating that it wants to pull hard to the right.

More pronounced because I have a SC, but nonetheless interested in what others have experienced.

 

[Brock]

Mine did it after I put on my lift....there is always a little torque steer with 4wd full time depending on road surface but mine seemed to be much worse when I had the vehicle sitting nearly level after the lift was installed. Once I went back through and readjusted the torsion bars for proper drop...double checked tire pressure all around.....it pretty much went away.

Check your rake in suspension.....front to rear....mine is about 1.25 inches lower than rear...maybe 1.5 inches

I also blew my front diff right after it started pulling after lift installed.....everyone said there is no way for diff to cause that. Only two things I changed were I put in 4.88 gears......and adjusted ride height in front torsion bars per specs...and it went away. Same tires....had realigned and did not help...everything same but new gears and adjusted TBs.

Good luck

 

[2000UZJ]

I had severe pull to the right when my rack was going out. Coasting or braking showed no pull. The way the rack mounts to the frame causes it to shift to the right under acceleration. Also, check your tie rods, that can cause pulling.

 

[TwiceWithHair]

I first bought Elsie about 18 months ago from a friend who had 285/65/18 Trail Grapplers on. I bought it from him with stock rims and tires as part of our deal. To fit his aftermarket rims and tires, he CRANKED the torsion bars. the front end was sitting nearly and inch taller than the stock rear. Before I could correct her stance, she would pull to the right under hard acceleration. after I dropped the front back down about 1.5-2 inches, it went away. +1 for checking rake.

 

[00N8]

Thanks guys, I'm having the rake adjusted, I know the rig sits about even front to back and with the SC, when the passing gear is engaged at speed it's all I can do to keep from going off the road on the right.

 

[OregonLC]

Additionally, you'll need to get it aligned after you drop the rake.

 

[00N8]

The shop is saying it's the rack and pinion. When accelerating hard the front driver wheel wants to point towards the passenger side and make a bee line off the road. Time to go searching for racks I guess. Arg.

 

[2000UZJ]

The shop is saying it's the rack and pinion. When accelerating hard the front driver wheel wants to point towards the passenger side and make a bee line off the road. Time to go searching for racks I guess. Arg.

Yep, that is the same symptoms I had. Wait until you get that new rack in...you will be amazed. I was blown away at how much tighter everything felt. I wish swapping racks was easy, I wish I could swap my old rack in for wheeling trips . I'm scared to go wheel now.

 

[spressomon]

The shop is saying it's the rack and pinion. When accelerating hard the front driver wheel wants to point towards the passenger side and make a bee line off the road. Time to go searching for racks I guess. Arg.

You should also check/have them check the rear upper control arm bushings for wear. BTW: You need to fully remove the UCA to rightfully inspect. Severely worn bushings will give the exact same symptom...based upon my experience with all things suspension related on my 100.

Although I had play in my first rack and was convinced my adverse steering effect under lively acceleration/WOT was indeed the rack it turned out to be the worn out rear UCA bushings. I've once again got play in my 2nd rack but it just translates to highway wander not torque steer.

This assumes, of course, your front ride height (and related CV and steering component angles) is not adjusted too high and contributing a similar symptom...eliminate the easiest to fix first!

While you're there...be sure to check the rear lower control arm bushings too...

Dan

 

[2000UZJ]

You should also check/have them check the rear upper control arm bushings for wear. BTW: You need to fully remove the UCA to rightfully inspect. Severely worn bushings will give the exact same symptom...based upon my experience with all things suspension related on my 100.

Although I had play in my first rack and was convinced my adverse steering effect under lively acceleration/WOT was indeed the rack it turned out to be the worn out rear UCA bushings. I've once again got play in my 2nd rack but it just translates to highway wander not torque steer.

This assumes, of course, your front ride height (and related CV and steering component angles) is not adjusted too high and contributing a similar symptom...eliminate the easiest to fix first!

While you're there...be sure to check the rear lower control arm bushings too...

Dan

Dan,

Are you aware of any differences between the "OEM" rack that came on the truck when it was new, and the "new OEM" rack that replaces the original rack? I ask because I can lock up my steering much easier when wheeling. The steering is also much quicker, can they change the rack speed without changing anything external? Seems like the new racks we are installing have less torque.

 

[OregonLC]

You should also check/have them check the rear upper control arm bushings for wear. BTW: You need to fully remove the UCA to rightfully inspect. Severely worn bushings will give the exact same symptom...based upon my experience with all things suspension related on my 100.

While I didn't have the pull described by the OP, I can testify that 4 new rear links significantly tightened up the overall road feel of my truck. My rear links.

 

[00N8]

I've got the metal tech rear links installed too. I checked my lift and it was cranked to 22" from center hub to fender all the way around. When I had them drop it to 20.5" front and 21.5" rear as suggested elsewhere on the forum my front tires rub when turning. So I'm not sure what to set the lift height to now...

 

[spressomon]

I've got the metal tech rear links installed too. I checked my lift and it was cranked to 22" from center hub to fender all the way around. When I had them drop it to 20.5" front and 21.5" rear as suggested elsewhere on the forum my front tires rub when turning. So I'm not sure what to set the lift height to now...

At 22" net you're going to get noticeable torque steer...old rack or new.

Where is your tire rub? You may need to adjust the l/r limiters...

 

[00N8]

The rub is not at full lock left or right, it's at slight turn right and at the top of the inner fenders.

 

[spressomon]

Dan,

Are you aware of any differences between the "OEM" rack that came on the truck when it was new, and the "new OEM" rack that replaces the original rack? I ask because I can lock up my steering much easier when wheeling. The steering is also much quicker, can they change the rack speed without changing anything external? Seems like the new racks we are installing have less torque.

We put my 2nd rack (OEM new from Onur/AT) in 3-years ago last month. If there is/was a difference in the 1st and 2nd rack I couldn't tell. And to be fair I need to be certain the play is from the rack and not the frame side LCA bushing. With one tire off the ground and the other on the ground I, at 9/3 felt play. But I need another body to do the push/pull while I look for the culprit. Hoping just the bushings...

 

[00N8]

So to get a 2.5" lift what do my hub to fender measurements need to be while still having some rake to prevent torque steer?

I'm seeing all sorts of measurements, 20.5" front and 21.5" but that appears to give no lift, so I'm not sure if that is stock or not.

 

[spressomon]

The rub is not at full lock left or right, it's at slight turn right and at the top of the inner fenders.

I would not have guessed you would get fender liner interference with 275/70-18's! Unless maybe Toyo MT's

Also: Be sure to check the rear UCA and LCA mounting bolts...they may have worked loose (or not)...easier to thoroughly check them at little to no cost before you go the rack route.

 

[spressomon]

So to get a 2.5" lift what do my hub to fender measurements need to be while still having some rake to prevent torque steer?

I'm seeing all sorts of measurements, 20.5" front and 21.5" but that appears to give no lift, so I'm not sure if that is stock or not.

Front end alignment specs come into play too...but unless your rig is way out on toe-in/out, camber or castor generally 20.5" is going to be fairly neutral. Each rig might be slightly different in its tolerance.

"2.5 of lift" is a moving target. 2.5" atop what? Stock LC's are not all the same front end height...depends. But 20.5" to a max height of 21.5" is my range of acceptability on my rig. I think most that have experimented with front and rear suspension heights will agree anything north of about 21" is going to result in less than stellar highway performance compared to lower. And increased wear on CVs, tie rod ends and the rack itself. Its just the limitation of our IFS system. And the 100 likes about 1" of suspension rake...you will notice a steering, handling and/or torque steer difference if your rig's suspension is set level/without rake...at least with mine.

This is the big reason I went with a 1" body lift...to keep the tire out of the fender/liner and to keep the CV, steering component and control arms at a manageable height. IFS is a real limiter!

 

[spressomon]

Another point: The large diameter rubber bushing on the passenger side of the rack is another part to check for wear. I bought some time, before I replaced the rack, by swapping in a new bushing in this location. Its a 1.5 job and I highly recommend going poly here.

And play at this bushing is easy to detect apart of inspecting the front end. You may indeed have a badly worn rack. I would want, due to the expense, to fully eliminate any other contributing factors before hauling off on that job...just my $.02.

 

[Griffin]

may have already been said, but be sure you test lowering the front end some before you go off and spend a boat load on a new rack and pinion.

I run 285/65/18's on Terra G's. I get a little rub at full clock but it is not enough to worry me. I also have the 2.5'' slee medium kit and ran level for several months. The steering was random - sometimes I had torque steer and sometimes nothing. I also had the truck aligned twice and still would get random pulls, even at speeds other than takeoff.

I'm now running 1-1.5 inches lower in the front and the steering issues are 90% gone.