saginaw question

[wbb72fj40]

i completed my power steering conversion. everything went well except when i am going down the road it feels darty. like the steering is to sensitive If you move the steering wheel at all It wants to jump that direction. I am running 35's with 10inch wheels. all new tre's no slop there the box is tight.

So i was thinking I should loosen off on the worm set screw and put some play in the wheel. will this work or will it just make it worse?

 

[inkpot]

Howdy! Some Saginaw boxes steer faster than others. Depends on the original configuration. Camero might be different than full sized Impala or Caprice. Check your alignment and suspension to make sure it is set right, and all parts are solid. Put some serious miles on it. You may find that it is OK after you get used to it. Maybe add a steering stabilizer, but I would not de-tune the steering box. John

 

[Shawn Russell]

Most people recommend a 4.25 turn lock to lock box. Do you know what you have?

Shawn

 

[orangefj45]

sounds like you might have a 3.5 turn box in there.....

how long is your pitman arm?

 

[flow2311]

I would recommend a steering stabilizer if you don't already have one. That will deaden your steering wheel input slightly and plus absorb the little bumps and grooves in the road that push your tires all over.

 

[wbb72fj40]

I bought this as a complete set up from cruiser solutions. I had a good deal of trouble getting all the parts. I am pretty sure it's a 3 turn but by the time i finally got it i was just happy to get the thing in the road.

Pitman arm is about 4.5 inches long with a 2.5 drop.

Yes I do have a new stabilzer although I plan to go to a double shock set up

You really gotta watch the steering wheel because you have no wiggle room with it. the thing drives like my wife bmw with a lift kit.

sounds like the only thing thats gonna fix this is go to autozone or the junkyard and get a four turn.

 

[inkpot]

Howdy! I am running a 3.5 turn on mine. It is certainly much quicker and more sensitive than the stock steering I originally kept on it after the SOA was done. About 1.5 years ago I installed a hi steer setup from 4x4 Labs. The old steering stabilizers I had were shot, so I threw them away. With about 5 degrees of caster and 1/4+" of toe in, it steers really nice. I can cruise in the left lane on the freeway with no problem. I really don't plan on replacing the stabilizers. Just don't need them. You may just need some fine tuning on the front end. John

 

[orangefj45]

yup, stabilizers are band-aids for other issues that should be addressed.

 

[Poser]

i completed my power steering conversion. everything went well except when i am going down the road it feels darty. like the steering is to sensitive If you move the steering wheel at all It wants to jump that direction. I am running 35's with 10inch wheels. all new tre's no slop there the box is tight.

So i was thinking I should loosen off on the worm set screw and put some play in the wheel. will this work or will it just make it worse?

What is your suspension/shackle lift/configuration?

 

[orangefj45]

caster angle?!

 

[65swb45]

Darty? Try reaching up from under the truck and grabbing the steering shaft near where it enters the steering box and see how far you can rotate it from side to side before the pitman arm moves. I'd bet money your dart is coming from your steering box.

Best

Mark A.

 

[fj hunter]

try measuring the ...

number of turns that it takes to go full left, and then full right from full left.

i put in a 4.25, and i have just about that, from center, 2 plus turns to left and from center 2 plus turns to the right.

what is yours?

 

[mudnyreye]

Are you running your tires at full pressure. Letting some air out will drastically change your tracking. However,X2 on the stabilizer.

 

[Downey]

There is a relationship between number of turns in the gear box and length of pitman arm (relative to steering over-reacting or under-reacting). Regarding the attributes of 3.5 turn versus 4.25 turn boxes, there may be some reason to prefer one over the other when they are single stage boxes (stock), but once you opt for a dual stage box, you can get much better valving values in the 3.5 turn box.

 

[wbb72fj40]

What is your suspension/shackle lift/configuration?

I am running a 4 inch hell creek with shackles are 1.75 over stock

the caster is set at 0 deg. measured sitting stock with an angle finder on the bottom of the third and returned as close as possible after the lift was installed maybe at the most 1 deg pos.

 

[wbb72fj40]

Howdy! The old steering stabilizers I had were shot, so I threw them away. With about 5 degrees of caster and 1/4+" of toe in, it steers really nice. I can cruise in the left lane on the freeway with no problem. I really don't plan on replacing the stabilizers. Just don't need them. You may just need some fine tuning on the front end. John

yeah good point I have been bouncing around off road alot. I might have knocked it out of line. and setting the tow in alittle may help also. I prefer a little play in the wheel though I guess I been driving dodges to long.

 

[inkpot]

I am running a 4 inch hell creek with shackles are 1.75 over stock

the caster is set at 0 deg. measured sitting stock with an angle finder on the bottom of the third and returned as close as possible after the lift was installed maybe at the most 1 deg pos.

Howdy! You are way too level on your caster. IIRC, stock is 2+ degrees, and with much lift for 35's, you should be around 3. It makes a BIG difference having it set right. You can add a set of 2 degree shims pretty cheap and easy. John

 

[Poser]

I am running a 4 inch hell creek with shackles are 1.75 over stock

the caster is set at 0 deg. measured sitting stock with an angle finder on the bottom of the third and returned as close as possible after the lift was installed maybe at the most 1 deg pos.

Your truck is darting around because of the lack of caster, period.



You can bolt on all the garbage in the world trying to fix your steering, and in the end, if your caster angle is wrong, you will not ever get it to steer properly and go down the road strait.



Install a four-degree shim before you do anything else.

Make sure all of your steering and suspension components are secure.

Go drive the vehicle and report back how it operates.

 

[wbb72fj40]

Your truck is darting around because of the lack of caster, period.

Install a four-degree shim before you do anything else.

Make sure all of your steering and suspension components are secure.

Go drive the vehicle and report back how it operates.

Ok I will do that. this week end.

 

[orangefj45]

do yourself a favor and install steel caster shims, not the crappy aluminum jobbers.

i just replaced a broken aluminum shim in a customers rig on monday. it was busted in half and ready to fall out. it's his 19 year-old daughters' rig and she's away at college with the cruiser. could have gotten ugly............