Steering Issue. What can be wrong? (2 Viewers)

[82much]

Ok, So ever since I had a shop touch my truck I have been having steering issues (they couldn't fix the issue and are very incompetent so I'm not taking it back). I have been dealing with this the past few years. Wasn't a priority since my rig was a second/play vehicle but know is my daily driver until i decide what new vehicle I want next. I have had 3 alignments this past year so I know that's not the issue.
For starters I have about a 1 inch of PLAY in my steering.
Second, truck pulls to the right and when I correct it it pulls to the left.
When I brake hard it jerks to the left.

So basically I'm always having to adjust my steering with the PLAY factored in. I have talked to many shops about this issue but always get a different answer. Here are some.

1. Steering gear box needs to be replaced.
2. To much pre-load on my knuckle Trunion bearings.
3. Needs Alignment (this seem to always be the first answer but I have done this 3 times already.)
4. Caliper binding
5. Needs a caster correction. ( i have done this using Slee plates.)
6. Worn front radius arm bushings. (these were band new by the way when I was told this)

Anybody have any ideas?

Oh and by the way here is what the incompetent shop did...
1. Mount and balance new wheels and tires. ( they scratched up my brand new rims doing this by the way.)
2. Alignment
3. Knuckle rebuild (hmmmm)

 

[Comet]

Jack up the front end, place on jack stands, grab 3 and 9 o'clock and violently shake the tire. Grab 12 and 6 o'clock and violently shake the tire. Report back your findings and someone way smarter than me will chime in. I think that checks the trunion and wheel bearings. There are many components that can be worn but "look" to be good. Turning the wheel while inspecting each and every moving part helps but you really have to trust the jack stands and the goober at the wheel.

I have found that shops do not understand the Land Cruiser engineering mentality. Nowadays everything is disposable and replaceable on a vehicle. The land cruiser is rebuild able and consumables such as axle grease are merely replenished.

Calling all far smartable people than me.

 

[vfrer]

Where is the play? When you turn the steering wheel what doesn't move that should? Does the steering sector shaft turn in sync with the wheel? A worn or improperly adjusted steering box can definitely produce that much play and they can be rebuilt for cheaper than replacing.

 

[82much]

Where is the play? When you turn the steering wheel what doesn't move that should? Does the steering sector shaft turn in sync with the wheel? A worn or improperly adjusted steering box can definitely produce that much play and they can be rebuilt for cheaper than replacing.

When I move the steering wheel the shaft moves but the wheels do not.

 

[inkpot]

Toe is the only adjustment an alignment shop will normally make on a solid axle truck. Depending on our lift, you may need a bit more than spec. How much lift do you have? 1" steering wheel play is in spec. How big are your tires, you may need more torque on spindle nuts.. May need adjustment/rebuild of steering box.

 

[bugsnbikes]

Check for cracks near the corners of your steering box on the frame.... depending on answers to Inkpots queations- if 35s+ and a hard wheeler- you may start there.

Im voting an incompetant shop simply torqued things down and it bound up early vs torqing /loosening and retorqueing........then loosened on first drive.

 

[jpoole]

Do the lift and check for looseness process, it will tell you a lot. Also you can lay under the truck while someone rocks the steering wheel back and forth to find looseness in the system, especially in rod ends. Sometimes slack is hard to see but you can put your hand on a rod end, touching both sides of the joint, to feel how tight/loose they are. Definitely check for frame damage around your steering box as well, which will show as the box moving around vs. staying dead still on the chassis if you have someone turning the wheel while the tires are on the ground.

To fix your problems you at least have to remove all of the slack/looseness including from the wheel bearings, trunion bearings and various link ends and then get the toe dialed in. Slack in the steering box itself is annoying, especially in a rig that wanders, but is secondary for you at this point and is just making driving hard but not actually introducing the wandering. Once the truck tracks you can try the adjustment on top of the steering box to take some of the slack out, search for the process on mud it's been discussed a good bit.

The additional source for steering issues and wandering in these can be the suspension bushings which if worn excessively can let the axles move around and keep the truck from tracking well. I'd sort out front-end bearing and rod end slack first unless you notice obvious and major bushing slack somewhere.

 

[Cruzerman]

Is there a lift, if so, what kind? And what tires are you running?

 

[JeepinPete]

Issues in the rear suspension can also cause all kind of handling issues...

 

[82much]

Is there a lift, if so, what kind? And what tires are you running?

4 inch lift with 35's

 

[82much]

Issues in the rear suspension can also cause all kind of handling issues...

What issues should I check for in the rear suspension?

 

[Cruzerman]

What kind of castor numbers did you get when you had it aligned? I'm assuming you have castor correction. What kind do you have?

 

[BILT4ME]

When I move the steering wheel the shaft moves but the wheels do not.

Have you checked the nuts on the bottom of the steering arm on the bottom of the right knuckle and on the bottom of the left knuckle? Those are very common to be loose and cause LOTS of play, especially just before they fall off!

Check your nuts and lube your shafts!

 

[shocktower]

Look at the rear control arm bushings and your pitman arm bushings, and since you did a 4" you need an adjustable one,or @Delta VS relocation bracket, front and rear pitman arms affect the handling, I wonder if the caster plates have given you enough caster .

 

[ChaseTruck]

...front and rear pitman arms ...

Panhard bars

 

[GunRunner]

My tie rod ends were fully chooched when I got my 80. It felt similar to what you described. I put new ones on, and now I'm set.

 

[82much]

What kind of castor numbers did you get when you had it aligned? I'm assuming you have castor correction. What kind do you have?

Castor has been corrected using Slee Plates

 

[82much]

Have you checked the nuts on the bottom of the steering arm on the bottom of the right knuckle and on the bottom of the left knuckle? Those are very common to be loose and cause LOTS of play, especially just before they fall off!

Check your nuts and lube your shafts!

I have checked those and also torqed them to specs.

 

[82much]

Look at the rear control arm bushings and your pitman arm bushings, and since you did a 4" you need an adjustable one,or @Delta VS relocation bracket, front and rear pitman arms affect the handling, I wonder if the caster plates have given you enough caster .

Ill check my panhards but they look like they are adjusted correctly. Does anybody know how to do a proper adjustment??

 

[82much]

My tie rod ends were fully chooched when I got my 80. It felt similar to what you described. I put new ones on, and now I'm set.

Funny you should say that. I just got a new set of TRE's from cruiser outfitters. Gonna install them this weekend.