Steering issues

[montanacruiser]

Hi all I am having some issues with my steering. When I first bought my truck it felt like it was on rails going down the road. We do a week long off road trip every other year and the first trip my steering seemed to loosen up a little. This last trip we went on the steering definitely got looser. On the trip I noticed while on rough parts of the road my steering wheel has some play when I hit bumps. Like my wheel would move, a little play then my steering wheel would move? If that makes sense. Also when going faster above 55mph I have to try to keep It on the road now by shifting the steering wheel back and forth. I don't notice any play in the steering wheel while sitting still. Any help and advice would be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[84shortyota]

How's your alignment and tie rod ends/steering stabilizer?

 

[montanacruiser]

I did lift the truck about a year ago and installed a new steering stabilizer. When I installed the lift I took it in to get it aligned. How would you check tie rods?

 

[84shortyota]

Check for torn boots, no grease, lots of movement in the joint itself.

 

[surfpig]

I did lift the truck about a year ago and installed a new steering stabilizer. When I installed the lift I took it in to get it aligned. How would you check tie rods?

What were the numbers? Caster within spec?

Check/tighten all your suspension joints, knuckle arms etc, stc...

 

[Rivman1243]

How big was the lift? Did you do anything to change the caster like drop brackets or bushings?

 

[montanacruiser]

The lift is a tjm 2.5". I did do the caster correction with bushings that they provided. The truck still drove good after the lift. I rebuilt the front axle before my last trip. Everything done to the fsm. So I know it isn't the trunnion bearings or wheel bearings. The tie rod Has quiet a bit of movement back and forth like I can rotate it. But no side to side movement. The boots look like they are starting to get old. Does that movement sound normal? And thanks for all the replies I couldn't have kept this truck on the road for this long with out this community.

 

[Rivman1243]

It's hard to say if the TRE's are still good when they rotate easily. If you can get someone to help and park next to a curb and then try to turn the wheels while you watch the TRE's.

 

[trichar2]

It's hard to say if the TRE's are still good when they rotate easily. If you can get someone to help and park next to a curb and then try to turn the wheels while you watch the TRE's.

I keep reading "inspect everything" but HOW to do the inspection is quite difficult to find. Thanks, man!

 

[Broski]

You need someone to slowly move the steering wheel back and forth while you're looking at the steering joints. Do this with the tires setting on the ground. You can also put your hand on each joint carefully to feel for movement. Caster correction bushing suck, in most cases they do not provide enough Caster correction, They fail easily & quickly especially if you go 4 wheeling. I found this out the hard way when the one I used actually spun around in the control Arms.
With A 2.5" lift I doubt your getting enough caster correction. I would get some Land Tank 4" caster correction plates form Wit's End.