Steering links shift (1 Viewer)

[me_tu05]

My steering has been clunking and i just replaced the TREs and rebuilt the knuckles. Today I was moving the steering wheel and the relay rod moved up about an inch, turned the other way and it moved down an inch. I went to the front and the TREs are moving all the way forward and aft creating a clunking noise. My cruiser also wanders all over the road. I have the MAF SR and OME med springs. Has anyone ever delt with this before? I searched for a while and nothing I read made me think "thats my problem".

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[me_tu05]

does anyone think that it may be caused by crappy tres. I just remembered a post about the brand 555 being junk, just happens to be the brand on my cruiser.

 

[Dirty Toad]

i for one do not think that crappy tires will cause a noise in your steering system. They can cause it to drive like crap on the freeway.

 

[me_tu05]

i for one do not think that ****py tires will cause a noise in your steering system. They can cause it to drive like **** on the freeway.

Sorry thats Tie Rod Ends (TREs) not tires.

 

[zuluzeugma]

does anyone think that it may be caused by crappy tres. I just remembered a post about the brand 555 being junk, just happens to be the brand on my cruiser.

Thats so weird cause there was a huge thread on Pirate a few weeks back about how 555 were the only ones to get... I'm confused...

Not your tires though for sure...

 

[RockDoc]

Thats so weird cause there was a huge thread on Pirate a few weeks back about how 555 were the only ones to get... I'm confused...

Not your tires though for sure...

I think what I have read is that the 555 are the best currently available separately, but even they are crap compared to the OEM units.

me-tu - I see you have Dakar springs, is it possible you are having this problem?
https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/201928-arb-dakar-spring-problems.html
I have some popping and shifting going on that I attribute to the inserts in my springs sliding. FWIW, my symptoms only come out when the vehicle is moving and shifting weight side to side, I can't replicate the popping by cycling the steering with the truck stationary. This leads me to believe it isn't the steering links or the trunion bearings.

 

[me_tu05]

I think what I have read is that the 555 are the best currently available separately, but even they are **** compared to the OEM units.

me-tu - I see you have Dakar springs, is it possible you are having this problem?
https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/201928-arb-dakar-spring-problems.html
I have some popping and shifting going on that I attribute to the inserts in my springs sliding. FWIW, my symptoms only come out when the vehicle is moving and shifting weight side to side, I can't replicate the popping by cycling the steering with the truck stationary. This leads me to believe it isn't the steering links or the trunion bearings.

I read that thread and i have one spring that slid when i installed the lift and is eating my bushing up, it doesnt look like it shifts while driving because the sleve is rusting. the spring packs sometimes make noise too but thats not this problem. I get the sound sitting stationary and while driving. when I turn the steering wheel the links move before the wheels start to turn. This also makes my truck wander all over the road.

 

[me_tu05]

After talking to some people it looks like it may be a bent relay rod. If it is bent forward or backwards it will cause the problems i am having. Looks like its time to beef up the rods, maybe some round stock thats sitting around my shop.

 

[gsdog2]

...since you just replaced the TRE's, check that they are tensioned properly; meaning the outer part with slot that can be turned with a screwdriver and secured with a cotter pin; mine had the same symptoms and turns out I didn't adjust them after putting the new ones on. Some posts state turn all the way down, then back off a turn or one and a half turns. I think I backed mine of one turn. But, after I did this, no more wander and the steering was tight. Check the search function on TRE's, there's lots of posts.

 

[me_tu05]

I get the sound sitting stationary and while driving. when I turn the steering wheel the links move before the wheels start to turn. This also makes my truck wander all over the road.

my problem is not just the wandering. the entire link system moves before the wheels do when I turn, also making a nice clunk sound. After looking at the relay rod last night, Im not sure that anything is bent. My g/f's cousin had the same problem when he put a SA under his s-10, but his relay rod was bending like a noodle. mine may be flexing but I didnt get a chance to look. I'm looking into making a new relay rod from 1 1/4" stainless steel round stock but I dont know the tap sizes that i would need. does any one know what size they are?