CamTom12

So my truck has had wandering steering since I got it, also super saggy springs.

This is a thread about those effects vs. wandering steering in the solid axle trucks and what I end up doing about it.

First off, here's what I'm working with:







In the experience of the members here, is this enough sag to cause enough caster issues to cause wandering in my steering? I've not done any other troubleshooting yet, just been driving it. The wandering's not terrible, but if it was late on the weekend I'd be worried about getting targeted for DUI, haha.

CamTom12

Also, I found these as possible replacements (all 4 corners):

http://www.truckspring.com/products/...8-56eff2222311

http://www.truckspring.com/products/...1-1fb570e406b9

http://www.truckspring.com/products/...e-171c81f7a95d

RBX

Get old man emu springs. Factory fit but an 1.5" lift. And much less per corner

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

posted this to your question in my build thread--
I used another push pull power steering box, a dropped drag link and a steering shaft with rag joints that were in much better shape than i had previously.

there is a way to tighten the steering box slightly, not a cure all but it can help alleviate some issues



New Tie Rod Ends, Trunnion bearings and new wheel bearings etc can help wandering issues. steering stablizer good?
What kind of shape is your front end in? after rebuilding mine it was like a new truck.

Converting to high steer was probably the best bang for the buck improvement i have made to my truck over the years

CamTom12

Saw your reply there too, thanks!

I really would like to convert to high-steer, but I'm not in a position to spend $$ on a lift, tires, gears, high-steer, drive shafts, etc right now. Down the road, maybe. I emailed a place yesterday and it looks like about $1200-1800 worth of parts alone for a 3" lift with high-steer included. Not including the $175-220 per tire for 35's.

But at the same time I don't want to band-aid the problem. I'll probably end up replacing the trunnion and wheel bearings and tie rod ends with new, as well as the stabilizer.

I've adjusted the steering box on my '00 F250, it looks like an identical procedure so I'll try that also.

The images for rag joint that I googled looked like they're pretty rebuildable (we use similar joints in helicopter drive shafts... I wonder if an un-airworthy set of thomas coupling discs would work?)

This is my first time to ever really mess with steering linkage, which one is the drag link that you got a lowered one for? Would that be something I need to mess with at stock height?


Also, I found a place that I might be able to get stock height springs from, but they list a different left and right - are they really different? Do lift springs come with different R and L for the front?

RBX

I don't have leafs in the front, but when I had my alignment done the tech said the front axle is forward on one side more then the other to account for road crown/ slope. So I'm guessing springs out front are different.

rokblok

iTrader: (1)

Your springs look pretty normal for factory springs. And I've heard several times that the springs are even slightly inverted when new. So I don't think the springs are contributing to your issue.

Bingle

Yes, stock front springs are different on the right and left. I believe it's because the spring perches on the SFA are slightly different heights but I could have been told that and it's total b.s. I have seen some aftermarket spring companys talking about how the "other guys" give you the same RT and LT springs, but that they "do it right, unlike their competitors" and make separate RT and LT springs.

CamTom12

Ok, well that's good news at least. So for now I'm going to tidy up the steering and replace some worn components in the front end (trunions and wheel bearings) and hope that fixes it.

I'll keep saving for the 3" lift to get hi-steer in the future. It'd be nice to do that all at once.

I'll update in here when I get some progress.

Any tips on trunion and wheel bearing replacement? I'll scan the haynes later tonight. If it's super difficult I'll probably take it to a shop - we just moved and half my tools aren't even unpacked yet!

rokblok

iTrader: (1)

It's not to bad to do the bearings, trunnion and wheel. 10, 12, 14, 17mm wrenches and sockets, 54mm socket for wheel bearings( a 2-1/4", 2-3/8", or 2-1/2" socket will work, I just can't remember which one...And make sure its a 6-point socket), snap ring pliers to remove the snap ring off the end of the axle, brass drift punch to help the cone washers out, good size hammer( I use a 2.5lb baby sledge), and lots of rags to clean up the mess. Be sure to put in new grease for the Birfield, and liberally coat the trunnions with grease. Be sure to keep the shims (trunnion caps) together and put them back where they came from. Then check your resistance with a pull(fish) scale. There are plenty of vids on the Tube to walk you through it. It's good experience and fun in my opinion. I do my bearings and grease replacement once or twice a year. But I also drive 40K+ miles/year....

Be sure to use Japanese bearings and such. Marlin is a good supplier and they have a full kit with everything you need.

osv

once you start getting into the front end on these trucks, it can get pretty complicated pretty quickly.

i would start off easy first... put the front end on jackstands, and see if there is vertical play in front wheel bearings... there should be very little to none... also evaluate tie rod ends, and particularly the factory pitman arm(?) setup, i understand that those wear out pretty quickly.

wandering down the road can be caused by a toe-in adjustment that's wrong... the 4crawler site tells you how to measure that, but i didn't find it very effective, once i had my rig on the ground, after adjusting it, i had to tweak the toe-in even more than the factory measurements indicated, and it still wanders.

none of my stuff is stock tho, it's heavily built up, cross-over steering, rock assault axle housing, etc., but the basic principals are similar.

CamTom12

So I made the terrible mistake of pricing out a new steering stabilizer, tie rod ends, drag link rebuild kit (all Moog) and a pair of new U-joints on rock auto. About $100.

Should I pull the trigger and burn a weeks allowance in the budget or just let it ride as it sits?

rokblok

iTrader: (1)

Go for it. It's only money...

May as well it.

Utah4Runner86

iTrader: (1)

That's my experience too. I don't think the stock springs had any positive arch to them. The OME springs I'm wearing now had just a small amount of arch straight out of the box.

If crossover steering is anywhere in your near future, don't bother. If you're going to have the stock setup for a while, then new rod ends and a fresh drag link rebuild will make a huge difference in your steering. I wouldn't bother with the stabilizer, I haven't had a working stablizer since I've owned my current truck and I don't miss it.

CamTom12

Crossover is somewhere ahead in the future, but who knows when. At least a year and a half out. I'm still thinking, but I'll probably drop the stabilizer from this order and give rock auto the go ahead.

I added some new U-joints to the order so I can replace those while I'm at it.

superextracab

My '85 had wandering steering as well. Biggest problem was the drag link was worn to the point of almost falling off. Also my spring bushings were MIA.

dcw7

Hey Super, did you have to buy a new drag link bar or just replace all this ( http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31K34ERB4HL.jpg )

superextracab

Yep, I just replaced those parts. Just as a heads up, I had to heat the end red hot in order to get the nut to come loose. I was using a 24" ratchet too.