guhfluh

I see where there's a "Y" to "T" steering upgrade for 4wd trucks of earlier years, but does anything like that exist for 2wd trucks?

I had sloppy steering with my original steering box, purchased an AGR box(I know bad idea) and steering stabilizer. It seems as if something is binding when turning left only. Turning right is smooth and easy, left is harder and can even overwhelm the system at idle unless I let the truck roll or rev the engine up. Even rolling, left is tight.

This truck was in a wreck which bent the right framerail. The right rail is still a little low in front of the control arm and suspension, which is what has me thinking.... could the rail be low, causing the idler arm to not be in the same plane as the pittman arm and cause the binding? I'm guessing the 4wd steering linkage wouldn't give the correct geometry on an independant suspension 2wd?

Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks!

guhfluh

I know this is old and no one answered, but instead of making a new thread, I'll just add to this one.

I'm still having issues with my steering. I've just finished replacing all ball joints, all control arm bushings, all tie rods(inner and outer), and the power steering pump. The power steering lines are new, the steering box is new, the idler arm and Pittman arm are both newer and good with no play and I have a DSS on the box. I've checked for play in the intermediate shaft from the column to the box and it's ok. I've also adjusted the overcenter adjustment on top of the box, which took out all of the dead zone/play in the wheel.

My problem is that the steering is very weak and spongy. It doesn't even have enough power to turn stock tires from lock to lock on concrete, even if raising the rpms. While driving, it takes 1/4 turn or so to get a decent reaction from the wheels and feels very spongy(it does the same when stopped too). If I'm on a flat road, just a little turn of the steering wheel will eventually turn the truck in that direction, but it's not an immediate change and if there's any dips or bumps, then the truck will follow the grooves and track wherever. It will take 1/4 turn in either direction to correct and keep it straight.

From what I can tell, it's either pump pressure or the box. The original pump acted the same, with no discernable difference. I'm scared to mess with the pressure without having a way to gauge it, but I'm at the point I don't care if I blow the box into pieces. Oh, it doesn't stick as if the overcenter adjustment is too tight. If I loosen it there is no change, just play.

Is there anything else I can do to the box to make it respond better? Will the preload on the top input shaft do anything if I don't have play and just spongy response?

I think this is a variable 13-16:1 box, if it matters. I also still have my stock box, if there's anything I can swap internally from one to the other to build a good one out of the two.

From reading and searching everywhere, I don't see where people are having this issue on smaller tires, just 35"+ and even car guys are complaining that their steering is too light, where mine is way too heavy. I'd rather have it responsive and go when I turn the wheel.

The final option may be for me to put my old 300k mile box back in or purchase a 1 ton box, but I need more info on the 1 ton version first. I've seen where people say the hard parts don't wear out in these boxes, then seen where people say they do and don't get replaced when rebuilt. I'm not sure which is correct and it effects my decision on what to do/try.

I know it's long winded, but I'm trying to not leave any detail out. If you have any info that can help, please post.

Thanks

White Rat

Have you had the truck on a frame machine yet to see how far out the right side is?

Have you tried lifting the front some or all to see if that stops some or all the binding?

Maybe try lifting on the very front right rail some will release some of the binding.

I'm wondering if you flex the frame like above will show you something.

Rare1

I don't have a specific fix for you, but are you sure you have bled all the air out of the pump system?

guhfluh

I'm positive all of the air is out now. I thought it may have been a symptom of air, so I gave it a few days to make sure it was all out. It's been a few weeks now and no change.

I have lifted the front end and with less weight(or none) on the wheels, everything is fine.

I do have to add that the binding turning left and not right is no longer present after getting an alignment and centering the box. The issue is mostly lack of power assist from the box in either direction and spongy assist in the middle 1/4 turn.

I don't know that it matters, but the fluid is full synthetic ATF+4. The truck has been running ATF for most of it's life without issue, I just put full synthetic in recently when changing everything out.

White Rat

Might be the vac/power steering pump. I don't know how to check that but that might be something else to look at.

guhfluh

The pump is new, as stated above in the second post, but maybe the relief/spring pressure is too low. I'm not sure because I don't have a gauge to be able to check it with. I don't know many people who do, even the dealers. Normally those special tools are never used and eventually lost at the dealer.

I may pull the pump relief thing out and check to see if it has any shims. I feel safe pulling one out maybe, but that's probably as far as I'll go with the pressure.

I know there's got to be something I can do in the box to help the assist. Ive had an '02 1500 that the shop that put my lift on messed the rack up on and it had full assist all of the time. It would turn 39x18" Mickeys with my pinky. I could turn it lock to lock with a quick spin and let it go by itself. The pump wasn't touched on that truck.

guhfluh

To update: I've just finished adjusting the bearing preload on the box input shaft and readjusting the overcenter/pinion adjustment(top of the box). I ended up loosening the overcenter adjustment before tightening the bearing preload, then readjusting the overcenter and ended up a tad tighter with the overcenter than before. It has a very slight resistance to return to center or "stick", but I can live with it that way since the spongy feeling is now gone and the vibration and clunking in the column/steering wheel has stopped.

Im at least happy that I feel safe driving the truck again. The lack of assist and hard steering is still present and the truck refuses to turn the wheels from center to lock on pavement without rolling the truck forward or backward.

I'm also still not pleased with the "alignment" I got from Goodyear. The steering wheel is off 1/8 of a turn and the truck drifts to the left, harder when braking. Right Camber is at 0* and left Camber is at +.8* The computer "specs" show it in the green and call for positive Caster! I've NEVER seen a vehicle call for positive Caster. -1.0* on a street vehicle is about right. +1.0* no way! You can visually see the left tire tilted out at the top with the truck just sitting there. Hook a tongue load to the bumper and I can imagine what it will look like. Probably like an old jacked up Volkswagen Beetle.

Anyway, I guess the next thing on the agenda is going to be raising the pump pressure some and see how it does. FWIW I also had a '99 1500 with 35x14.5 SSR's on 12" wide rims that had no problem turning the tires on pavement. That should be the same pump and box design as this one, if anything a little lighter duty box maybe.