Hi everyone, I’m new here, still trying to figure this site out. Anyways I have a 92’ dodge Cummins that I recently put a 4” skyjacker lift on, truck steered like a hay wagon after. So I put a crossover steering kit on from North West Fab, dual steering stabilizers, a borgeson steering shaft and put 35” tires on it. It definitely handles better, but it still feels like it wonders, and I always have to correct it. Did I put something on wrong haha? What can I do next? I have not done a wheel alignment yet, would that solve it? Truck handled great, and steered great before the lift. Thanks in advance.

 

Did you mount the springs with the wedge shims that come with the springs.

 

By the way welcome to the Forum

 

I'd just add that wheel bearings and kingpins -bushings, bearings, pins, lowers - improved my front end dramatically at 376k miles. I had to realign after I did it, if you're not trying to have it done 2x.

I believe there is some bias in the worm gear on the box towards center. If it wasn't center when you installed the shaft, could be causing it to feel a bit wandery when your wheel is centered, but the worm gear is wants to be somewhere else.

 

Thanks gunch, i did install the wedges.

ya I would like to do my front end in the near future. I just figured if the truck steered straight before, the king pins and bushings, bearings and what not wouldn’t have affected it. Being that this is my first time to owning/driving a lifted truck I’m new to all this haha. My steering wheel is off 180*(still need to fix that), you wouldn’t think that would have an effect though?? Can a truck become pigeon toed from a lift?

 

Not an expert by far, but its more to do with the input shaft on the box being center of travel when the pitman is installed with the wheels straight. Otherwise you've got the wheels straight and the worm gear is not on the biased area holding it tight for straight.

Edit: remembered where I read that:
This page has a lot of good info http://www.stangerssite.com/adjustment.html
"The center gap on the Rack Block is designed tighter than the other gaps so that the center tooth on the Sector Shaft has a tighter fit when meshing with it. This tightness is designed into the center of the box because this is the position the box is most often in - steering the car straight down the road. This tightness in the center keeps the box tighter when going straight down the road so the car doesn't wander. The mesh load is determined by turning the steering box through its full travel and measuring the increased drag in the center of travel."

 

The wedges that they put on the springs have to much of a degree on them.If you have them on properly with the thick part to the front.If you could find some with half of what they have it might work.I took mine off completely and the truck drives fine it’s nothing like your feeling now.But I also lengthen the back shackle a 1/2”.Anyway that’s what I had to do you also if you decide to take it apart again is to measure your ride height on both sides and put a extra plate under the side that’s not quite level

 

Mine was level but I decided to put a 1/2”on the drivers side to compensate for the drivers side sag that happens down the road

 

Thanks scuba, that makes sense, I’ll have to look into that for sure.

yes I have the thicker parts of the wedges facing away from the truck. I can see taking the front ones out, I don’t think the rears would have an effect on the steering eh?

 

The front shims help with driveshaft angles and such, but they don't help in maintaining the factory castor of the front axle.

Castor is what helps your front end return to center when you let go of the wheel coming out of a turn.

If you remove them, which I would recommend, I would check that your driveshaft spins freely without binding, before driving the truck.
I have seen several trucks need a little clearance work with a grinder on the T case end of the driveshaft, on lift kits over about 3 inches high.

 

No the rears you can leave alone .Like Ollie said why you have it up turn the drive shaft and grind what you have to out.They make bigger u joints for the front with more clearance but you need another yoke .

 

93's and 2ndgens have the larger 7290 yoke.

You can even use the 2ndgen front shaft if the length is suitable. It bolts to the tcase the same, and no grinding required because its a Spicer CV instead of a Saginaw. The stock Saginaw can be ground down really nice for good angle (to match the Spicer) but you'll have to take it right apart. I got at least 25 degrees out of mine. The pinion end binds first despite clearancing the yoke (on my truck anyway.)

If you're buying a new pinion yoke, I'd go with at least a 1350 (ubolt style) and a conversion ujoint.

 

I don't have a lift or any of these issues but this is some interesting info just the same.

Welcome to the forum and, maybe in another thread, tell us about your crew cab.

 

I had springs done locally on mine. No shims with a 3.5 inch lift.

The truck wandered until I had the toe alignment properly done by a truck shop. Not Midas or any other box chain store. A real truck spring shop.

Perfect ever since

 

Hmm, maybe I’ll take the truck to get an alignment first, and if it’s still wanders, I’ll take the wedges out and do some grinding. I just don’t feel like taking the front end apart if I don’t have to haha.

Thanks KRB, one day when I’m bored I’ll post some pics and share my story.

The problem where I live, there is no real truck spring shops haha. The best place I have is a fountain tire.

Thanks for all the info guys, I’ll update when I find the solution.