Ok folks, I've been gone a while busy with other things. Crew cab on hold, building a d100 with a magnum 360, messing with subarus and diesel samurais, ya dada, yadda, yadda...

Anyway, the other morn, my son was distracted by something on the seat (dang kids). He hit the neighbor's concrete curb sticking out the end of his driveway solidly with the front driver's side tire. Upon inspection, I found he sheared the spring pack bolt on the driver's side and slid the axle back on the front spring about a half inch. The truck would then turn very sharply to the left, but hardly turn to the right. I imagine it dog trotted a bit as well.

So, we replaced the center bold that holds the spring pack together and locates the spring on the axle pad and relocated the axle and tightened everything down. Upon test drive, the steering wheel is upside down and the truck still does not turn to the right as far as it once did.

Clearly, the distance between the axle and steering box is still not right. What else could I check?

I hate to think the frame is tweaked too much. The truck only has 330k on it. I can tell that the front spring hanger is bent a little and the edges of the welds have been stressed. The rear of the spring has not been pushed into the frame, though, which makes me think the spring is where it is supposed to be with respect to the frame rail. The front springs are pretty tired and the end of the spring is pretty close to the frame on both sides.

If the whole frame rail was pushed back, the geometry between the steering box and axle would not change so much that it would turn a lot sharper one way the the other, correct?

I appreciate the help. Thanks.

 

Check all the steering components, good chance something there is bent from the hit.. sucks to hear that happened and hope it's an easy fix.

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Are you sure the center bolt is in the hole and not the well on either side of the spring perch?
Or maybe the flimsy steering box bracket is bent.

 

What he said: check the steering box bracket and the frame itself in the commonly known area where it cracks as shown in this thread

 

With that much force to shear the spring bolt, and push the axle back, I'd suspect that maybe the axle tube is bent on the front diff.

 

McNitt and diesel, I'm almost positive I'm back in the center hole. The rust/weather marks lined up to make me believe it was back where it belonged.

Cows, I'm worried about that,too. Not sure how to check. I new I was going to regret bartering by extra Dana 60 away.

 

I think your best bet at this point is going to be a reputable collision shop with a frame and alignment machines, If they have both of those and know how to use them they should be able to figure out whats bent.

 

Put your kid to work. Have him point the wheels straight. Ignore the steering wheel position. Hold a string half way up the forward edge of the front tire. Have your son hold the other end of the string at the back side of the rear tire. It should be fairly straight the whole way down.
Grab a sharpie and mark the string at leading edge of the front wheel and the trailing edge of the rear wheel. When you check the other side of the truck make sure the wheels line up with the marks.

That's a quick 5 minute way to get a rough idea of the position of the front axle and wheel alignment. It will find a bent axle too.

Obviously, you need to inspect the steering components for damage. A straight string will find bent stuff here too.

 

A good way to check a frame at home is park on a clean, level concrete pad and using a plumb bob make cross hair marks at 4 places down each side of the frame. Very front, rear hanger on front spring, front hanger on rear spring and very rear. Make sure the spots are exactly the same on both sides.

Move the truck and then check for straightness an also measure diagonals.

 

Thanks guys. The frame shop will be my last ditch. I pretty much do all my own work. As soon as I get project two out of my shop or project one out of my garage I'll try the plumb bob. I looked at it a little more today. The front, front spring hanger is tweaked a little more than I thought.

 

need a frame?

 

I've got a w350 frame from a 93 gas truck sitting under your dad's cab.

 

if you look at the gap between the cab and box you may notice a big problem there.

if not, you are luckier than me.