1987 Chevy V10 steering wander

[Ricko1966]

Yep just hook it and pull. If you can't watch them,then let them know you aren't concerned with measurements being green,you are fighting a problem and need to know what the real measured caster is,good or bad that way you know if you need to add wedge and how much. Do not put them in a cover their ass situation,put them in the mood to help you find your problem,for which you need an honest
real printout.

 

[edgephoto]

Yep just hook it and pull. If you can't watch them,then let them know you aren't concerned with measurements being green,you are fight in a problem and need to know what the real measured caster is,good or bad that way you know if you need to add wedge and how much. Do not put them in a cover their ass situation,put them in the mood to help you find your problem,for which you need an honest
real printout.

Don't even get me started with "It's in the green". I don't know how many times I have had to get involved with a case where the alignment is the issue but it is in the green. When I ask what are the angles, I get a blank stare and the tech repeats, "it is in the green". Most guys in the car business are truly lousy at their jobs.

 

[idahovette]

Don't even get me started with "It's in the green". I don't know how many times I have had to get involved with a case where the alignment is the issue but it is in the green. When I ask what are the angles, I get a blank stare and the tech repeats, "it is in the green". Most guys in the car business are truly lousy at their jobs.

That's a pretty broad blanket statement and I call Bullsh!t. Sure there are some people in the business that are a little in the untrustworthy side of things, but to say most of us are, p!sses me off. You need to back off!!!!

 

[Ricko1966]

It's like any other business,there are good techs,bad techs,and great techs( me for example) the bad ones make us all look bad. And we take so much abuse and are the scapegoat when things don't go as the car owner thinks they should. And then all their friends want to arm chair quarterback it and tell them they got ripped off,when none of them really knows what's going on. No one accuses the doctor of ripping them off, "Bob there's no way you have a broken arm,and just by "coincidence" the doctor found out you have a heart problem and diabetic. He's trying to scam you.These same people have no problem saying just replace my starter don't give me any B.S. about my battery cables. If I find loose balljoints doing an oil change,it's because I'm good at my job,not because I'm trying to scam someone.

 

[Ricko1966]

As for alignments and in the green.If I'm aligning your car at a big box store,with a blanket price for the alignment, no matter how much work is involved,in the green is all you are going to get from me. If I'm at a mom and pop shop where I get paid for my actual time involved you are going to get a much better alignment. Especially the stores that sell the lifetime alignments They pay the tech full pay on the initial alignment,but pay about 1/3 for each subsequent alignment,all your getting, is in the green.

 

[Nardulli]

You mentioned that the steering box is new. Si the lash set properly? I set one up too tight once and the car was impossible to drive. Too loose was just as bad. I never came up with a spec - just tiny adjustments till it was right. Emphasis on 'tiny".

 

[legopnuematic]

This is from a 70s Unit repair manual. Should be the same for an 87 however. The 1987 unit repair manual should be available in the tech section of the forum.

First the thrust bearing needs to be adjusted, then the over center adjustment. Most people ignore the first step and make more problems for themselves.

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[Keith Seymore]

The two critical adjustments there are "Thrust bearing preload" and "Overcenter" rotational torques.

K

 

[Keith Seymore]

Had the alignment done and it still feels the same, maybe a bit better, when I did the ball joints the knuckle preload did feel tight. Maybe this is the issue ? Should I loosen the preload sleeves on the upper ball joints?

Did you shim the caster up like I suggested?

It's something you can do at home, in the driveway, without affecting any other adjustments.

10 degrees is what we used in order to fix customer complaint vehicles that the dealerships couldn't fix.

K

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[legopnuematic]

Based on what you describe, I’d look at the thrust bearing in the box first. Check/adjust that first, then check/adjust the over center adjustment.

Unfortunately new (or reman) doesn’t always mean right or better. Especially in the present day.

If everything else is tight, a steering stabilizer or damper should not be needed, in my opinion. Nor (once again, in my opinion) should it be seen as a magic fix for steering issues.

 

[Dejure]

Straight axles still use shims to adjust alignment.

 

[idahovette]

Straight axles still use shims to adjust alignment.

CASTER