Truck is walking while driving

[cah2873]

Hello,
I am new to this forum so I will be asking elementary questions on different items. I have recently purchased a father/son project for his 1st ride and it is a 1984 Chevrolet K20. We have several things to work on it over the next year. One of the problems is that when we go done the highway- the steering wheel appears to have to much walk in it. It has a 4" lift with 35" Toyo tires that are nearly worn out. Underneath, the tie rod end and etc can not be moved by hand. I need some pointers on where to start replacing or looking for.

Thanks Again,

CAH2873

 

[jetman]

When I bought my 83 K10 it was the same way. Going down the road was like a scene out of Beverly Hillbillies w/ Jeb turning the wheel left-right to keep the vehicle in one lane.

I totally replaced ALL the parts in the front end, everthing between the steering wheel and the front tires. Got the most bang for the buck via: 1) replacing steering box w/ a rebuilt AC-Delco unit fr RockAuto and installing Jeep XJ steering shaft (replacing the rag joint).

 

[Camar068]

Look for cracks in the frame close to the bolt holes for the steering box. These vehicles are known for cracked frames in that area due to flex. I think it will be amplified even more with bigger tires on it. The link below has the frame repair kit and a brace as well.

As said above, check to make sure the play isn't coming from your steering box as well as doing the Jeep steering shaft mod. The jeep mod should cost less than $20 (used shaft at junkyard for around $10), and will make a big difference. Link below.

http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/steeringkit.htm

http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1812

 

[cah2873]

I see an adjustment bolt on the top side of the gear box. Is this advisable to do?

 

[jetman]

There are actually two (2) adjustments on a power steering box; thrust bearing preload and pitman adjustment. I prefer to make these adjustments very carefully, which means R&R the box. If the box is fairly old, which is almost always the situation, I prefer to replace with a quality rebuilt unit which includes new seals and has already been adjusted out by someone who does this everyday for a living.
Procedure: http://www.bacliffrv.com/TruckParts/Steering.pdf

 

[chengny]

Does the problem manifest itself more like a constant left-to-right "drift" - one that requires the truck to be continuously "steered" when travelling at higher speeds?

Or, does it feel like there is a lack of response (or excessive over-reaction) when the steering wheel is moved?

If the problem can be described more like drifting (or "walking" as you say), you might want to take a look at the front wheel bearings.

Unlike the other causes suggested above, loose bearings in the front hubs don't usually cause any noticeable lost motion in the steering system. If an excessive bearing play condition exists, the steering generally feels tight and the wheels stay true while at low speeds.

When it shows up is at highway speeds. To maintain direction, the steering wheel requires constant small corrections. These corrections become second nature and they are carried out almost instinctively. As long as the operator's focus remains on the road, the truck steers normally and maintains the desired direction.

But if the driver's attention is diverted, even momentarily, the truck's direction can veer. When you look back up, it's immediately obvious that the direction of travel has changed. Depending on the degree of bearing play - and time of unattended steering - you might find yourself almost in the adjacent lane. When one of these near lane changes occurs, it's usually no big deal. The proper direction is easily restored with just a minor adjustment of the steering wheel.

So, unlike the noticable symptoms that are sometimes associated with excessively worn components in the steering column/steering linkage, the symptoms of loose front bearings are more like a nuisance than they are annoying.

 

[highdesertrange]

you said it has a 4" lift. does it have a raised steering arm? if it doesn't the frame is cracked. highdesertranger