Truck tilts when steering

[bucket]

I had assumed while stopped. Pretty much any truck with push-pull steering will do it to some degree. It's not a problem, but a level drag link angle should minimize it.

 

[77 K20]

A friend of mine had a '86 Chevy stepside with a 6" lift on it and 35" tires. He noticed movement on the frame while steering lock to lock on pavement while not moving. Not knowing what it was exactly it caused me to do some reading and I ended up buying 2 steering box braces. One for his truck and one for mine. His drag link was at more of an angle than mine- and mine didn't really have any movement at all. (but smaller tires and smaller lift at the time)

It helped prevent the frame from moving so much on his. Plus the frame can get cracked there...

How does your frame look around the steering box?

 

[Chaz]

My truck has close to zero, if any, frame movement when steering lock to lock, stopped on level ground, as shown in the pics.

I do have the ORD steering box brace installed, and no sway bar.

Im thinking maybe your springs are softer than mine causing the frame to tilt, my springs are very stiff and its a fairly harsh ride. Ultimately your springs must compress on one side for the truck to tilt so i think it must be the springs....or maybe bushings?? Maybe you have rubber spring bushings, i have poly, i think most lift springs are using the poly bushings though....

Seems a shame that it wont pass inspection that way i would think it would lend to better axle articulation off road that way.

We dont have inspection in CA, just smog test, they dont care if our vehicles are safe to drive or not as long as they run clean lol.

There must be some way to firm up that ride to pass the inspection though.....

 

[bucket]

I think someone else needs to inspect it. That guy doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. If everything is tight and nothing is cracked, it's a normal thing to see on solid axle trucks. It all depends on drag link angle, spring rate, contact patch width, wheel backspacing, weight on the front axle, etc.

 

[JoeR Jr]

I'm not certain of what this mechanic is talking about, but if it is what I suspect, then he should know this is normal. Any vehicle that has a caster setting other than 0 degrees will tilt when you turn the wheel. It has to, because as you turn the steering wheel one wheel gets forced down, and the other side is raised. It's why increasing the caster angle results in higher steering effort.
I agree with bucket. Find another inspection station, because if he doesn't already know this, he's not going to learn it from you.
Joe

 

[Griff]

Well I ended up measuring the frame movement from lock to lock and it’s only 1/4” different. I ended up taking it back there for a few reasons: the back lane behind my house which my garage faces also has their parking lot entrance so it is really convenient to take it there, they have already inspected it 3 times now so the only thing he is looking for is my steering to be sorted out, and they are considering the amount of weather cracks in my tires passable (definitely giving me a break here). However I took it back there Tuesday and they said they would sneak it in Wednesday...we’ll its Sunday now and it’s still sitting there and they are closed on weekends. Also tomorrow is a holiday so if they don’t get to it by Tuesday I’ll be taking it elsewhere. I was hoping to have it looked at by now so I could post a reasonable follow up but I’m still waiting lol

How does your frame look around the steering box?

I just swapped the steering box with a different one and there was no cracks on the frame. After my safety I plan to either get a steering box bracket or have a welder buddy fabricate something for a case of beer

As always thank you guys for the help and advice I really appreciate it. I have a few diys coming in the near future.