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83 K5 sloppy steering with videos

Aviodont

Aviodont

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Greenville, SC
I have had the K5 for almost 10 years and put about 1,000 miles on it. Odometer says 62,205 (but could be 162,205). V8 305 4WD. Power Steering.

when I first got the truck, it’s steering was all over the place. Excessive play (I think that is the right word) in the steering wheel with no response in the tires and also the tires roaming the road even when holding it straight. When I replaced the front leaf springs, that fixed 90% of the sloppiness.

It has slowly been getting worse. And it is still not bad, but I am thinking of letting my 20 and 18 year olds use it as a daily driver. I can handle the lack of initial response in the steering wheel, but what is unsettling is that sometimes the truck will pull to the left abruptly and you have to yank to the right quickly. Again, not a lot for me, but not something I want my young drivers to have to worry about. I also will be getting 4 new tires to replace forse racing slicks. And although I have not driven the truck more than 50 miles in the last 6 years, I have noticed just recently that the tires are very slowly deflating (right worse than left).

I have marked with chalk on the steering column, pitman arm and the drag link/adjusting sleeve arm that the pitman connects to (don’t know if that is the name). With the vehicle engine on (not sure if it should be engine off), I had my son turn the steering wheel while I took video. Not sure the videos are good enough, but I think it could help point in the right direction.

a few quick observations to the untrained eye:

1. when turning to the left, there appears to be quite a lag in response. Not so when turning back right.

2. Rag joint appears to transmit 100% from column to gearbox.

3. the joint that connects the pitman arm to the drag link/adjusting sleeve looks in bad shape.



please excuse the lack of professional editing of these 2 short videos.




 
So I watched the video. I didn't see what I needed to see. Lay under the front left watch/film the drag link( pitman to knuckle), and the tie rod ends( knuckle to knuckle) while your son gently wiggles the wheel. You just want him to wiggle the wheel slop not make the tires move.

Be sure to watch the pitman on the gear box shaft(sector shaft). That pinch bolt needs to tight.
Than jack front up, use body stands under the front axle, block/chock rear tires. Try and wiggle front tires by hand in and out at top, and up and down from undernieth the tire use a bar to pry up. any movement is worn ball joints.
 
Wes, when I have my son wobble the steering wheel, should the engine be off, but key turned to ignition so the steering wheel isn’t locked?
 
If it has slop it will show. The pressure shouldn't take up slop. If did there is wear, normally that much wear would cause an internal or external leak, and not improve the tightness of the box.
 
Wes Harden said:
So I watched the video. I didn't see what I needed to see. Lay under the front left watch/film the drag link( pitman to knuckle), and the tie rod ends( knuckle to knuckle) while your son gently wiggles the wheel. You just want him to wiggle the wheel slop not make the tires move.

Be sure to watch the pitman on the gear box shaft(sector shaft). That pinch bolt needs to tight.
Than jack front up, use body stands under the front axle, block/chock rear tires. Try and wiggle front tires by hand in and out at top, and up and down from undernieth the tire use a bar to pry up. any movement is worn ball joints.
Click to expand...
Once you replace the tires you most likely will not have the pulling to the side anymore.
The slop is a difference matter, Wes has you on the right track
 
This one has so much slop, I would guess there is more than one issue with it, but since it hasn't gotten a lot of maintenance lately, it's time to check out everything. It's hard to get much out of the videos, with the camera moving around as we're looking for relative motion. Early in the first one, it looks like we see the drag link below and the rag joint is rotating without the drag link moving. The front DLE also appears to be loose.

I like to put a hand across both sides of a joint (tie rod end, drag link end, ball joint) while the linkage is moved because you can feel any slop more sensitively than the eye can detect. You just have to be careful to stay out of pinch points, of course. In addition to the normal steering joints, check out the ball joints, the front axle U-joints and look for the leaf spring moving. For ball joints, you can try to force movement between inner-C and knuckle with a prybar. Also put your hand across the gear and the frame to see if that moves at all. Even if you don't have the common frame cracks hidden back there, sometimes that frame rail moves side to side, adding to the slop.

I bring up the axle U-joints because when they freeze up it gives the truck that twitchy feeling of wanting to dart around. You can try different steering angles while rotating the axleshaft by hand, but if they're only a little bad the best way to check them is to pull the axleshaft, which is a lot of work.

Also, putting the tires up to normal pressure can only help.
 
Aviodont said:
I have had the K5 for almost 10 years and put about 1,000 miles on it. Odometer says 62,205 (but could be 162,205). V8 305 4WD. Power Steering.

when I first got the truck, it’s steering was all over the place. Excessive play (I think that is the right word) in the steering wheel with no response in the tires and also the tires roaming the road even when holding it straight. When I replaced the front leaf springs, that fixed 90% of the sloppiness.

It has slowly been getting worse. And it is still not bad, but I am thinking of letting my 20 and 18 year olds use it as a daily driver. I can handle the lack of initial response in the steering wheel, but what is unsettling is that sometimes the truck will pull to the left abruptly and you have to yank to the right quickly. Again, not a lot for me, but not something I want my young drivers to have to worry about. I also will be getting 4 new tires to replace forse racing slicks. And although I have not driven the truck more than 50 miles in the last 6 years, I have noticed just recently that the tires are very slowly deflating (right worse than left).

I have marked with chalk on the steering column, pitman arm and the drag link/adjusting sleeve arm that the pitman connects to (don’t know if that is the name). With the vehicle engine on (not sure if it should be engine off), I had my son turn the steering wheel while I took video. Not sure the videos are good enough, but I think it could help point in the right direction.

a few quick observations to the untrained eye:

1. when turning to the left, there appears to be quite a lag in response. Not so when turning back right.

2. Rag joint appears to transmit 100% from column to gearbox.

3. the joint that connects the pitman arm to the drag link/adjusting sleeve looks in bad shape.



please excuse the lack of professional editing of these 2 short videos.




Click to expand...
Another point, you said you replaced the front leaf springs, check to see if the u bolts are still tight, the u bolts settle in the right position and need tightening again
 
A lot of front end problems are associated with noise when turning from lock to lock on dry pavement.... have someone crank the steering lock to lock and listen for pops, snapping sounds etc... sometimes things jump right into focus when you can relate a noise to the motion...
 
That clunk when the tire was turning right is disturbing. Ball joints are definitely bad. Do all 4, plus whatever else you find.

I did not see the box or frame move compared to the fender well, but like Wes said, check the frame for cracks.

Also, just my process on old vehicles, I never change just the ball joints. It is completely apart at that point. Put all new wear items in. Quality stuff. Not the cheapest Chinese stuff.
 
Last edited:
I took some new videos aimed at specific areas, so there are a few. Since I had no help, I had to leave the phone and move the steering wheel itself. I believe this may have actually helped because it removes the motion of my hand which can obscure relative motion between two parts. With the engine off (but key on), I turned the steering wheel 90 degrees in each direction (right maybe 100 degrees) until I could not turn it without significant effort.



Pitman, drag, rag, leaf

Right tie, leaf

Left leaf, pitman, drag

Gear box, frame and rag joint

Rag joint looks solid

Rear end of drag link
https://youtu.be/JDKrk2iyBKw

Pitman, drag, tie, rag
https://youtu.be/65MCz5vFXlE

Left tie
https://youtu.be/OnqeinZZNtE

Pitman, drag, tie, leaf, rag
https://youtu.be/a8d7twdjygA

Sway bar
https://youtu.be/BZK57P4acz4i
 
yes you can see the left spring walking on the bushing. Mine did that for years, but I did not have loose steering or any jumping. The bushing are easy to replace though. Get bushing that are bigger diameter on the end to stop the walking and keep the spring centered in the hanger. Something like these https://www.offroaddesign.com/main-eye-bushings-for-67-91-gm-trucks.html. Be sure to measure the diameter of the bushing before you order any. You can replace the bushing 1 spring eye at time with a floor jack and some basic hand tools.

The movement of the wheel is still to much, we/I would just like to a wiggle back and forth. Also a little longer video of movement would be helpful.

I saw some movement in the right tie rod video, i am not sure if it is tie rod or ball joints, but I am leaning toward ball joints.
 
Wes Harden said:
yes you can see the left spring walking on the bushing. Mine did that for years, but I did not have loose steering or any jumping. The bushing are easy to replace though. Get bushing that are bigger diameter on the end to stop the walking and keep the spring centered in the hanger. Something like these https://www.offroaddesign.com/main-eye-bushings-for-67-91-gm-trucks.html. Be sure to measure the diameter of the bushing before you order any. You can replace the bushing 1 spring eye at time with a floor jack and some basic hand tools.

The movement of the wheel is still to much, we/I would just like to a wiggle back and forth. Also a little longer video of movement would be helpful.

I saw some movement in the right tie rod video, i am not sure if it is tie rod or ball joints, but I am leaning toward ball joints.
Click to expand...
Which video would you like to be longer? I have the day off and I can redo it.
 
The pitman an drag link, and tie rods, if you can get one of the ball joints. Small quick back and forth wiggle of the wheel
 
Ok, updated video. What I never noticed was the clanking sound when I let the steering wheel return from 90 degrees back to center. It is especially noticeable when the steering wheel returns from a right turn.

Pitman, drag, tie, ball joint

 
I am sorry still moving the wheel to much. No tire movement, none.
Wiggle the steering wheel, use thumb and index finger. As soon as you feel resistance go the other way.
Also the whole truck moves when the tires move, and camera doesn't, make it difficult to see.
I don't like that sound. Please look the frame where the steering box is bolted on. It is common issue for the frame to crack there.
 
Ok, so I did a wiggle of the wheel left and right and stopped as soon as I encountered resistance. Camera was fixed on pavement. I took a from video, a rear video (which to me, shows no movement) and an underneath video.

I also took a video inside the frame rail looking for the steering gearbox bolts, it took me awhile to find the last bolt which just happened to be the most suspect looking (to me).

Regarding the bad noise from yesterday’s videos, it really sounds like it is coming from the very front of the truck. Almost near the front of the frame.

These are the videos:

Wiggle wheel from front

Wiggle wheel rear view

Wiggle wheel from underneath

Looking at gearbox bolts inside rail frame
 
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