Interesting, I missed that part. Maybe a good excuse to buy new steering arms.... LOL
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
97 King Cab DS-Ton build - Rock Jock 60 and shaved 14
- Thread starter r3dd0g
- Start date
Probably not this year, just got back from the Black Hills a few weeks ago. Hope to plan a Moab trip again for next year though.
I read through the pirate posts. Everyone there was talking about the steering binding completely. I can adjust the preload and even drop it down to where it's pretty negligible and I still am not getting a good RTS.
This has me thinking though that maybe it's just the steering box itself causing the issue because it has to pump fluid back and forth as it steers. Maybe if I drill some holes in the piston I can reduce that required effort...
I'm going to try swapping in nylon bushings first. I have a brand new set so it doesn't cost me anything. If that doesn't work I'll look at modifying my steering box.
This has me thinking though that maybe it's just the steering box itself causing the issue because it has to pump fluid back and forth as it steers. Maybe if I drill some holes in the piston I can reduce that required effort...
I'm going to try swapping in nylon bushings first. I have a brand new set so it doesn't cost me anything. If that doesn't work I'll look at modifying my steering box.
So I came up with a different idea of what may be causing the issue and tested it tonight. I disconnected the drag link and made sure the steering wheel moved freely lock to lock and it does, that's turning the servo and steering box/pitman arm, just not connected to the passenger steering arm. That eliminates resistance in the steering box.
Then I jacked up the front end and tried to move the steering back and forth, it was very difficult. I started the truck and with hydraulic pressure it was even more difficult (estimate 50% increase in force required). Just to verify I disconnected the tie rods and made sure both steering knuckles moved freely and they do.
The issue seems to be there is excessive resistance to hydraulic fluid moving through the servo with no torque applied, this is even more difficult with hydraulic pressure in the servo...
I'm going to call Sweet Mfg tomorrow morning and see if they can help me. Hopefully I can re-valve to a softer torsion bar and that will help.
Then I jacked up the front end and tried to move the steering back and forth, it was very difficult. I started the truck and with hydraulic pressure it was even more difficult (estimate 50% increase in force required). Just to verify I disconnected the tie rods and made sure both steering knuckles moved freely and they do.
The issue seems to be there is excessive resistance to hydraulic fluid moving through the servo with no torque applied, this is even more difficult with hydraulic pressure in the servo...
I'm going to call Sweet Mfg tomorrow morning and see if they can help me. Hopefully I can re-valve to a softer torsion bar and that will help.
After about 30 minutes on the phone with Sweet Mfg. they don't think the hydraulic resistance is the issue. I'm going to do some modifications to the factory steering box to take out some of the play.
I also have to send the servo in to get the torsion bar replaced so I'm going to hold off on that for now.
I also have to send the servo in to get the torsion bar replaced so I'm going to hold off on that for now.
I spent quite a bit of time thinking about my steering issues. I decided really I have 2 issues that are being exaggerated by a 3rd.
The first problem is slop between the servo and the steering knuckles. the second is the lack of return to center, the third is the stiff torsion bar in the servo. I already swapped out the heims and adjusted the steering box. This helped but did not fix the issue. After spending some time on the phone with Sweet Mfg. I decided to go ahead with some of the things I was thinking of doing and some that they recommended.
I picked up another steering box to modify so I could go back to stock if necessary. I tore the box down and welded it to eliminate the flex from the stock torsion bar. I suck with a TIG, so I cleaned the welds up a bit with my mini lathe from HF:
Then on Sweet's recomendation I pulled the plug from the end of the piston and removed all the piston seals and reassembled everything:
I took it for a quick test drive and there was definitely an improvement, but I still think that I can get it better. I'm going to drive it to work tomorrow and put some highway miles on it going to the lake this weekend and give Sweet another call on Monday. I think a lighter torsion bar in the servo will get me 95% of the way to where I would like to be. The only remaining item is the "return to center" issue that I'm not certain how to fix or if it can be fixed. It does return to center a bit, but not all the way.
I'll post up tomorrow after my drive to work. That should give me a better feel for how my modifications helped or hurt.
The first problem is slop between the servo and the steering knuckles. the second is the lack of return to center, the third is the stiff torsion bar in the servo. I already swapped out the heims and adjusted the steering box. This helped but did not fix the issue. After spending some time on the phone with Sweet Mfg. I decided to go ahead with some of the things I was thinking of doing and some that they recommended.
I picked up another steering box to modify so I could go back to stock if necessary. I tore the box down and welded it to eliminate the flex from the stock torsion bar. I suck with a TIG, so I cleaned the welds up a bit with my mini lathe from HF:
Then on Sweet's recomendation I pulled the plug from the end of the piston and removed all the piston seals and reassembled everything:
I took it for a quick test drive and there was definitely an improvement, but I still think that I can get it better. I'm going to drive it to work tomorrow and put some highway miles on it going to the lake this weekend and give Sweet another call on Monday. I think a lighter torsion bar in the servo will get me 95% of the way to where I would like to be. The only remaining item is the "return to center" issue that I'm not certain how to fix or if it can be fixed. It does return to center a bit, but not all the way.
I'll post up tomorrow after my drive to work. That should give me a better feel for how my modifications helped or hurt.
The steering is definitely improved. I still think a smaller torsion bar in the servo would help quite a bit.
Also after thinking about the modification I did on the steering box, it opens the possibility of those little pins breaking when excessive force is used to turn the wheel (no hydro pressure). I think I'm going to sacrifice a steering box by
cutting a window in it so I can put the whole thing together so the two shafts are aligned properly and weld them together to eliminate this issue. I'm basically turning a hydro box into a manual steering box, but I'm trying to do it safely.
Also after thinking about the modification I did on the steering box, it opens the possibility of those little pins breaking when excessive force is used to turn the wheel (no hydro pressure). I think I'm going to sacrifice a steering box by
cutting a window in it so I can put the whole thing together so the two shafts are aligned properly and weld them together to eliminate this issue. I'm basically turning a hydro box into a manual steering box, but I'm trying to do it safely.
Since I'm planning on spending about 2.5 weeks behind the wheel of the truck in a month, I decided to upgrade the seats to ones with adjustable lumbar support:
Without the lumbar support, it starts to hurt my back after a couple days of wheeling. It sucks getting old.
Without the lumbar support, it starts to hurt my back after a couple days of wheeling. It sucks getting old.
Ironically lumbar support makes my back sore.
Yo BB, any changes between BB16 and 17?
Almost looked like full hydro from a picture this year. But then again, I don't remember what it looked like anyway.
Almost looked like full hydro from a picture this year. But then again, I don't remember what it looked like anyway.
lol, ok yeah... it's the same steering
I welded the frame back together three times. That's about it.
Remember when you thought the D44 and 12 bolt would be enough for this thing?
well, it worked better than I thought it would...
Plus this way I got to build the Silverado too! Now it's doing what I built the S-10 for originally.
ever plan to cage the s-10?
The S-10 will be getting a major upgrade fairly soon. I need to do some engine work on the Silverado first.
S-10 will be back-halfed with a full cage and a 6.0 swap with major suspension upgrades as well.
S-10 will be back-halfed with a full cage and a 6.0 swap with major suspension upgrades as well.
Think 4800/4500 class but with air conditioning 
Yaaasss awesome!
I'm bringing this thread back from the dead!
I didn't have enough time or money to build the Sonoma with the garage build and all, so the S-10 has to live for at least one more year. I pretty much trashed the power steering system at KOH, the ram was leaking and the pump got fried (again). In an attempt to prevent more pump failures I upgraded to a larger ram to put less stress on the pump. I put in a new PSC pump with a larger -12 inlet hose and put in the 2.5" Howe ram, unfortunately there was a miscommunication and I didn't end up getting all the parts I needed (I thought I could reuse the clevis ends, but the new ram has a 1.25" shaft and the old had a 1.125" shaft so they aren't the same). No pictures since all that is pretty boring.
The next upgrade I started working on was a better approach angle and a less ugly front bumper. Here's the old for reference:
No more bumper!
My new Husky adjustable table worked perfectly for mocking the winch in place, I cut out the bottom fin from the grill and tucked it in as close and as high as I could.
This is where it sits now. I still need to add some tubes on the outside to protect the fenders and headlights, but they will be much higher profile than before. I also need to ramp down to the frame to protect the frame and steering box and add a crossmember.
I reused part of the old winch mount and cut it down quite a bit, I think it looks a lot better now that it's much shorter.
I didn't have enough time or money to build the Sonoma with the garage build and all, so the S-10 has to live for at least one more year. I pretty much trashed the power steering system at KOH, the ram was leaking and the pump got fried (again). In an attempt to prevent more pump failures I upgraded to a larger ram to put less stress on the pump. I put in a new PSC pump with a larger -12 inlet hose and put in the 2.5" Howe ram, unfortunately there was a miscommunication and I didn't end up getting all the parts I needed (I thought I could reuse the clevis ends, but the new ram has a 1.25" shaft and the old had a 1.125" shaft so they aren't the same). No pictures since all that is pretty boring.
The next upgrade I started working on was a better approach angle and a less ugly front bumper. Here's the old for reference:
No more bumper!
My new Husky adjustable table worked perfectly for mocking the winch in place, I cut out the bottom fin from the grill and tucked it in as close and as high as I could.
This is where it sits now. I still need to add some tubes on the outside to protect the fenders and headlights, but they will be much higher profile than before. I also need to ramp down to the frame to protect the frame and steering box and add a crossmember.
I reused part of the old winch mount and cut it down quite a bit, I think it looks a lot better now that it's much shorter.
