Big tires and wandering

[possum70]

I've been having trouble with my truck wandering on the road. When I turn, it takes about a half second to turn, or only maybe a quarter second. Anyway, not when I turn the wheel. I've tighten the steering box but it still does it. My rag joint seems good. Still going to change it to the XJ shaft. I have one already. Next on the list was new TRE's and ball joints but they all seem tight. Someone mentioned today that they had the same problem and when they switched to a different tire it quit wandering. I have 33x12.50 Interco Super Swampers. Will they cause my truck to wander?

possum

 

[ion]

Swampers are not a road friendly tire at all. But also check your ball joints, and how does the rag joint on the steering box look?

 

[Russell]

Toe it in a bit, that helps too

 

[sweetk30]

steering /suspension parts tight and adjusted correctly.

play in sector shaft out of steering box or play from input to output in box ?

frame cracked ? ( happens a lot ) add a bolt in brace from ord if not and if cracked fix it and do weld in also with bolt in .

and yes toe set to toe in 1/4" to 1/2"

how did you adjust the box ? if wrong you will burn it up

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

Toe in, less air, and make sure your frame isn't cracked behind the steering box.

 

[Z71paramedic]

As mentioned, start by checking ball joints, tie rods, drag links and wheel bearings. If your leaf spring bushings are overly worn out it could cause this as well. Check all the safety things first and foremost. Cracked frame by the steering box is possible, or just loose bolts. The tires won't have the best road manners, but they shouldn't be too bad. The biggest issue is that most swampers are bias ply, which inherently have poor ride/responsiveness compared to radials. Sounds like you have something other than a bias ply tire problem though.

 

[hillbilly deluxe]

I had my steering box rebuilt and now the steering is super tight and responsive. I had to re-learn how to steer my truck. I used to "prepare" to turn when coming to a corner by taking the slack out in whichever direction I was going.....

It still wanders some. All my tie rod ends are replaced. I still have the rag joint that came in my truck. My suspension bushings are new-ish. I just figured it had alot to do with the way big wide tires react to the small ruts that are in most roads.

Also, it was alot worse when I had bad front springs (no arch left). Well, I don't think the no-arch springs made it wander more, they just made it scarier.

 

[bensk5]

As mentioned, start by checking ball joints, tie rods, drag links and wheel bearings. If your leaf spring bushings are overly worn out it could cause this as well. Check all the safety things first and foremost. Cracked frame by the steering box is possible, or just loose bolts. The tires won't have the best road manners, but they shouldn't be too bad. The biggest issue is that most swampers are bias ply, which inherently have poor ride/responsiveness compared to radials. Sounds like you have something other than a bias ply tire problem though.

This is the best advice right here above.

 

[Greg72]

When first saw this thread, I thought someone had bumped some zombie thread from 10 years ago......

...... When 33" was considered a big tire!



-G

 

[possum70]

...... When 33" was considered a big tire!

Not that I think 33s are big (I consider that a minimum for a K5) but the big tire is what I was told could cause it and he saw 33 as a bigger tire.

I have tried to move my balljoints and tie rod stuff and nothing seems loose. I've tightened all my steering box bolts, or went to, but they were tight already. I've checked my springs and they have plenty of arch (4") and aren't cracked or anything. I guess I'm about to take the box off to check my frame. I get to scrape off a bunch of crud and some type of rubber undercoating to get a good look. I just hate starting something like that. It's always apart longer than I planned and out of commission.

possum

 

[ChrisPerry]

Have you had an alignment done? (if you have post what they set everything at) If the castor is off it can cause wandering issues.

 

[Greg72]

Even without an alignment shop you can do a ballpark caster measurement.

Park on level ground, tires straight ahead. Out an angle finder on the the flat top of the knuckle (or lined up with the seam where the steering arm sits) and see how many degrees you've got..... Less than about 6* and the truck won't have very good high-speed stability and won't return-to-center after a turn.

If you're off by a couple of degrees you could add a small shim under the spring pack.


-G