Does this look right to you?

[gjk5]

My '72 K5 hs some squirrelly steering going on, it's not play it's just really loose. Take a look at these couple of pics if you could and tell me if all looks well here.

Just seems like it's at a wierd angle. I could be wrong as I don't know what they should look like to begin with.



Hell, while I'm at it here's a pic of the K5's new home, the green one to join it by Fri., guess I'll have to move some crap off the pad I thought was way to big.

Anyway, do I have a easily identifiable problem with the steering or is it something deeper?

 

[readymix]

Your drag link "should" be parrelell to you leaf springs to be most effective and eliminate the poss. of bump steer. Yours doesn't look that bad though. I would check the BJ's and DRE's and TRE's for play. Could also be the rag joint

 

[AkMudr]

I would turn the tie rod end that connects to the pitman arm about 10-15* clockwise so that the face of it is parallel to the pitman arm..That of couse wont have any effect on it being squirely..check all the TRE's and ball joints, and yer hub bearings too. (make sense I suck as describing **** lol)

 

[gjk5]

I got the B(all) J(oint) and rag joint parts, but sorry for the technical ignorance; what are the BRE's and TRE's?

Before I got this truck I hadn't done anything more serious than spark plug changes, fluid changes, and a couple of brake jobs, so I'm still learning.

 

[AkMudr]

Tie Rod Ends. Best way Ive found to check for steering slop is to sit in front of the truck and have a buddy turn the wheel back n forth and you will see what is loose pretty easily.

 

[gjk5]

Yeah, that makes sense if I am understanding it. That's what looked off kilter to me in the pic.



I inherited a whole other steering box (plus a lot of other crap) when I bought the trucks is there a way to check that one to see if it is tighter or in better shape than this one?

 

[gjk5]

Hey, maybe that's how I'll get the wife in it for the second time! I'll try it tomorrow.

 

[steve_kibbe]

might sound elementary, but check out the steering stabilizer. My buddy got his blazer home, and it drove really wierd, the shaft had a big bend in it. Hop you get it all worked out


Steve

 

[southernspeed]

If you do a search or look at my old posts you'll find plenty on this. Your drag link needs to be down at the rear to avoid bump steer. If it's level like yours you will get bad bump steer.

 

[southernspeed]

It does need to be higher, trust me. You've got to imagine the axle not only goes upwards but rearwards too. The springs are fixed at the front and allowed to move at the rear-hence the axle moves rearwards.
If the draglink is flat to the ground, as it moves upwards (in an arc), the steering arm end is actually moving forward in that arc.
If the drag link is down at the rear, as it moves up in that same arc it's actually moving rearwards (chasing the axle's movement) until it gets to the horizontal and then starts on that forward path....but you should never normally get to that point!!!
When the link wants to move forward and your axle wants to go backwards you get bumpsteer!__________________

Here's an extract from an earlier post i put up. hope it explains why the drag link needs to be at an angle.

 

[MarcS]

Also make sure your steering gear(box) is tight to the frame.

 

[gjk5]

Pulling it and the rest of the shocks and replacing later this month. It appears to be straight though.

 

[gjk5]

Thanks, I'll take a look at it when I move the green '72 back there today, since I'll have to move the yellow one anyway I'll start her up and check for play in the whole steering set-up.


I just moved to this house a little more than a month ago, I need to dig around and find all my manuals too, so I'll know more about what I'm looking at and for.

 

[gjk5]

Done, one of the first things I checked before buying it, in addition to frame cracks since they seem to be so notorious for our trucks around the steering box.

 

[steve_kibbe]

The frames aren't as weak on the 1st gen as the 2nd gens.

Done, one of the first things I checked before buying it, in addition to frame cracks since they seem to be so notorious for our trucks around the steering box.

 

[American84K5]

sometimes early trucks with power steering are kinda loose..but i dont kno how loose ur talking about

 

[gjk5]

Like if you sneeze while gripping the wheel tight you're liable to end up in the ditch, real loose. And it kinda feels like it's wandering while you're trying to track straight down the road, just basically like you're less and less in control the faster you go.

 

[bigrollin76]

that last discription of yours is exactly how my steering is i hope its just my gear box and not everything under there. maybe because all my stuff looks like yours to.ive got a steering stablizer on there to and i still have the same problem and the stablizer is perfectly fine.

 

[84_Chevy_K10]

I'd say replace that drag link end that has no dust boot on it. I bet it's worn out from being full of crap.

 

[American84K5]

damn just look at something next thing u kno is ur on ur top sliding down the street...