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new guy questions

M

mwood1985

1/2 ton status
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Jan 20, 2011
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Marietta Ga
i spent the better part of the last 15 months building my dream k5. 6 inch lift 36 radial TSLs sm465/205 and a 350. now that its done and drivable ive got questions about it. ive never actually driven a k5 other than mine and im trying to sort out bugs in mine that i suspect might be normal to the 73-87 blazers. it might be me just needing more time behind the wheel of my truck but i figures it wouldnt hurt to ask
its got new shocks brakes everythign including the motor and tranny have been rebuilt or replaced with new parts. frame up build.

1. my steering is pretty sloppy driving down the road and pulls when braking. dont have a swaybar yet did the jeep shaft swap. new suspension joints and a new steering stabilizer is installed is a good bit of left to right swaying normal?
2 brakes seem to want to pull left and right alot when applying steady pressure. im kinda thinkin the steering/ braking sway is all related but dont know how to go about curing it
 
Some sway can be expected with a top heavy vehicle. What kind of steering correction did you use, raised steering arm or dropped draglink?
 
raised steering arm. it was already on the axle when i bought it from my buddy. he used it under his mud truck and went 1 tons so i got the 4.56 half tons
 
are you sure the xj shaft is solid? They can some times be loose on the top. If it is, welding it works perfect. Also, they all tend to dip and move one way or the other during breaking, but it should be reliable each time and not change.
 
What is your alignment set at? Toe settings and castor settings are very important on lifted K5's.
 
i welded the jeep shaft at the top already. havent set the alignment to my truck yet on a rack just eyeballed it. waiting on the local LEO to verify my vin for the tag paperwork so i can drive it on the street legally. just been tinkering around my neighborhood.
 
Any cracks at the frame near the steering box? Have you checked for any play in any of the joints in the steering?
 
all the steering joints were replaced when i put the 6 inch and the regeared axles back under the truck. theres no frame cracks that i can see. took the first box off and went back with a 4x4 one. the one originally in place was a 2wd the PO had the truck set up for crossover but never finished his project. i bought the complete body and frame with no motor trans ect.

driving down the street she tracks fairly straight i just get a bad shimmy especially around turns and the feeling of unsteady steering like its fighting my input while slowing down or braking. the power steering seems to be really weak(almost not working. but ive got the belt adjusted correctly and the fluid is to spec) as well compared to my buddys 82 but i have conventional style and hes got hydroboost. im kinda wondering if my steering box itself needs adjusting
 
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your steering box might have some slop in it. try tightening up the adjusting screw on top of the box.
 
My 84 GMC Jimmy has always been a bit loose in the steering wheel. I didn't start driving it until 88-89 but it was pretty loose even then. This is an unmodified truck as well.
 
why would you go from something set up for x-over to the far inferior push/pull steering?
 
You say new brakes, new calipers, or just new pads and rotors.

Even lower quality brakes can pull harder on one side than the other.

As far as your steering goes, you need to get under there and have someone wiggle the wheel back and forth. Looks for whats loose, you will find something.

Unless you are comparing the steering to something new. I have had people who have only driven newer cars think some of my old trucks that steered great were death traps because the steering was so loose.

Old trucks steer like crap when compared to new cars but it sounds like you have something loose under there.

Is your pump brand new?
 
blazinzuk said:
You say new brakes, new calipers, or just new pads and rotors.

Even lower quality brakes can pull harder on one side than the other.

As far as your steering goes, you need to get under there and have someone wiggle the wheel back and forth. Looks for whats loose, you will find something.

Unless you are comparing the steering to something new. I have had people who have only driven newer cars think some of my old trucks that steered great were death traps because the steering was so loose.

Old trucks steer like crap when compared to new cars but it sounds like you have something loose under there.

Is your pump brand new?
Click to expand...

everythings new calipers rotors pads bearings everything and the good quality stuff the parts stores carry. you might have a point there on the newer to older comparison. im used to fuel injected and my ifs truck or my old ttb ford so i might be tryign to fix somethign that dont need fixing lol
 
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