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Over boosted power steering

yeah at @ +6* it shouldn't be that squirrelly, so something else is going on here. I know the short wheel base like higher caster, I thinking it was going to be less than 2*.
3 pages now I forget, do you have Hydro assist ? Sway bar ?
 
Wes Harden said:
yeah at @ +6* it shouldn't be that squirrelly, so something else is going on here. I know the short wheel base like higher caster, I thinking it was going to be less than 2*.
3 pages now I forget, do you have Hydro assist ? Sway bar ?
Click to expand...
No sway bar or hydro assist or steering stabilizer.
 
Wes Harden said:
yeah at @ +6* it shouldn't be that squirrelly, so something else is going on here. I know the short wheel base like higher caster, I thinking it was going to be less than 2*.
3 pages now I forget, do you have Hydro assist ? Sway bar ?
Click to expand...
These are some images of the steering and just some cool ones I took on Saturday in the driveway. In the one image the tie rod was just sitting on the arms but I just wanted to show you what I’m working with.
 
Grasping at straws here. Any of the bushing bolts seem sloppy in the bushing sleeves? Do the bushing sleeves go all the way through.
 
Wes Harden said:
Grasping at straws here. Any of the bushing bolts seem sloppy in the bushing sleeves? Do the bushing sleeves go all the way through.
Click to expand...
Yes one of the front shakle bushings is worn and it sits a little off .
 
Wes Harden said:
Grasping at straws here. Any of the bushing bolts seem sloppy in the bushing sleeves? Do the bushing sleeves go all the way through.
Click to expand...
I’m gonna try the shims tomorrow. I’ll check all the bolts and get new bushings for the front leaf springs.I’m gonna start with the 2 degree then I will try the three. If that doesn’t work then I will take off the arms and see what’s going on with the Reid bushings. I will give updates as I go along. Thanks for everyone contributions. Please stick around while I try to figure this out. I will continue to post pics through the links to help see what I have going on.
 
Here is a stupid idea, but its very easy to check. I was working late one night, and needed a part from the shop to finish my last call.
Hopped in the service truck that I had been driving all day and headed into town.
Noticed that the truck seemed a little drifty, but I was in a hurry. Got to the shop, grabbed the parts, did a few other things and headed out.
By this time the darn truck would barely stay in the lane. I got out, checked the steering, kicked all the tires, everything looked good.
It was getting dark, and I had a long way to go, so I took off. I could stay in my lane, but had to work at it.
Half way there, the blue lights went on behind me.
Cop walked up, saw who it was, and stepped back. He said, J., what the heck is going on? I've been following you for a mile and thought you were drunk.
I know better than that with you, whats up?
I told him that something was wrong with the steering or something, but I could handle it and was going home after the last stop.
He told me to be careful, and followed me for about another 5 miles. Finally he blinked his lights and I pulled over. Told me he did not see anything wrong, but to be careful and make sure they got it fixed the next morning.

I got the system fixed, took about 45 minutes. Headed out to drop the truck off at the shop and get my car. Started backing out, something felt really wrong.
Got out, right rear tire was flat.
We hauled lots of heavy stuff in those trucks, so the tires were at least load range E or better. I had kicked it, and the cop had followed me for a long time with no indication that the tire was low.
I guess that the sidewalls were so stiff, it just did not look or feel flat until all the air had run out.
Tire place we contracted with came out and swapped it. Truck drove fine after that.
Your description of what your truck is doing sounds exactly like that truck. Check the air with a gauge before doing extensive suspension work.
You never know......
 
Fordum said:
Here is a stupid idea, but its very easy to check. I was working late one night, and needed a part from the shop to finish my last call.
Hopped in the service truck that I had been driving all day and headed into town.
Noticed that the truck seemed a little drifty, but I was in a hurry. Got to the shop, grabbed the parts, did a few other things and headed out.
By this time the darn truck would barely stay in the lane. I got out, checked the steering, kicked all the tires, everything looked good.
It was getting dark, and I had a long way to go, so I took off. I could stay in my lane, but had to work at it.
Half way there, the blue lights went on behind me.
Cop walked up, saw who it was, and stepped back. He said, J., what the heck is going on? I've been following you for a mile and thought you were drunk.
I know better than that with you, whats up?
I told him that something was wrong with the steering or something, but I could handle it and was going home after the last stop.
He told me to be careful, and followed me for about another 5 miles. Finally he blinked his lights and I pulled over. Told me he did not see anything wrong, but to be careful and make sure they got it fixed the next morning.

I got the system fixed, took about 45 minutes. Headed out to drop the truck off at the shop and get my car. Started backing out, something felt really wrong.
Got out, right rear tire was flat.
We hauled lots of heavy stuff in those trucks, so the tires were at least load range E or better. I had kicked it, and the cop had followed me for a long time with no indication that the tire was low.
I guess that the sidewalls were so stiff, it just did not look or feel flat until all the air had run out.
Tire place we contracted with came out and swapped it. Truck drove fine after that.
Your description of what your truck is doing sounds exactly like that truck. Check the air with a gauge before doing extensive suspension work.
You never know......
Click to expand...
I’ll add it to the list
 
6 degrees is enough caster. Do the knuckles rotate easily? Pay attention to how much force it takes to get them to rotate vs keep them turning,
 
black dawg said:
6 degrees is enough caster. Do the knuckles rotate easily? Pay attention to how much force it takes to get them to rotate vs keep them turning,
Click to expand...
The knuckles are extremely hard to move. Like many others on different forums I have been reading. The Reid bushing sticks out higher and doesn’t fit in the recess of the high steer arm. So when you bolt down the arm it puts the preload on the bushing. The preload screw is not in and the washer that the preload screw contacts is free to move around. Some have relieved the bushing and some have recessed the arm. And some have just drove it for a little while and it works itself in. I have choose to let it work itself in. But I will be pulling the arms off today to take a look. Especially if I pop off the tie rod and the knuckle is tight. I may recess the arms so I can remove that issue out of the equation. What do u think?
 
black dawg said:
I think I would put the oem style bushing in there......and see how it does.
Click to expand...
I called ruff stuff where I got all my parts from and they told me to run the bushings without the roll pin for a while. So I’ll take there advice and see what happens. I don’t have the old plastic ones.
 
black dawg said:
6 degrees is enough caster. Do the knuckles rotate easily? Pay attention to how much force it takes to get them to rotate vs keep them turning,
Click to expand...
Did you look at the link to the alighnment spec sheet? Gm spec is 7.5-8.5
 
mark84k5 said:
...the steering feels like nothing is there....
Click to expand...

mark84k5 said:
The knuckles are extremely hard to move.
Click to expand...

No offense but these 2 statements would seem to be contradictory.

I can see the tight knuckles preventing the return to center but I would think they'd also make the steering wheel feel very heavy.
 
nvrenuf said:
No offense but these 2 statements would seem to be contradictory.

I can see the tight knuckles preventing the return to center but I would think they'd also make the steering wheel feel very heavy.
Click to expand...
It does sound contradictory but that’s what’s going on. When I get home from work I will jack up the front end and take a video and post a link. That is why I originally thought that the power steering was over boosted. I have no interest in telling fairy tales. The steering is super light and the knuckles are super tight. Doesn’t make sense plus the truck is all over the road. I will even try to take a video of me moving the steering shaft while the camera faces the rag joint so you guys can see there is no play in it.
 
nvrenuf said:
No offense but these 2 statements would seem to be contradictory.

I can see the tight knuckles preventing the return to center but I would think they'd also make the steering wheel feel very heavy.
Click to expand...
here’s a video showing the steering ... tell me what else you would like to see
 
Fordum said:
Here is a stupid idea, but its very easy to check. I was working late one night, and needed a part from the shop to finish my last call.
Hopped in the service truck that I had been driving all day and headed into town.
Noticed that the truck seemed a little drifty, but I was in a hurry. Got to the shop, grabbed the parts, did a few other things and headed out.
By this time the darn truck would barely stay in the lane. I got out, checked the steering, kicked all the tires, everything looked good.
It was getting dark, and I had a long way to go, so I took off. I could stay in my lane, but had to work at it.
Half way there, the blue lights went on behind me.
Cop walked up, saw who it was, and stepped back. He said, J., what the heck is going on? I've been following you for a mile and thought you were drunk.
I know better than that with you, whats up?
I told him that something was wrong with the steering or something, but I could handle it and was going home after the last stop.
He told me to be careful, and followed me for about another 5 miles. Finally he blinked his lights and I pulled over. Told me he did not see anything wrong, but to be careful and make sure they got it fixed the next morning.

I got the system fixed, took about 45 minutes. Headed out to drop the truck off at the shop and get my car. Started backing out, something felt really wrong.
Got out, right rear tire was flat.
We hauled lots of heavy stuff in those trucks, so the tires were at least load range E or better. I had kicked it, and the cop had followed me for a long time with no indication that the tire was low.
I guess that the sidewalls were so stiff, it just did not look or feel flat until all the air had run out.
Tire place we contracted with came out and swapped it. Truck drove fine after that.
Your description of what your truck is doing sounds exactly like that truck. Check the air with a gauge before doing extensive suspension work.
You never know......
Click to expand...
Every tire is at 30psi
 
Yeah, I'm not sure what else to look at except the kp bushing tension.
 
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