Question for the shackle-flippers.

[87BrnRsd]

I dont knoow, but I would stay away from running less pressure in one or two tires than in any of the others. It leads to increased tire wear on the tires you let air out of, and can even cause a tire malfunction. As far as your wandering problem is concerned, I think you need some softer front springs. Yours sounds awfully stiff. You have all the correct components (swaybar hooked up, raised steering arm, etc...), so the front should not bounce and wander like it does. I have an echobit shackle flip in the rear of mine, and 4" front BDS springs with a 1" zerorate under them, no aftermarket or new steering stableizer, and if I let go of my steering wheel going down the road, the truck stays almost perfectly straight. I would start by checking all of the tie rod ends, ball joints, etc..., then if those are all fine, maybe look into some new front springs. It could be since your front springs are used, they may be worn out. /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif Hope this helps.
-Harrison

 

[Triaged]

What angle is your swaybar at now?

My guess it that asside from REALLY STIFF front springs (I just swapped out my 720# rancho's for 295# TC EZ-rides /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif) that your swaybar is mounted at an angle and fighting the springs when the axle wants to move. First thing I would try is driving without the front swaybar hooked up. If you want you could order some ORD swaybar correction/disconects that will alow you to keep the swaybar and make it not fight your springs.

Other choices:

Put an add-a-leaf in the back to make it ride like a brick just like the front /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif

Remove one (or 2 or 3 /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif) leaves from the front springs. It will sit lower but also be softer.

My front axle actually moves when I go over bumps now that I got rid of the Rancho's/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[NerdBoy]

Yup, my idiocy lack of attention to detail strikes again...

Well, it appears that a lot of the problem was in the fact that I am a little forgetful...
See, after I did the flip, I went around, and tightened all the bolts on the springs...
Or so I thought...
I missed the bolts on the back, between the shackles and the springs. They were both quite loose.
Oops.
I took it for a test drive, and, while it is still bouncy, at least it bounces straight, which is what I expected it to do in the first place. I am going to buy a new steering stabilizer, still, though.
Any suggestions on a type I should get? I'm running a 10-bolt with 35x12s.

 

[pauly383]

Re: Yup, my idiocy lack of attention to detail strikes again...

[ QUOTE ]
Any suggestions on a type I should get?

[/ QUOTE ]

I would just get a cheap parts store one with a liftime warranty, because if you wheel it, it will hit something. Part of mine is flat now /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[84_Chevy_K10]

Re: Yup, my idiocy lack of attention to detail strikes again...

A steering stabilizer isn't a critical part anyway. If everything is tight, it can be completely shot or missing and you won't notice it. Ask me how I know. /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

 

[4xcrazy]

Re: Yup, my idiocy lack of attention to detail strikes again...

I don't think you do know, because when i had mine off to find the right one, the damn thing would travel all over the road on the highway. /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

 

[TruckNutzDude]

Re: Yup, my idiocy lack of attention to detail strikes again...

Check your u-bolts. If you've just installed springs, used or not, your u-bolts will need to be re-torqued a few times before they settle down. I had the same wandering feeling when I installed my 4" lift, a few drives around town and a couple shots with the air gun and I was good to go. BTW I ran no swaybar and a rear flip with 36" Swampers and the only complaint I had was the unbalanced tires would wobble at high speeds (65 mph+) Good luck /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[4xcrazy]

Re: Yup, my idiocy lack of attention to detail strikes again...

Been retorqued several times. /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

 

[Mastiff]

[ QUOTE ]
My guess it that asside from REALLY STIFF front springs (I just swapped out my 720# rancho's for 295# TC EZ-rides /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif) ...

My front axle actually moves when I go over bumps now that I got rid of the Rancho's/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

/forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif I have 4" rancho springs in front and they are really stiff. So you noticed a big difference going to the EZ-rides? Are you 4" lift, or 6"?

Is TC EZ-Ride the best front lift spring? I'll want to do it right if I go to the trouble of swapping.

(I know this is kind of a hijack, but the original problem has been solved...)

 

[Triaged]

I had 4" Rancho's for a 1st gen K5 (which has 3" shorter leaves up front). They are stiffer then the 2nd gen leaves but I don't know by how much. Rancho has all the #'s up on their site.

I think the TC EZ-rides are as soft as you can get. When I swapped out the Rancho's I moved the front spring hanger forward some and bolted in 2nd gen K5 springs.

So for me going from the stiffest spring you can get for any K5 to the softist you can get for any K5 it made a HUGE DIFFERENCE! Now it just sits to high and my shocks limit me to about 3" of droop travel /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif