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Whats next for my steering?

JBerno

JBerno

1/2 ton status
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Nov 9, 2010
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Location
Louisville, KY
I need some "professional" :bow: :bow: advice on my steering. 72' Blazer

I recently replaced the front and rear drag links and the steering stabilizer (shock). The truck goes down the road pretty damn good, drifts a little from time to time. My dilemma is when I hit a good sized bump or something like that it tends to want to get squirrelly on me. I am not sure what to look at next, ball joints? steering box??? :dunno: :dunno:

Thanks in advance
 
Lift you front end off the ground, and give wheels a good shake, up down, side to side, etc.

If they wobble up/down, your ball joints are toast.

If side to side, look to see where the slop is. Steering box is probably your last issue. Tie rod ends, ball joints are the probable ones.
 
I put a little lift in my truck and when I hit a bump it would take off to the right so I put a drop pitman arm on and it drives better than ever. Crossover someday:D
 
Stomis said:
Cause lifted or not is drives better.
Click to expand...


Agreed....but i'd be clear on direction and desired use before suggesting an upgrade like this. Great info for him to learn about, but at the same time, if he just wants to fix his stock setup, lets do some brainstorming on that too!

:waytogo:

EDIT: We're all here to try and be helpful, i just get irritated when big upgrades (cross over, 1 tons, etc) are thought of a the norm. Some guys just need help getting their rigs back in "stock" functioning order.
 
72blazerguy said:
Check your suspension bushings.
Click to expand...

I like where your heads at.
Do you have good shocks?
My buddy had a similar condition; it turned out to be 1 good shock , 1 bad shock. When he hit a bump the shocks would travel at different rates causing a squirrelly effect.
 
Here is some more information.

I just put a 6" lift on it, so I have new springs, bushings ( am I correct that these are the bushings that were referred to?) and shocks

My truck is "stock" (loose term here), I don't plan on doing any romp-in - stomp-in wheeling in it, more of a grocery getter. Other than the lift I want to get it back to the basics. I am the second owner of this ALL original beauty, there is nothing "major" needed on it other than un-doing what 40 years has done to it.
With that being said if cross over is the solution then so be it, "gotta do what you gotta do", but I would prefer to not get into major stuff that may not be needed for my actual use of her.

I don't know about all of this stuff which is why I threw it out there. I am open to all suggestions
 
Since you don't plan on off roading it then you don't need crossover steering.
 
dhcomp said:
Lift you front end off the ground, and give wheels a good shake, up down, side to side, etc.

If they wobble up/down, your ball joints are toast.

If side to side, look to see where the slop is. Steering box is probably your last issue. Tie rod ends, ball joints are the probable ones.
Click to expand...

So for now here is where I am headed. This is my first course of business

TREA18 said:
I put a little lift in my truck and when I hit a bump it would take off to the right so I put a drop pitman arm on and it drives better than ever. Crossover someday:D
Click to expand...

This will be next if its not the ball joints, is there a vendor here that I can get the drop pitman arm from if I need to go that route?

72blazerguy said:
Check your suspension bushings.
Click to expand...

Are these the bushings for the springs that you are referring to? Mine are all new if so
 
JBerno said:
Here is some more information.

I just put a 6" lift on it, so I have new springs, bushings ( am I correct that these are the bushings that were referred to?)
Click to expand...

If the lift did not come with either a raised steering arm, dropped pitman arm or a dropped draglink then this is your problem.

Did you replace the bushings in the frame at the rear end of the front springs where the shackles bolt to the frame?
 
JBerno said:
Are these the bushings for the springs that you are referring to? Mine are all new if so
Click to expand...

I was referring to all of the spring bushings, but if you put in new springs, then check where the shackle mounts to the frame. Mine were shot and it helped a bunch to replace.


4X4HIGH said:
If the lift did not come with either a raised steering arm, dropped pitman arm or a dropped draglink then this is your problem.

Did you replace the bushings in the frame at the rear end of the front springs where the shackles bolt to the frame?
Click to expand...

You need some type of correction for steering (should have been installed with the lift). For a grocery getter, you don't need cross over steering.
 
drag link angle

if the drag link is not level, it will have bump steer. yes check the ball joints, upper shackle bushings, and all that.
6" lift will need 2 steering corrections. raised steering arm and a drop pitman to make the drag link level. i dont suggest a drop draglink as they seem to wear out quickly.

crossover steering is the cows nuts. offroad truck or not, it drives alot better on a lifted truck. its also not that expensive.
 
6" lifts seem to bring the bumb steer regardless of bushings and steering parts. at least in my experience. When I can afford it, I will do cross over on the work beast.
 
6" inch lift = Crossover best results.... It can be done cheaper than some "Kits" out there...Do your homework....I did mine on a 76 dana 60 less than $200.00
 
My 87 blazer wonders on the highway. Constantly going back and forth with the steering wheel Nothing major but you can't hold the steering wheel straight and expect it to continue going straight either lol.

My truck has a 4 inch lift do any of you have a link to these crossover kits?
 
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