Why did it do that?

[stockk5]

Tonight i took my truck mudding for the first time since the lift kit, not anything real serious just some playing around in a frozenish field w/ trails that have ruts in them.i was bouncing around in the field over the frozen ruts and such but nothing even close to what i would consider harsh at all. My steering wasnt perfect after i did the lift, my wheel was always a lil bit sideways when it was going straight, no biggie, but as soon as i got outta the field and back onto the road, the wheel was a full 1/4 turn off of being straight when the truck drove straight, i came home, adjusted my drag link again and now its perfect. I had everything really tight before mudding, and my frame doesnt have a crack in it. Why the heck did my steering go outta wack?

 

[Z3PR]

Check the frame around and behind the steering box.

 

[stockk5]

ya i checked all around the steering box and what not, not a single crack anywhere.

 

[k5floyd]

heat it up with a torch, if youve got cracks theyll jump right out

 

[stockk5]

heat it up with a torch, if youve got cracks theyll jump right out

ugh that sucks i reallly hope its not the frame i dont need that kinda head ache

 

[k5floyd]

it wouldnt be thaaaatt bad. cut a v groove in the crack, weld in the groove, grind it flat, and weld on some of ord's frame repair kits. and its fixed. but id suggest you get a bolt in steering box brace either way. i dont have cracks in my frame, but ive got both of ord's steering braces for more beef.

 

[stockk5]

hm well i went over it really well, cleaned the frame w/ a wire brush, nothing, hmm wiiierd oh well.

 

[sweetk30]

? steering problem

did you recheck your ubolts to make sure the axle hasnt moved. i had this happen 1 time on mine put kit in and 2 weeks later put shims in and reused ubolts . thay came loose. so never reuse old ubolts i leared the hard way. just idea to check over. good luck

 

[big83chevy4x4]

all ubolts need to be checked after a few miles or so, used or not. ive used new and old ubolts, both need to be retorqued after 100 miles or so.

the springs could have settled a bit, a 1/4 turn is a bit though. mine is 1/4 turn off with the stock steering arm on without adjusting the draglink (dam rust) with my 4" lift.

 

[stockk5]

did you recheck your ubolts to make sure the axle hasnt moved. i had this happen 1 time on mine put kit in and 2 weeks later put shims in and reused ubolts . thay came loose. so never reuse old ubolts i leared the hard way. just idea to check over. good luck

hm i did think of that, i didnt really follow through fully though, i only checked teh driver side u-bolts, they are new ones as well, ill go over everything again, should be ok then. thanks for the tips

 

[whiskey bent]

Sounds like the threads are stripped out in the draglink/tierod.