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Zero Rate dilemma

santana

santana

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jan 11, 2003
Posts
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Location
Mesa Arizona
Help me out here, I recently installed a set of 1" ORD Zerorates in the front axle of my K5 and after install and since I've had a couple of issues.
1. When driving straight and go over a dip or speed bump or any road abnormalities for that matter the steering jolts to the right, not much but noticeable from before.
2. when applying the brakes-not slamming but hard applying- the steering jolts to the left, it doesnt pull the k5 it just jolts the steering wheel.

Is this experienced by others? I dont believe it it the Death wobble because it runs fine otherwise, it is when subjected to the above that it happens.

I know everything is nice and tight and nothing else was messed with other than installing the zero rates. I cant imagine why it now does it since it didn't do it before, or is this normal.

What do you all think ?
 
Do you have push/pull or cross over steering?
 
He has stock push/pull steering. 33" tires. also installed dual stablizer to try an fix it.
 
Have you moved the axle forward any? I've heard that bump steering can be exaggerated if the axle is moved forward with push/pull steering.
 
Did you install the steering arm you bought from me? That correction in angle can make you feel more bumpsteer. It happened to me when i installed it on mine. Did you re-adjust your draglink when you installed the zero rate?

If you had death wobble you would know. If it is bad when you first get it you think the truck is about to shake apart and your butt is trying to eat your underwear.
Bumpsteer is something you get used to. It may be magnified it you have any other parts in your steering setup that are worn and need replaceing.

You should NOT need a steering stabilizer if everything in your suspension and steering is fine. You definitly should NEVER need dual stabilizers. I have not had a steering stabilizer in 2 years and never had a problem with it. That is with both push pull steering and crossover steering.

Harley
 
Hossbaby50 said:
Did you install the steering arm you bought from me? That correction in angle can make you feel more bumpsteer.
Harley
Click to expand...
I had 4" lift and put on a 4" steering arm and got REALLY scary bumpsteer!
The drag link needs to be at a slight angle to work properly. As the axle rises it moves backwards. If your draglink it flat to start with it will pull the steering as the axle rises.
 
Harley, I did use the arm I got from you, as far as wear on the components I didn't have a problem before but like you say it gets exaggerated. As for the draglink angle mine is straight across maybe a tad higher at the steering arm, Does this matter?. I have a 2.5 lift plus the Zero rates. I'm thinking of ditching the 2.5" lift and Rates for a set of 4" springs and deal with it that way. I drove it to work and back today and it seems less noticeable and seems like if I hold the steering wheel a little tighter it doesnt pull.
 
blazekraze said:
As for the draglink angle mine is straight across maybe a tad higher at the steering arm, Does this matter?..
Click to expand...
Like I said, that arm needs to be at an angle to allow for the movement in the axle as it moves up and back. If you take a look at a stock set up you'll see what I mean. I haven't got my stock truck with me here today but from memory I'd say the link needs to fall away from the pitman arm by 2" to 3" to the steering arm.
 
cbbr said:
I'm also getting a little bumpsteer. Not bad, but it would be nice to correct it. How do you fix the angle?
Click to expand...
depends on the lift you have. If you've got a true 4" of lift then try a 2" drop pitman arm. If you're on six then try the 4" steering arm. I took off my 4" 'cause it was really horrible and Tim sent me a 2" pitman but before I fitted it I took out a leaf to soften the ride and lost a bit of lift so at the moment I haven't tried the P/A. I'll try and get it flexed out soon and see how the steering is.
 
Well I was going thru the search pages last night and read plenty on bumpsteer and all points to the steering arm being wrong for a 4" (actually 3 1/2 since I have 2 1/2 leafs & 1" zerorate) and the 2" pitman arm being correct, I'll be going with a Pitman drop arm here and see what happens..:crazy:
 
5" lift with a 4" drop arm. I installed the second shocks (factory quad) in the front and replaced the factory steering stabilizer shock and it made a world of difference. I was only running one shock per side.
 
Is your draglink sitting parallel to the ground? It should be perfectly flat for optimum geometry. If the draglink is flat then I would start looking elsewhere.

Like I said earlier though if your steering system is in good shape and your suspension is too then you shouldn't need a stabilzer at all. Check for worn out spring bushings, cracks behind the steering box, loose TRE's, worn steering gear, etc.

Harley
 
The drag link sits a tad higher at the sterring arm side actually, as far as the steering gear, I did'nt have a problem before when I just had the 2.5" lift and stock arm. A couple of the posts on Bump steer read that the drag link should sit at the same angle as the spring packs or 2-3 inches lower at the steering arm so I'm a little confused. It seems less noticeable as I drive it more but it is definitely still there..
 
The drag link should be slightly higher at the steering box for the best road feel. DW with a stock system is hard to come by. Are you using any different shackles? Are the springs shimmed?
 
blazekraze said:
A couple of the posts on Bump steer read that the drag link should sit at the same angle as the spring packs or 2-3 inches lower at the steering arm so I'm a little confused. It seems less noticeable as I drive it more but it is definitely still there..
Click to expand...
It does need to be higher, trust me. You've got to imagine the axle not only goes upwards but rearwards too. The springs are fixed at the front and allowed to move at the rear-hence the axle moves rearwards.
If the draglink is flat to the ground, as it moves upwards (in an arc), the steering arm end is actually moving forward in that arc.
If the drag link is down at the rear, as it moves up in that same arc it's actually moving rearwards (chasing the axle's movement) until it gets to the horizontal and then starts on that forward path....but you should never normally get to that point!!!:grin:
When the link wants to move forward and your axle wants to go backwards you get bumpsteer!
 
cbbr said:
5" lift with a 4" drop arm. I installed the second shocks (factory quad) in the front and replaced the factory steering stabilizer shock and it made a world of difference. I was only running one shock per side.
Click to expand...
I hate to say it but the extra shocks probebly just masked the problem by not letting the axle rise and fall so much under normal driving, so hiding the bumpsteer.
 
southernspeed said:
It does need to be higher, trust me. You've got to imagine the axle not only goes upwards but rearwards too. The springs are fixed at the front and allowed to move at the rear-hence the axle moves rearwards.
If the draglink is flat to the ground, as it moves upwards (in an arc), the steering arm end is actually moving forward in that arc.
If the drag link is down at the rear, as it moves up in that same arc it's actually moving rearwards (chasing the axle's movement) until it gets to the horizontal and then starts on that forward path....but you should never normally get to that point!!!:grin:
When the link wants to move forward and your axle wants to go backwards you get bumpsteer!
Click to expand...

Makes perfect sense, Thanks..
 
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