Steering Problem 1991 K2500

[Thunderstruck20]

Hope Im in the right place but I have a 1991 3/4 ton chevy with a dana 60 on 37.5 wrangler mts, ive run the tires on this truck for several months and on an older one for over a year with no problems but just last week i took it off road and had to get jerked out hard (definitely not the first time this has happened but might be significant). a few days later i was on my way home from work and it started pulling hard to the left. I corrected right but it jerked me over into the other lane and started pulling that way. whichever way i turn it starts turning slow and shoots me over without warning. Ive checked my alignment, tie rod ends, pitman arm, crossover, king pins and bearings. my passenger side bearing is a little loose but it definitely shouldnt be bad enough to be doing that. I tightened up my gearbox a week or two before the problem to try to take the play out of my steering and tightened it right up until it gave a bit of resistance. I just replaced the gearbox yesterday and its still having a problem and its worse than ever. any suggestions or possible diagnosis would be appreciated. any questions you might have to help diagnose a problem ill try to answer best i can, thanks.

 

[Thunderstruck20]

Think the problem might just be the pump... it turns fine and doesnt hop but i have absolutely no power steering. The pump was good before I replaced the gear box though. Anything that might have killed the pump?

 

[twomanymontes]

Having no power steering shouldn't cause it to jerk to the next lane like that. You said you checked the kingpins, and they are not binding at all correct? Even a slight bind will cause memory steer. Also Not sure if you have the Xj shaft or not, but if you do, check those U-joints for binding. They will take a lot of abuse, but they will rust 1 or 2 caps and cause a knucking effect.

 

[Sparg93]

Having no power steering shouldn't cause it to jerk to the next lane like that. You said you checked the kingpins, and they are not binding at all correct? Even a slight bind will cause memory steer. Also Not sure if you have the Xj shaft or not, but if you do, check those U-joints for binding. They will take a lot of abuse, but they will rust 1 or 2 caps and cause a knucking effect.

Agreed...even if your pump worked randomly, it wouldn't cause the truck to change lanes unless the steering wheel was turned already and the pressure just forced it over. Have you noticed this affect as you hit bumps and the suspension is compressing/extending?

There's a few things that can kill a PS pump and IMO a lot die prematurely b/c the fluid is never changed and/or guys over heat the fluid. Over heating is of particular concern if you're running hydroboost brakes and/or ram-assist and not throwing a cooler on there.

 

[Thunderstruck20]

Got her all figured out. The lane changing was the gear box going out. I replaced that and when I bled the system, i started my truck to bleed it, the pump was on its way out anyways so i believe the pump running dry for even a few seconds might have burned it out completely, works great now with the new box and pump (new to my truck at least). only problem was when i had her all set and ready to pull out of the shop, one of the upper radiator hose clips was unscrewed (has been for a while cause i didnt pull a screw for it) and the fan caught, ripped it out, and threw it into my radiator core hah. its not a huge leak and its only one bad line, but definitely bad enough that im not driving with it like that, especially pulling a vehicle behind it. any of you know whether or not some JB would hold for a week or so until i get a new one? I need it ready before this friday for sure

 

[Thunderstruck20]

Repaired the radiator and the steering problem was just as bad. Ended up being an axle shaft U-Joint. clamped inner shaft in a vice and slid a 3' pipe over the outer axle shaft and she wouldnt budge. Drives like a dream again. well, as close as I can get with a truck like that...