Sway bar link angle and popping noises..etc

[400Rogue]

Does the pitman arm also move at the same rate of the idler arm? Considering it's a metal bar that is connected to both it should. Does the steering wheel move when you are doing this? get a second person to verify. If it is, it probably isn't the pitman arm, idler arm, etc. as the whole assembly is moving as it should, and something in the suspension is causing this. If it moves and the steering wheel does not, something in the steering between the box and the knuckle is causing it.

 

[Tall-e-nuff]

Hi, could it be balancing wheels? Speed wobble would be result.

 

[scott2093]

Does the pitman arm also move at the same rate of the idler arm? Considering it's a metal bar that is connected to both it should

yes

Does the steering wheel move when you are doing this?

The steering shaft does. This was discussed starting on page 4 post #35...I can't recall the exact steps we took.....

If it is, it probably isn't the pitman arm, idler arm, etc. as the whole assembly is moving as it should, and something in the suspension is causing this. If it moves and the steering wheel does not, something in the steering between the box and the knuckle is causing it.

I'll look over this when I get a chance to digest...thanks....

Hi, could it be balancing wheels? Speed wobble would be result.

Not sure...Had the tires rotated and balanced the other day and it did not help.
May take it to a shop that does road force balancing after I address a couple of issues...idler arm and transmission mount....Man I miss abbreviating transmission....

Saturn threw a belt...doesn't look like alternator...nice... Not used to thinking about buried belts on the passenger side...lol
Just got off phone with insurance...Today was last day of covered storage...waiting around for the at fault driver's insurance wasn't a great idea...note to self....
Should be towed out of impound later....

 

[Schurkey]

it probably isn't the pitman arm, idler arm, etc. as the whole assembly is moving as it should,

He's posted multiple videos ABSOLUTELY PROVING that the idler and Pitman have slop. Seems to be the idler bracket; and the Pitman splines.

We know that the lower control arm bushings are bad.

I gather that at least one tire is out-of-round.

Loose ball joints, and loose tie rod end sleeves already taken care of.

No word on upper ball joints or upper control arm bushings, inner tie rod ends, shock absorbers, or leaf-spring bushings/broken leafs. (If there is, I missed it.)

 

[scott2093]

No word on upper ball joints

I can't see anything wrong with them but will try to figure out the best way to test...

upper control arm bushings

Again... They seem fine... I mean everything but the lower ca bushings is less than 2 years old. GM upper ca bushings....but they could have been tweaked.. or alignment shop left bolts loose if they even tried camber adjustment...

shock absorbers

idk...less than 2years old seem fine....

leaf-spring bushings/broken leafs.

I'll check...Definitely hearing stuff under but have a new transmission mount coming tomorrow...

Today hasn't been going the way I planned... Just got my truck in the garage and will replace the idler arm bracket after dinner...God willing...

Driving around today was aggravating... That slop in steering is really bugging me. I know it's a clue... It's like an inch...inch and a half or more left/right, haven't measured, of just nothingness when going straight... And I can feel that there's nothing holding it in that dead zone if that makes sense.... Maybe that's the pitman arm splines....so whatever the wheels do, it's like they're on their own in that space it feels like....idk...

I do have that extra proforged pitman arm they sent but the first one was brutally tight...too much imo..material being ground away....

will update...

 

[Sean Buick 76]

Hopefully you dont have an accident and hit someone else while you are trying to sort it out. The truth is I bet if a really good shop inspected your truck then they wouldn’t be able to legally let you drive it away without the advised repairs being completed.

 

[Schurkey]

In terms of steering wheel rotational play, you have numerous loose "front-end" parts.

However, the steering shaft-to-steering-gear "rag joint" is infamous for being wiped-out. The better fix is to replace it with a U-joint, but even a fresh rag joint would be an improvement. If the truck does not have "air bags", the C3500HD steering shaft includes the U-joint, and needs nothing but a longer bolt to be a drop-in upgrade.

Downside is that that steering shaft is discontinued, but you might find a leftover loitering in a dealership parts department somewhere; and Dorman supplied an equivalent that may/may not still be available.

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This shaft-and-bolt cannot be used on trucks having the extra u-joint in the steering column "inside the cab"; which as far as I know, is every truck with airbag "Supplemental Restraint System".

 

[scott2093]

However, the steering shaft-to-steering-gear "rag joint" is infamous for being wiped-out. The better fix is to replace it with a U-joint, but even a fresh rag joint would be an improvement.

I have the Cunningham shaft..and a year and a half old Borgeson steering box.....

Hopefully you dont have an accident and hit someone else while you are trying to sort it out.

Shake is only noticeable at 70mph... I haven't been doing that ... the steering slop is nothing I'm not experienced with considering my old stuff...but disturbing for sure....

The truth is I bet if a really good shop inspected your truck then they wouldn’t be able to legally let you drive it away without the advised repairs being completed.

Yeah, a really big brake chain tried that with my son's kia saying it needed $1500 in repairs. I had to go up there and tell them we wouldn't drive it apart from going home... of course a stop by the auto parts store... $150 it's still fine 3 years later.... I have other experiences...
Like I mentioned earlier, I'm all ears for recommendations for a good place in Central FL. But things aren't that bad... 3 years ago maybe they were,,,, I'm just starting to notice new things and figure I'd replace the stuff I knew needed it while trying to see what's going on and address that...

Time to go sweat out this KFC..

 

[scott2093]

Since the idler is off I figured I'd give the centerlink a shakedown and video the different areas. I'm not sure what to make of it since I don't know what's reasonable movement with the idler gone. Obviously things wouldn't be moving like this.
The pitman arm ball joint also looks suspicious a bit? another angle later in video.......

It's crazy that the idler arm bracket shaft was moving so much in the previous video. I can't get it to budge off the truck. But I don't have a vice....

Something tells me I need to get at this pitman arm since I'm part way there?

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[Schurkey]

With the idler arm disconnected, the rest of the steering linkage is going to flop around like a wounded guppy.

The only thing I see for sure is that the Pitman arm splines have relative motion, and that is a problem. It may not be the only problem, but it's the only one I see in the latest video.