Front end slack

[cwilson36]

Ok I’m new here and not sure if I’m posting in the right spot but I’m totally at my wits end rn. I have a 1998 Chevy k1500 factory suspension. I’ve replaced idler arm, idler arm bracket and pitman arm is September of 2022. About a month ago I went ahead and replaced upper control arms with bushings and upper ball joints, inner and outer tie rod ends, lower ball joints and wheel hub assembly on both sides of truck. When I went to get an alignment after replacing parts one local tire shop said I had slack in the front end. I told them to just lower my truck off the lift because I didn’t believe them. (I’m by no means a front end specialist but I know what front end slack is and heck I just replaced all them parts new). Well the other local tire shop said they didn’t see any slack and did the alignment. Now here is where I’m confused, when I hit bumps or dips in the road the front of my driver side tire moves left to right extremely fast. Almost like you’re turning left to right as fast as you can. I immediately go home and check the front end. To my surprise everything is tight as can be. Can someone please shed some insight on this. I’m at a total loss of words. Thanks to all that shed some insight on this!!

 

[RichLo]

Did they give you a before and after printout when you did the alignment? If so can you take a picture of it and post it for us to see?

Otherwise, is the front end level with the ground? Find a nice flat parking lot and measure ground to wheel well or bumper to make sure that a torsion bar isnt cranked too high, or sagging

 

[movietvet]

Like @RichLo said, would like to see the printout of the before and after. Hopefully they didn't just "set the toe and let it go" and it has a caster shimmy. Is this problem ongoing or only after the alignment? I would also want to know the condition of the steering shaft and the steering gear shaft play, where the pitman arm attaches. Check the steering gear mount for tight at the frame and the condition of frame for possible cracks.

Try swapping tires side to side and see what happens, or even front to back.

 

[GoToGuy]

Aka , bump steer.

 

[JOHNGAAA1]

I do not see here that you changed the steering damper or the rag joint????

 

[Nad_Yvalhosert]

I do not see here that you changed the steering damper or the rag joint????

I don't see where a 1500 has a steering damper...

 

[RichLo]

The Steering shaft rag joint would be my first suggestion for loose steering... but that doesn't make a truck pull violently to one side when going over a bump.

 

[Keeper]

I played that game last year. If suspension is basically new, then focus on steering parts. Mine was the frame to gearbox mounting. It was memorable because it didn't transfer to the steering wheel as much as I would have expected.

 

[Schurkey]

I do not see here that you changed the steering damper or the rag joint????

Or the lower control arm bushings.

Mine was the frame to gearbox mounting. It was memorable because it didn't transfer to the steering wheel as much as I would have expected.

My Ford-lovin' buddy had me help him tow his '92 Ford 3/4 ton home after the steering gear SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. Multiple broken bolts, some so rusted they had less than half their original diameter in spots, which is where they broke.

Frikkin' truck was hard to tow, the wheels could not be steered. Thing was all over the road.

Guess who got to "steer" "herd" that piece of crap back to his home?

I've heard of--but never seen--frame rails that were so rusted the steering gear flopped around even though the bolts were good.

 

[KansasOBS]

The old squarebody K's were bad about work hardening and cracking out at the steering box to frame, usually from bigger tires. Used to be reinforcement plates made.