Steering wander

[DallasTahoe]

I have a couple of questions 1998 GMC Yukon 4wd. Been noticing for a few days that my steering has been really weird. New power steering pump and hoses, evo delete. It wanders a lot, more on uneven highway, on smooth highway it’s fine. I know that makes a difference but it’s never been like this. I checked to see the slop in the gearbox, engine off there’s a lot, engine on, there’s almost none. There is less than a quarter inch play in the rag joint, yes it will be changed, but I’m not measuring the amount of slop by the steering wheel, but by the coupler ahead of the ragjoint. So I guess the question is, is the amount of slop supposed to be the same whether or not the engine is running? Or is that normal for it to be different??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[randomguy]

My truck wandered a lot but pretty much everything in the front end was bad including the gearbox. $700 and 8 hours of driveway wrenching later it drives awesome.

My inclination is if the truck changes lanes when you hit a crack on the interstate it’s probably a combination of the rag joint, pitman arm, idler arm, TRE’s, and balljoints. Rag joint is cheap and easy to replace so I’d start there.

With the tires on the ground have someone move the steering wheel back and forth while you inspect the steering components from the gearbox out.

My steering gear had 30 degrees of play in the center, way to sloppy. I replaced it with a Redhead and am very happy.

Also I am not sure on the ballpoint inspection procedure on these trucks. I tried jacking the lower control arm up and moving the wheel up and down but did not detect any play in the balljoints. My mechanic found both uppers were completely shot when he had it on the rack for an alignment. I replaced the uppers and lowers myself, wasn’t too bad.

 

[randomguy]

Also - I do believe a small amount of play in the gearbox is acceptable. If yours isn’t leaking, returns to center easily, and responds to input from the wheel it’s probably okay. These Saginaw gear boxes are not as awesome as the modern rack and pinion gears, but they aren’t terrible either. High mileage they get sloppy. I’ve replaced two - one had 350k on it and would not return to center and the one in my current truck had 214k on it and had excessive play and leaked badly.

 

[DallasTahoe]

Pretty much my whole front end is new, or within a year of replacement, newest being upper ball joints. I tore down and resealed the gearbox with new o rings, and adjusted the gearbox. But having different amounts of play when running or not seems strange to me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[randomguy]

Did you use good components? Are you cranked?

My uppers were replaced by the previous owner before I bought the truck. Between the crank and the Autozone crap quality they were shot in 10000 miles.

 

[SHRT 1]

The proper way to inspect the ball joints IS to jack (support) the lower control arm untill the wheel is off the ground, with a pry bar under the tire lift up and check the play in the lower ball joint. Grab the tire at the top and push/pull in and out to inspect the upper ball joint.

 

[DallasTahoe]

Did you use good components? Are you cranked?

My uppers were replaced by the previous owner before I bought the truck. Between the crank and the Autozone crap quality they were shot in 10000 miles.

All moog, and yes cranked, but not all the way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[randomguy]

I checked my steering gear - it’s about the same with the engine on or off, no extra play either way.

 

[DallasTahoe]

I checked my steering gear - it’s about the same with the engine on or off, no extra play either way.

Perfect that was exactly what I needed to know


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GMTMark]

Please excuse my ignorance but what does cranked mean in this application?