Steering wander

[Schurkey]

Is that excessive toe out?

In or out. More typically, toe-in.

My 1999 C2500's steering wheel is crooked (about 30 degrees crooked) and I want it corrected. The only place I can see to do this is on the adjustable arms that toe is adjusted with but mine are seized with corrosion and will need some force (and other trickery) to free. What worries me is distorting them (opening them up) such that they subsequently lose their grip (the grip they are supposed to have when adjustment is complete) and the steering slips?
Are my fears valid? Any tips for dealing with these? (Replacements in the UK may not be easily available in current times).

There's more than a dozen places that could be worn, bent, installed or adjusted "wrong" which would result in a crooked steering wheel.

Every procedure for straightening-out the steering wheel STARTS with finding the center-point ("High point") of the steering gear. If the wheel is straight with the steering gear on center, the problem is somewhere in the steering linkage or control arm(s) including ball joints or bushings, wheel bearings, or it's a thrust-angle fault with the rear axle. Theoretically, it could even be a brake or tire fault; although 30 degrees of tilt on the wheel seems unlikely for just brakes or tires. You'd see smoke from one of the brakes, for example.

If the steering wheel is crooked with the gear on-center; the problem is in the gear input shaft (unlikely), the rag joint, a bent (twisted) steering shaft from rag joint to wheel, or the wheel is not indexed properly to the steering shaft.

Finding the center point of the steering gear is described in a paper hosted on this Chevelle web-site. The GMT400 steering gear is bigger, heavier than the Chevelle steering gear, but I expect the procedure is similar. You're looking for #13 on this page:

https://www.chevelles.com/techref/PowerStrgGear(4).jpg

Rusted tie rod adjusters are so incredibly common as to be nearly universal. Doesn't matter. loosen the clamps, move 'em out of the way. Heat the split-sleeve threaded ends up with oxy-acetylene, when it cools, add some lube, use a proper tie-rod sleeve adjusting tool. No worries about "losing their grip" unless they're so rotted they're ready to break. At least, I've never seen any that bad.

 

[dirtautoguy]

On my way home today I stopped at the napa iv been getting my parts at and talked to them.

I talked to the owner and he said it’s most likely a pos pitman arm but wanted me to see if i could look at it closer to see if maybe the washer I replaced was to small by chance. I also had them order a new nut for the pitman arm since none of the parts came with one and the one I have is the original.

Anyway I checked things out when I got home and I really thing the pitman arm is just to big so it doesn’t fit tight on gear box. The washer is the exact same size as the old one, it’s just a bit thicker which should help the situation anyway.

I took some pics so I can take them with me to napa tomorrow and figured I’ll share them here too.

I will probably just pay the difference and get their high end one hopefully that will help

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[Supercharged111]

That box has been replaced at some point, looks like that point was recently.

 

[alpinecrick]

By any chance is it the output shaft of the steering gear that's moving up and down? It's not always easy to see up there.....

 

[east302]

Anyway I checked things out when I got home and I really thing the pitman arm is just to big so it doesn’t fit tight on gear box.

The gap between the top of the pitman arm and steering gear housing looks about right in your photo, it’s not a flush fit. There’s a plastic sleeve that slides down to cover the gap.

Was the nut tight? Torque spec is somewhere around 200 ft-lbs, wonder if the previous installer just winged it given the limited space.

 

[Schurkey]

Am I not seeing this clearly? Optical illusion due to camera angle?

There's a little lock washer that's entirely too thin to take up the giant un-threaded portion of the Pitman shaft below the Pitman arm. You run the nut to the end of the threads, it's still not tightening against the pitman arm. Pitman arm is still loose.

You need enough spacer--a couple of flat washers, maybe, if the ID is large enough--so that the nut clamps the pitman arm on the tapered splines instead of just running out of thread and stopping.

 

[Supercharged111]

Am I not seeing this clearly? Optical illusion due to camera angle?

There's a little lock washer that's entirely too thin to take up the giant un-threaded portion of the Pitman shaft below the Pitman arm. You run the nut to the end of the threads, it's still not tightening against the pitman arm. Pitman arm is still loose.

You need enough spacer--a couple of flat washers, maybe, if the ID is large enough--so that the nut clamps the pitman arm on the tapered splines instead of just running out of thread and stopping.

Oh damn, good observation. That really looks like the nut bottomed out.

 

[dirtautoguy]

It had PLENTY of torque on it. I went untill I felt like something could start breaking.

The washer is about 1/4 inch thick. And twice as thick as the old one. I agree that it looks like more space needs takin up. But I am not sure if the pitman arm should of gotten tight sooner or if the nut needs to push it on more before bottoming out?

The gold washer in the pic is the new one that’s on there now.

I have a video of it moving too but it won’t let me post it on here.

The gear box was replaced last month as a warranty to the one before it.

 

[Bloke]

Got a question on your problem just to see if i got it right. You are holding the steering wheel straight and the tires a tracking and you feel the pull in the steering wheel? Do you feel that when you correct this tracking that you have to turn the wheel more than usual to correct it?

If is that way it almost sounds like the kind of problem i have. Replaced the gear box, upper control arms, little to no play in the tie rods and 1 ball joint everything else is tight. Alignement is good as well as the tires.

At low speeds not an issue but at 70 or higher i see it more. i can be driving straight and if i wonder abit and try to correct this i feel i have to turn the wheel more than i should. Most of the times feels like im sawing back and forth on the wheel. Definately not like this when it was new but that was 22 years ago.

I know i can compare this truck to my current 2017 because thats got the electric steering but my 2009 wasnt like that either. I dont mind a bit of tracking but is 1/4 turn to much on it to bring it back to center?

Took it to a shop in San Antonio and they guys said my truck was better than his on the steering. I did the evo delete so thats gone. Did feel a bit better with all the changes but pretty much still hate it. I dont know what else to do either. I wont let my son drive cause u know how teenagers drive.

 

[Pinger]

Thanks for all the replies re my 30 degree crooked wheel.
I will read the steering centring doc but meantimes I have a question.
I looked at Haynes and the Pitman arm has to be torqued to 184lb.ft. Not sure I can do that! Or remove it even if it's torqued to that. That, and talk of indexing notches make me think leaving the Pitman alone is better. (Mine is 2WD BTW).
Tried removing wheel to correct but it is indexed (and clashes with horn push(?) rod). I saw a vid posted here for EVO sensor replacement and that part of the column is more 'D' shaped - not splined - so no fine adjustment possible there.
Which leaves where the column joins the steering box (under that black plastic cover). Is it splined there?