Handeling Problems. What to try next?

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My 96 regualr cab SLT was a handfull in corners and hard braking. I replaced the shocks with Rancho 9000's and the RS5000 steering stabelizer. I just put a set of Cooper 265's on it and some ARS wheels (maybe if it looks good, it will handle good).

It tracks a little better in the corners and no more premature lock up in hard braking, but it still has some prolems.

The front end was aligned, but it still wanders a bit. The steering will get a little... vague. Turn the wheel and nothing happens for the first 2 inches of turning, sometimes.

How do I cure the wander and tighten up the steering??



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Gregor Switca
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96 2500 4x4 auto SLT.
99. 5 VW Jetta TDI
Nothing but diesel in my driveway.

 

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Did you replace the track bar? It made a big difference on my '96. It doesn't take much wear to make it wander.

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Ron

'96 Club Cab 2500 4x4, 4:10LS, Camper/Tow package, Auto, BD Pressure Loc, Mystery Switch, TST 230/605, Cat under "Test", Cummins Chrome, Mag-Hytec rear and trans covers, Boost, Pyro and trans gauges, Optima Red Tops, All black. Tow 14k HitchHiker triple glide 5th Wheel. Also use 9. 5' Lance camper. NRA Life Member.

 

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Check the pitman shaft for lateral thrust. If it has more than a few thousanths it is worn.
crawl underneath and have someone turn the wheel back and forth far enough to start turning the wheels in each direction. You will probably see the shaft wiggle side to side before the shaft starts to rotate.

 

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I have not done the track bar. Is there a way to tell it it's warn?

I will check the pitman shaft this week.

 

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To check the track bar have someone turn the steering wheel back and forth while observing the end of the track bar on the drivers side. (The end with the grease fitting) Any movement at all indicates a worn bar according to my service manual. If you have over 50k on the truck you can bet it's probably worn.

 

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Originally posted by Dieselnerd:
If you have over 50k on the truck you can bet it's probably worn.

In that case, I'm half way into the second one.

 

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Here's the adjustment for the steering gear. Just don't adjust the sector screw in too much, it will feel worse than it did to start with, & you'll end up backing it off 1/8th turn or so. http://www.ecpe.vt.edu/~dfritz/technical/TSB97/19-10-97/19_10_97.htm