Steering Clunk

[Midnite]

I recently had the steering gear box replaced on my '92, and it's now making a noticable clunk when I turn the wheel a certain amount. It doesn't matter which direction I turn the wheel, but it's definitely louder turning the wheel to the left.



I had my girlfriend turn the wheel while I got on the ground and watched, and it looks like the gear box itself moves a tiny bit when it clunks. For example, as if something is binding up and then releasing once the steering wheel is turned past a certain point.



I did just install a Borgeson steering shaft and new rag joint, but it was making the clunk before I installed it. Installing the shaft didn't make any difference in the clunking, better or worse.



I'm still at work, but when I get home I'm going to check the gear box mounting bolts to see if they're loose (I think someone mentioned something about this in another thread in the past day or so). Does anyone know of anything else I might check?



Thanks,

Mike

 

[BushWakr - RIP]

Hi Midnite,



I hate to say it but it sounds like the same problem my bro. had on his 92. Also it seems that this problem is fairly common. The mount that attaches to the frame/steering box breaks away. I have (I think on this site) seen photos of welded repairs for just the same item. I don't know if there is a TSB out on this. Perhaps some of the other fella's could jump in here. I'm certain you'll see signs of it (if thats what it is) if you "load" the steering one way or the other and look at the mount. Apparently the bracket/weld is not the best. So far no signs on my 93.

One other possibility is that the bushings on your leaf springs may be shot. Again, brother had probs with those causing clunking when turning. He searched high and low till finally a suspension shop found it. There was another TDR fellow with similar probs and I can't remember who it was so I hope he reads this and checks the bushings.



Hope I'm wrong in your case, Bush'

 

[Matt S]

Could it be that the box is in need of adjustment? Do you have any play in the wheel?

 

[Midnite]

Bushwakr, nothing looks loose on the gearbox mount--I can't budge the gearbox with my hands at all. I'll examine the mount bracket a little more closely though.



Matt, as I mentioned in the first post, I put in a Borgeson steering shaft. Prior to that, the stock shaft had about 30 degrees of slop in it. Now that the Borgeson shaft is in, all slop is gone, and steering is razor sharp! Well, other than the clunk that is.



Mike

 

[Midnite]

Hmmm... I've been looking again at the gearbox, and I can see quite a bit of the shaft coming out of the bottom of the gearbox, almost as if the arm (pitman arm?) isn't on all the way. The nut is holding the arm on, and it does appear to be tight though.



Does that sound normal?



I'll see if I can borrow a friend's digital camera and get some pics up on my server so you can see what I'm babbling about.



Thanks,

Mike

 

[hdm48]

Hey Midnite, I'm glad I'm not the only one with the 'clunk'. I've checked mine so many times I have calouses on my backside from looking under the darn thing. To make you feel better, mine only does it when it rains[????]

 

[BushWakr - RIP]

hdm48, that sounds exactly like my brothers problem, right down to the rain part. He had aftermarket bushing put in his spring kit and they were shot. The spring specialist told him to go back to the orig. Chrys. bushings as they have a steel center which distributes the stresses evenly instead of allowing the bolt to pound the neoprene (or whatever) into pulp. Since he changed them out, no more clunking.



Regards, Bush'

 

[Midnite]

Hm... unfortunately mine seems to clunk just as strongly in sunny 70 degree weather as in rainy weather.



Although I'm the third owner of this truck, it looks to me like the front suspension is completely stock.



I think the only thing that may make any difference in the clunking is when I shoot some grease into the zerk at the far end of what I'm assuming is the pitman arm. (the "near" end being connected to the splined shaft coming out the bottom of the gearbox; the "far" end being connected to some sort of ball joint in the steering linkage)



Mike

 

[Matt S]

My clunk

Mine is in the box itself. It has a little play and a clunk when I grab the shaft to twist it. I believe mine will be cured by a box adjustment.

 

[AlK]

I have had the same steering related clunking on my truck in the past a couple of times. What I finally discovered it only happened after I jacked the front of the truck up and had placed the jack under the frame and thereby took the weight off the front leaf springs. After that when I drove the truck the clunking started. The solution that worked for me (I know this sounds crazy), went to a parking lot and did a number of very slow tight figure eights. - No more clunk to the left and clunk to the right.

---

Al

 

[Midnite]

Just thought I'd post an update on this...



I reefed and pulled on my gearbox as hard as I could several different times and could never get the thing to budge. I ended up taking it in to my mechanic, and it turns out the bracket between the gearbox and frame was cracked.



Waiting for the FedEx man to deliver the new bracket...



Mike

 

[BushWakr - RIP]

Thought that might be it. Well, now you've got something to work on. My bro. had a bracket fabbed up and made xtra heavy to be sure no more probs. That was about 60K ago, no more probs since.

Bob.