Track Bar

[RMcKinney]

Hi,
1995 2500 steering rebuilt.
Drove it home and still wondering.
I noticed the Steering Stabilizer was not installed
Could this have allowed the wondering on the interstate?

 

[fest3er]

The stabilizer will help if the steering gear sector shaft is loose (and it'll help prevent that bearing from being worn out too soon).

If the sector shaft is solid and the other steering components are solid, there are two things that can cause wander:

• The track bar is *really* loose. This should cause 'sharp-ish' wander as the track bar slops from one side to the other.
• The front suspension bushing are worn. This should cause more gentle-ish wandering as the axle more slowly wanders from side to side (because the rubber is softer than it should be, but not so worn as to allow the trailing arms to bang around).
• The rear suspension bushings can cause steering to wander if they are so loose as to allow the rear to slop side-to-side.

(OK, so I can't count....)
If the front suspension bushings are original from '95, replace them. Regardless of mileage.

 

[RMcKinney]

The stabilizer will help if the steering gear sector shaft is loose (and it'll help prevent that bearing from being worn out too soon).

If the sector shaft is solid and the other steering components are solid, there are two things that can cause wander:

• The track bar is *really* loose. This should cause 'sharp-ish' wander as the track bar slops from one side to the other.
• The front suspension bushing are worn. This should cause more gentle-ish wandering as the axle more slowly wanders from side to side (because the rubber is softer than it should be, but not so worn as to allow the trailing arms to bang around).
• The rear suspension bushings can cause steering to wander if they are so loose as to allow the rear to slop side-to-side.

(OK, so I can't count....)
If the front suspension bushings are original from '95, replace them. Regardless of mileage.

Thanks
Looks like i need to do more work.
Thanks for your time ana help.

 

[GrantP]

As has been stated many times on this site, get underneath and find out what's loose. Have someone else in the cab with the engine running (be careful who you ask to do that) and gently saw the wheel back and forth. If you see any movement in any of the rod ends/track bar then that's where you start. You can pretty well check the control arm bushings by going from reverse to drive (don't be under the truck for that one). Check the steering shaft for slop, you might be surprised how much movement of the steering wheel is required before the pitman arm moves. That slop could be the box or the shaft or a combination of the two. As mentioned check the sector shaft for side to side movement too. Ball joints should be checked as well.

But to answer your original question, the steering stabilizer isn't going to fix wandering...ever.