Weird steering problem

[quikshft]

Definately a lot to check here guys, and I haven't even wanted to START my truck until I get my dowel pin tabbed. TST just got in some parts from Cummins so their dowel pin kits are available again... hopefully I'll have time to do mine this weekend and then dig into my weird steering problem.

Thanks all for the suggestions.

Jeff

 

[komual]

Mine started doing the whole "feels like the entire chassis shifting under the truck thing" about 1000 miles ago. Since then I've: replaced the fluid entirely several times, used "seafoam" power steering system flush, added an inline filter, replaced the pump, replaced the gearbox, replaced the lines, welded a cracked gearbox mounting plate back together, checked ubolts, spring mounts, ujoints, hubs, all with not much results. Coupler joint has been recently replaced... I did not see cracking in the frame with the box and plate off... tierods, drag link all tight... I dunno what it is, but it's dang spooky with a load behind me... Not much left to do besides the borgeson...

 

[Paychk]

You may want to check the frame cross member rivets, I've heard them getting loose.

 

[quikshft]

Interesting that this thread came back to life today. It's the first day I've driven my truck in several weeks on account of two things; (1) the killer dowel pin (which I now have tabbed) and (2) a major garage/attic clean-up in which the bed of my truck became a dumpster. Today I drove straight to the landfill and emptied my truck so tomorrow morning if it's not too cold (might get into the 40's ) I'll try replacing a goodly portion of my steering fluid. That seems the simplest action to take for the moment and I only want to do one thing at a time. While I had my fan shroud and other items clear I did look at my frame in the steering box area and didn't see any cracks, not sure exactly where to look for those. Anyhow, while on my way to the dump earlier this morning I did encounter the 'weird steering problem' once after a stop sign and a sharp right turn. I'll report what ever I find (if anything) back here.

Komual, the fact that you've done most of what others have recommended and not solved your problem is not really what I want to hear. Maybe do as Pumpchatter suggests and once your truck starts it's left right rythem, stop and lock your hubs and see if it quits? Also check frame crossmember rivets as Paychk suggests. I'd like to close the books on this one.

 

[komual]

"Close the books on it. " Yeah, I wish. I'll try the hubs next time, but they were repacked along with wheel bearings about 10k ago, so fairly recently... The front axle ujoints have 100k on them, but unless the hubs are locked, I don't see what they can do. Transfer case in rear wheel drive, hubs unlocked, they shouldn't matter...

 

[Paychk]

The front u-joints in the axle don't spin when the hubs are unlocked, but they still pivot at the bearing caps to allow the front spindles to turn. If there is any binding that occurs as they pivot you'll experience some quirky steering. I would pull it apart and replace them, 100k is a lot on any u-joint and I wouldn't be surprised it that doesn't fix your problem.

 

[quikshft]

Well earlier today I siphoned the fluid out of my power steering pump with a Mighty Vac. If you don't have one of these I recommend them, quite handy for a multitude of tasks. Anyhow I noted that the fluid was quite dark and seemed to be thickened. With the Mighty Vac I was able to feed a tube down into the pump and suck out nearly a quart of old fluid. I then refilled, drove down the street making back and forth swings of the steering wheel and then returned. I repeated the process and I emptied and then refilled my pump a total of three times. This evening I drove the truck about 25 miles round trip to my brother's house... . no sign of the 'wierd' steering problem. However I would say that it was an infrequent enough phenom that I might have driven that same 25 miles yesterday and not noticed the problem. Maybe in a few more days of driving without an occurance of this trouble I'll be satisfied that the fluid change has solved the problem. (but I'm hoping that's it)

Jeff

 

[SClements]

Komual,

Mine did the exact thing yours did. It would act up after a stop, then hard turn. I'd straighten the wheel and it would pop past center and head the other way, and as I fought it it would go from side to side a couple of times. It happened so infreqently, I drove all the way to Utah, from Ohio, stopping at gas stations and restaurants all the way, and it never did it until I got off the last exit on 191 in Utah. When I got home I pulled the front axles out, and one cross of the u-joint was rusted really bad in the caps and was really tight. Every now and then when you turn, the u-joint would turn enough to roll over to this bad side and cause the problem. Looking at the joints I always thought they were fine, until I pulled them and felt them out of the axle.

Good luck.

Seane

 

[Paychk]

A quicker more thorough way to flush your PS is to disconnect the return hose from it's fitting on the pump. Plug the fitting so the fluid doesn't run out of the pump. Put the return hose into a bucket (may need to temp extend it). Have someone fire the engine up as you pour new fluid into the pump, make sure you have a couple qts. ready to pour. Stop the engine when the fluid from the return line is new looking. This way you'll know all the bad stuff is out of the pump and steering gear.

 

[PumpChatter]

Hey Quickshft,



I was surprised to see this thread still going; anyway that thick dark fluid is what kept your gearbox from leaking (Just Kidding).

You'll hopefully "chuckle" next spring when it starts leaking around the input shaft of the gearbox though. I'm on my third one and it still leaks, I just got use to it - 4 ounces a month depending how much I drive. 1st one was changed under warranty because it leaked, the 2nd one because of my steering problem (wish I had that one back) and now on my 3rd.

I would like to get your attention away from the pump and gear box as it seems I and a few others made the same mistake. Its pretty much a dumb animal (so to speak) it has a large worm-gear in it and a pin that sits in the worm trough, screw it clockwise and it pushes the pin forward - counterclockwise pulls it back thus turning the wheels. There's really nothing in there to cause jerking. Enough on that

SClements brought up a valid point and I can't remember if I changed my front U-joints when I did my Hubs, they have been changed though. The tolerances are very tight - too tight in my mind between engaged and not engaged. You take an axle, ring & pinion, spider gears and driveshaft all which have a lot of mass from zero to whatever speed your doing on one side, your going to jerk to that side.

If it's not the front drive train I would look at the upper ball joints/kingpin as slop in there can cause the top of the wheel to kick in and out. They are notorious on these trucks if not greased to leave you on the side of the road when they fail. When your done with all the other stuff, slipped belt in tire, loose front caliper or pad, cracked leaf spring etc. you can go back to the gearbox as it's to expensive of a place to start.

As for the Borgeson Shaft, I would replace that anyway as it will bring back that nice "tight" feeling in the wheel that the truck had when it was new, and it's not that difficult to put on.



Please keep us posted on the cause.

 

[HonkinDiesel]

WOW Funny that this thread continues.

Anyway I recently have similar steering problems. Did a TDR search here on the subject and darn it if I didn't see someone else have this problem.



Steering started going on me 2 weeks ago. Now I frequently have no power steering. It's real fun driving it under manual conditionings. I checked fluid level when it started and it was OK, but this past Monday I had a weird thing happen. Power steering fluid went squirting out the filler cap after I just parked the truck. I stood there rather dumb founded staring at it. Ahh #$@!



Well, I guess I better get out there and put some of your advice to work. I think I going to go for that Borgeson steering too. Anybody got some good links or lines on where to get one???



Thanks for now!



(I found the the Website at Borgeson.com and placed my order today)

 

[komual]

OK, Monday the steering jerked so hard it threw me into the other lane(!), luckily killing no one. The truck continued weaving violently the rest of the way to work at 25 mph. Locking the hubs made it worse for a minute, then better. Disassembly of the front end revealed ujoints that were nearly rust welded immobile. Insert top of the line spicer greasables to be greased every oil change, and now I'm down the road with no more wierd steering I must say, changing the inner axle seals on dana's sucks a**. Pull the diff carrier to replace axle seal? Seehs, Land Cruiser front ends are much more service freindly...

 

[HonkinDiesel]

I did the ol'purge and replace on the steering fluid today.

Boy that ol'stuff looked dirty.

I purged and operated the steering till it came out clean, topped the reservoir to the recommended fill level and now she steerings back to normal.

However, I'm still going for the Borgeson to get rid of the slop. (hope to have it by next week end)



Thanks for the great advice guys.

 

[quikshft]

I don't know what it is about changing the fluid, but I've been driving my truck now for a while since I changed it out and I've not experienced any more 'wierdness' in the steering myself. I guess I fixed my particular problem as well.

 

[dodgenstein]

on't know whether the fluid thins out over time, gets contaminated, or if by changing the fluid the screen behind the high pressure outlet gets flushed clean, but a simple drain and fill fixed mine last year when it was acting funky, too.