Opinion on Steering Wheel Position

[Big T]

OK I tightened up the '99 steering box and it's ready to install. I counted and stop-to-stop it has 3 1/2 turns.

Question: Can I reuse the new Moog Pitman arm I installed on the '95 Box? I expect that I will need to use a pickle fork to remove it from the center link. Will that fark up the seal? Here's a pic of the Moog Pitman arm (from RockAuto) and it looks like there are no exposed seals:

 

[tanman_2006]

I can't remember if there is a soft seal there or not. If there is, just loosen the nut and apply back up pressure to the center link and given it a tap.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

I always just lay the box and the whole steering assembly back and pull it off from the box, and then I rebuild the steerign linkage on the bench. So take the idler bracket loose, lay the steering box forward and take the pitman off.

 

[Big T]

I always just lay the box and the whole steering assembly back and pull it off from the box, and then I rebuild the steerign linkage on the bench. So take the idler bracket loose, lay the steering box forward and take the pitman off.

Undo the idler bracket with idler arm still in place on the center link? Same with the box, rotate it forward and remove Pitman arm from it? Are you able to get an air impact wrench in there to do this?

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Undo the idler bracket with idler arm still in place on the center link? Same with the box, rotate it forward and remove Pitman arm from it? Are you able to get an air impact wrench in there to do this?

Yep, it's how I do all of them. Once you get the idler bracket loose turn it inward, then take teh steering box loose and you can swing it forward and get the pitman arm puller onto it and pop it loose. Done to many to count this very way.

 

[Big T]

Yep, it's how I do all of them. Once you get the idler bracket loose turn it inward, then take teh steering box loose and you can swing it forward and get the pitman arm puller onto it and pop it loose. Done to many to count this very way.

Thanks. I'll tackle it over the weekend as I need the truck right now. Getting faster on this stuff and it shouldn't take long.

 

[Big T]

OK the '99 steering box is back home on the '99 Suburban. Compare the position of the steering wheel to when I had the '95 steering box:

Slight tilt to the right, which is completely opposite of what happened with the '95 box. Everything else is the same. Are we sure that this is adjusted out with the tie rods? I'm thinking it had more to do with the boxes. As I recall, the '95 was always tilted to the left when driving the '95. Anyway, the tilt is so slight that it's nothing to worry about.

The '99 steering box is much better now that it's been tightened up. Less steering pressure on the wheel, better turning radius, etc. As I was filling the power steering fluid, I did have some slight hmmm when steering, but that seemed to go away when I finally got it topped off.

Now for the where does this go category. I found this ground strap connected to the top of the front upper control arm mount, but can't remember where the other end attaches:

Overall, very impressed with the outcome on this steering mod. The slop and wandering are completely gone. I believe that I had the side box adjustment a bit tight on the '95 as I could feel overcoming a slight hump on center. I corrected that in the adjustment on the '99 box so it does ride on center, but there is no hump or binding. It is literally fingertip control or steering, but without the wandering.

 

[tanman_2006]

My 93 and 95 are both off to the left slightly. I adjust my 93's out with the tierods but after i took it in for alignment it was SLIGHTLY off again and got a bit worse after ~15K but not enough to complain about.