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Steering free play

MikFish said:
1996 6.5 diesel. Very loose steering, lots of free play. Also feels very heavy at slow speed turning. Any suggestions before taking to the shop. Side note: entire front end was rebuilt about 10,000 miles ago.
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Did you replace the rag joint on the steering column? Did you replace it with a solid spider joint lower shafted from Twisted on this site? In my experience on two K2500 Suburbans, after rebuilding the front end, the lower steering shaft from Twisted Steel removed the remaining looseness.
 
I think Big T has a good point which I didn't know there was a solution. I'm going to take a look at Twisted Steel for that steering shaft. Re: "heavy feel" some trucks have a speed sensor on the backside of the power steering pump. This regulates the amount of assistance provided by the power steering pump. If it is faulty, you might have an issue finding the part. Keep us posted on the issue so we all can learn... good luck!
 
Wreckinball67 said:
I think Big T has a good point which I didn't know there was a solution. I'm going to take a look at Twisted Steel for that steering shaft. Re: "heavy feel" some trucks have a speed sensor on the backside of the power steering pump. This regulates the amount of assistance provided by the power steering pump. If it is faulty, you might have an issue finding the part. Keep us posted on the issue so we all can learn... good luck!
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I disconnected the wires thats hooked to that sensor.
My truck has no steering issues and disconnecting those wires did not seem to have any affect on how the truck handles or steers, except for, with a load on the front hitch the PS doesnt seem to run out of power and the steering becomes totally disabled.
I will be ordering the fitting and hose adapter to replace that electronical valve.
 
Big T said:
Did you replace the rag joint on the steering column? Did you replace it with a solid spider joint lower shafted from Twisted on this site? In my experience on two K2500 Suburbans, after rebuilding the front end, the lower steering shaft from Twisted Steel removed the remaining looseness.
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I did not replace the rag joint on the column....sounds like that is my next step. Has anyone adjusted the small set screw on top of the steering box? ran across that recommendation on YouTube.
 
I made my own "spider" joint using a steering shaft from a jeep cherokee. I can't recall the year if it, but I ended up hacking off the rag joint section and the spider joint section further up on both shafts. the jeep shaft slid right into the GM one where I hacked it off. then double pinned it with some grade 8 bolts. I will have to look for the photos I took when I did this. and post them.
 
There is a procedure posted here somewhere by Ferman where he shows how to get all the end play out of the box. the main thing is to look at your pitman shaft while someone is working the wheels back and fourth. make sure the pitman shaft isn't moving side to side. a tiny amount is okish, but if there is a lot of side to side movement, no adjustment will fix that. only a new box.

just FYI, don't get a new reman box from the auto parts stores. they all use A1-Cardone which just about everything they provide as remanufactured is junk.
 
On my ‘94 Suburban, they had a a rag joint replacement kit for like $25. I did that job and it cleaned up well. The ‘99 has a different lower steering shaft and rag joint for which there are no replacement kits. The Dorman replacement lower shaft was over $200, so I went with the solid spider joint lower shaft from Chris at Twisted Steel. My recollection was that the fit of the shaft onto the upper shaft was a tight PITA, but once it was done, the results were excellent.
 
Big T said:
On my ‘94 Suburban, they had a a rag joint replacement kit for like $25. I did that job and it cleaned up well. The ‘99 has a different lower steering shaft and rag joint for which there are no replacement kits. The Dorman replacement lower shaft was over $200, so I went with the solid spider joint lower shaft from Chris at Twisted Steel. My recollection was that the fit of the shaft onto the upper shaft was a tight PITA, but once it was done, the results were excellent.
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Chris most likely machined the upper section of the shaft to fit proper. even on my GM upper section when it slides into the column and you bolt the through bolt down, there is still a tiny amount of slop. I can grab the column in that area and lift up and down and it has a slight amount of wobble to it. cranking down on that bolt wouldn't even squish the column down onto the shaft!
 
dbrannon79 said:
There is a procedure posted here somewhere by Ferman where he shows how to get all the end play out of the box. the main thing is to look at your pitman shaft while someone is working the wheels back and fourth. make sure the pitman shaft isn't moving side to side. a tiny amount is okish, but if there is a lot of side to side movement, no adjustment will fix that. only a new box.

just FYI, don't get a new reman box from the auto parts stores. they all use A1-Cardone which just about everything they provide as remanufactured is junk.
Click to expand...

I had to get a second reman steering box from Napa before I was satisfied with it on my 96 gmc.The 1st box from Napa was terrible.But the 2nd was much better.I was told cardone does the reman process for Napa.It’s just a pain in the butt having to get the darn box off to put another replacement on.
 
I've got a lot of play in my wheel, but then again I never adjusted the steering box when I replaced it.. not sure if that's the problem or the steering shaft.. I've gotta get a alignment done in the next week or so if I can figure out how to set the castor and camber..shop said it was 89 for alignment but hourly rate to adjust castor and camber.. never done it before..
Hopefully by getting alignment it might help with the steering.
 
they charge separately to adjust caster and camber?? isn't that part of the alignment?

the caster and camber adjustments on a 2x4 are the two bolts that hold the upper control arms in place. they have eccentric washers on both sides, just loosen and rotate. but if they have never been adjusted from the factory, you will have to pull the control arm and punch out the slotted punch-outs where the bolts go. they sell a tool made for that. when I had mine aligned, the guy asked me if it had ever been adjusted before. I said not to my knowledge. he handed me the tool and said go and remove the punch outs and bring the truck back else if he had to do it, it would cost me the labor of pulling the arm and putting it back.

it can be done without the tool but it's not easy to get to the rear ones due to the brake lines on the drivers side are right behind the area.

I will look and see if I can find the tool online and post a pic of it.
 
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