Steering return to center

[chris989]

Hello,

I have a V2500 with a 2 inch lift and 33's.

The truck steered great but had a leak in the gear box. I replace the box along with a new drag link and ends. The truck not will not return to center.

The first box replacement box was super tight so i returned it for a different box. This second box is a little better but the wheel is still heavy to turn and will not center at all.

I took it to the alignment shop, after the lift the caster was 6.3 degrees. Specs are 7.5-8.5. i added a 4 degree shim and can tell no difference.

Is it possible a little air still in the system could cause this?
Could my new drag link ends be so tight?? Seems highly unlikely.

Side note, This is the first time in my life I actually used power steering fluid and not trans fluid??


Anyone with this issue or a solution?

Thank you,
Chris

[68Timber]

Have to ask, did you add an aftermarket steering stabilizer? I put a single-tube Rancho steering stabilizer on a 76 4x4 Blazer I had years ago. It lost the return-to-center capability when I did.

[chris989]

Hello Bruiser,

It does have a stabilizer but it the old one that has been on the truck for years. No changes were made to it before of after the gear box install.

I am considering removing it, On all of my cj's I never ran a stabilizer and never had a problem even with 39's and 36 swampers.

Chris

[chris989]

Anyone??

I see post on other forums and never find the resolution, the thread seems to die.

An update here,
I removed the stabilizer shock, no change
I removed the drag link, it felt gritty and stiff. while everything was disconnected, I checked the resistance of the wheel. The steering wheel inside feels no different even with the drag link disconnected.



Question, can someone confirm the ratio of the box i should have? Mine currently turns 3 turns lock to lock, (16-1??) I do not recall what the turns were prior to removal of the original box.


I am a little tired of exchanging boxes.

Thanks
chris

[72MARIO]

lets see so pic of that truck

[chris989]

SEMI SOLVED,

I found a gear box from a 88 suburban on craigslist. installed it in my 89 and MAGIC. The truck steers easy and returns to center as it should.

All I can say is "never give up your original core" not for any part. most of my research has lead to understand that ALL remanufactured parts are a mix of what ever comes out of the old pile of parts. (valves,torsion bars, etc)

If I had a dana 60 i would have just bought a new gear from psc and not bothered with this headache. I was hoping for a easy fix to my problem while hunting for the 60.

My issue now is a soon as the pump warms up, it whines like crazy. Cold=quiet. At least with the pump if i buy a quality pump, it can be used in the future.

Hope some of this helped someone.
Chris

[72MARIO]

I think they are 3.25 lock to lock . I wonder if you got a bad rebuilt box. I do recall when i changed mine years ago that it took a couple of short drives for the air to get out of the lines.