Learning the Hard Way!

[nonstop]

Hey folks,

Just thought I would share my most recent experience of stubbornness, in the hopes of helping someone think their problems through. A little background - I have been fixing cars for 20-25 years and am well versed through schooling and experience. The truck - 1985 GMC K2500, Dana 60 front, which was previously lifted 6 inches with crossover steering, now 4 inches with stock steering, drop pitman arm, and sway bar. The steering wheel was never straight with cross over steering (proved to be just the nature of the set up, but did not pull). Went back to stock steering for other reasons and changed to smaller tires, using junkyard parts. Now the truck was pulling to the right and steering wheel was crooked. I checked the toe many times, adjusting it again and again, even though it was already in spec. No slop in wheel bearings, kingpin bushings were good too. Next thought was axle shifted. Measured wheel base multiple times, all within spec. I adjusted the drag link, to no avail. Next order of business - drop pitman arm. Still pulling. In the mean time the Detroit Locker goes bad, so figuring maybe one wheel was pushing it to the right. Put in a mini spool. Still pulling right. Lower the sway bar thinking its binding - it still pulls! Next step was deciding to replace steering pump or box. Pump first - still pulling! Rebuilt the steering box.....still pulls. Thought I maybe rebuilt it wrong and replace the box with a rebuilt.....yup, it still pulls. By this time I have a lot of time into the pull issue, and the money is starting to get up there.

What's the one thing I didn't do? Rotate the tires. Tried that today.....drives straight!!! Probably one of the easiest things I could have done was overlooked because I was overthinking and refused to give in to the K.I.S.S. principle. Would have saved a lot of time, money, and aggravation!

Sorry for the long post, just wanted to put this out there in the hopes it will help someone to not get ahead of themselves.

[El Dorado Jim]

so true, sometimes it can be the simplest things that can cause problems..

[slotard]

I see no reason why you couldn't make crossover work with a straight wheel, it would just take adjusting the drag link and/or steering shaft to gearbox interface, right?

[nonstop]

Originally Posted by slotard

I see no reason why you couldn't make crossover work with a straight wheel, it would just take adjusting the drag link and/or steering shaft to gearbox interface, right?

The drag link on the cross over had a bend designed into it, so I couldn't quite fine tune it. I couldn't make it work, but it's a moot point anyway. I already sold it. I also wanted to go back with a sway bar, which I couldn't use with a cross over set up.

[cadillac_al]

Now you have me scared to rotate my tires. Mine tracks nice and straight as it is.

[95 S_Trucker]

3/4 of the time when a car or truck gets in my shop for a pull, it is caused by the tires, not an alignment issue.


FYI, toe being out will not cause a pull. Caster or extreme camber will.