hmmm...turning radius-tie rod question

[SWINGSAX68]

Okay I have had this problem for a while....I have very poor turning radius towards the passenger side. I was told that maybe the pitman arm was set wrong.....nope....and I was told that my gear box was bad...I doubt it.

SO I decided to take a look at stuff....the steering knuckle that the outer tir rods go into have a little stopper towards the back that will hit a little block on the lower control arm to makle it stop....my drivers side is almost an inch away when turned all the way....the passengers side stops on it.

SO....I looked at my tie rods.....I have a whole lot more thread "out" on the passengers side.....and when my wheels are straight my pitman arm is not flush to the chasis.....like on other trucks I've seen.....
I'll try to get pictures......did I find my problem????

[Low69CST]

The whole stearing my be shifted to one side. Do you know the history of the truck? Take it to a good front end shop and see what they say. Is the Center drag link centered under the truck? (assuming 2wd)

[mikesz]

Originally Posted by SWINGSAX68

Okay I have had this problem for a while....I have very poor turning radius towards the passenger side. I was told that maybe the pitman arm was set wrong.....nope....and I was told that my gear box was bad...I doubt it.

SO I decided to take a look at stuff....the steering knuckle that the outer tir rods go into have a little stopper towards the back that will hit a little block on the lower control arm to makle it stop....my drivers side is almost an inch away when turned all the way....the passengers side stops on it.

SO....I looked at my tie rods.....I have a whole lot more thread "out" on the passengers side.....and when my wheels are straight my pitman arm is not flush to the chasis.....like on other trucks I've seen.....
I'll try to get pictures......did I find my problem????

Turn your wheel to the left. Turn it to the right and count the turns. Divide by two. Turn back to the left that many times. Your steering box is now centered. If your wheels are pointing left you have found your problem. Chances are somewone did a bad alignment then pulled the steering wheel off and recentered it. Center the box, then the steering wheel, then do an aliginment.

Mike

[1FaastC10]

mikesz, you're on the right track. counting the turns to the right, and then dividing by two, turning it back that many turns will cause the wheels to be turned halfway to the right. you need to count the total turns, lock to lock, divide THAT by two. then starting from one lock, turn it the other direction by that number of turns. that should center your steering box.

[mikesz]

Originally Posted by 1FaastC10

mikesz, you're on the right track. counting the turns to the right, and then dividing by two, turning it back that many turns will cause the wheels to be turned halfway to the right. you need to count the total turns, lock to lock, divide THAT by two. then starting from one lock, turn it the other direction by that number of turns. that should center your steering box.

I should have said then to make it clearer. But I did say turn to the left. THEN turn to the right. Meaning full left then full right, divide by two. Go back left.

Mike

[LONGHAIR]

a little block on the lower control arm to makle it stop....my drivers side is almost an inch away when turned all the way....the passengers side stops on it.

You may have to do the centering twice because of this^^^^^. Since you are being stopped by the stop, you may not get an accurate total count of revolutions. You may have to bring it toward center and then test it again. You could be missing a half turn or more.

[72MARIO]

I thought that you were supposto have the Idler Arm and the pitman arm straight with the frame rail.