how to get that tight feel in the suspension again

[72C10chevy4x4]

I just purchased this 72 4x4 and she was a lot of wander to the steering. Feels exactly like a 79 ford pickup where it would wander all over the road. What will it take to get the 'slop' out of the steering so that it reacts when you turn the wheel? I'm sure the alignment may need addressing but wondering if a slew of suspension parts might restore the feel to normal.

thank you,
Paul

[Fast68Chevy]

worn parts no mattr how you look at it

most effective way to find out what parts are giving you this slop is to have someone sit in truck and yank wheel back and forth quick sharply back and forth and you be under there looking at abnormal joint movements such as:

sideways movements of steering box pitman arm shaft,

abnormal loose movements of stud at end of pit arm

abnormal loose moevents of all rod ends at the pit arm and at the tie rod and at the spindles

disclaimer: my terminology may vary from yours


good luck

[73GMC]

Sounds like it's time for tie rod ends, idler arm, and pitman arm replacement. My 79 p/u was like that. Once I replaced those worn out bad boys, it was like a virgin again. Nice and tight.

[COBALT]

You know I had the same problem when I first got my '69 1 1/2 years ago. To get it drivable (and the fact that I'd never done a front-end AND didn't have the tools yet) I dropped it off at a local place and had them look it over. They ended up having them replace the lower ball joint + an outer tie rod end + an upper control arm assembly; all on the driver's side. Cost me a few $$$, but it was much more stable and got me by.

Now 1 1/2 years later, and after all I've experienced I consider that job a complete waste of money. My front end didn't take long to start getting weak again because the passenger side had been effected, so I got a complete rebuild kit with everthing in it except the spindles, drag link, control arms themselves, and steering box. Turns out my center bars on my lower control arms were in seriously bad shape. One of the big bushings just fell off the bar when I got it out of the control arm. That was my true problem, but how had the other parts suffered while this center bar was going bad?

See, the problem is that the steering/suspension system is a complete interconnected system. If one part starts to fail it begins wearing out the other parts in the system that now have to compensate for the extra slop that bad part is causing. Simply replacing 1 or 2 parts may get you by for a while, but ultimately the other parts are going to begin failing as well, because of how they were worn when those 1 or 2 parts were failing before they were replaced.

I'd do a complete rebuild on it after I inspected it and got an idea of where your failure is. You won't be sorry.

[chevypete396]

I agree with the above but just for $hits and giggles you might have the same problem i had when i first bought my truck, if your lucky.

I had very sloppy steering and it was a huge handfull to keep strait on the highway. I thought it probobly needed a full kit to fix it. I started tracing it out and had my brother turn the wheel while I observed (like stated above. With Power Steering, leave the engine off for best results)

I found every where I looked there were loose bolts. On all the rod ends some one took all the cotterpins out of the rod ends, they were all loose. There was also loose nuts where the steering collum meets the gear box linkage. I also had to tightened every bolt that mounts the gearbox to the frame.

I think I got lucky because this stuff is commonly over looked on such an old vehical. 2 years later the thing still handles like a dream. lucky me, all for the cost if a few cotter pins... Pete.

[71blacklighting]

u might want to check ur a arm bushings mine would wobble all over the road i pulled the wheel off and u could grab the brake rotor and shake the top a arm back and forth id check them.

[muleskinner]

my 68 has a adjuster screw with a jam nut on the steering gear box. try loosening the jam nut and turn the screw in till it stops then back it off 1/2 to 1 turn. it tightened mine up perfect. but then again all my tie rods and such are in good shape.

[68LSS1]

Don't forget the obvious like rag joint and wheel bearings.

[Seon]

Most front end alignment shop will give you a free inspection and tell you what you need. They'll also show you the parts that needs replacing. That's what I would do if I didn't know what to replace or look for.