K10 Steers Like A Sailboat

[77K10inKC]

Hey Guys,
I've been lurking here for a few months since I bought this '77 K10 square. What a great resource for these trucks and their owners! I always wanted this era of Chevy and was lucky to find one not far away; my uncles and brothers drove these trucks throughout my youth. This one caught my eye as it was originally built with the 400, which my uncle had and I remember it being a bad a$$ truck back in the day. Alas, it had been restored with a Goodwrench 350, but I bought it anyway.

So this truck was advertised as having a 3" lift. Ground to bottom of the fender at the wheel centerline is 41 1/2". Problem is this thing steers like it's using a rudder to turn! On center feel is nill, and I'm constantly correcting. I realize that a 34 yr old lifted truck is going to drive like a 34 yr old lifted truck, but the drag link looks rough and the angle a little severe. I've included an admittedly crappy picture of the steering link and could use some input on how to correct this steering. Am I looking at a lifted pitman arm, new joints, and drag link? Tie rod ends look pretty good. This is my first pickup, but I can turn a wrench on the weekends.

Let me know what you guys think. I love driving this truck and my kids want to drive it everywhere we go, but God Bless America the steering is like my Dad's fishing boat.
--Mark

[rwhit57]

Man that is a beautiful truck! Only thing I see wrong with it, is it's not sitting in my driveway. Sounds like your on the right track with the front end stuff, but check the steering box, if it's not worn out you can adjust it and take out some play. If everything is right the truck should drive fine. Nice truck!!!

[alwaysbroken]

oh my that trucks is nice. it must have something to do with the steering box obviously, is the fluid toped up? theres rebuild kits for those to.

[mongoose]

sit under the truck and have someone saw at the wheel... once the movement stops you've found the culprit.

my k5 did this made it scary as hell driving the the highway.. just going from one side to the other musta looked like i was drunk but it was the drag link that had/was failing.

[blakeduren]

The steering arms looks funny....not factory, but not a lifted one either...looks bent from the photo.
The draglink angle is a bit steep. The more level the better. A dropped pitman arm might help assuming there is nothing wrong with the steering arm.
That shock that is welded to the "Inner C" is weird. No reason for that to be there.

Go through every joint in the steering system. You can replace the steering shaft with a high dollar aftermarket unit or just use one from a 90's Cherokee with one minor clearance thing on the steering column. Long at your rag joint before the steering box.
Also....
Is the frame cracked at the steering box? ORD makes a good brace or a fix it weld on kit for these spots.

Just some thoughts...

[jimmybeus]

Nice truck. I had somewhat of the same problem with my 86. It has a 4" lift with 35s under it. Come to find out my steering box was missing a bolt and the other ones were loose. Tightened everything up it felt good as new. Might not be your problem but something to maybe check.

[77K10inKC]

Thanks for the compliment and inputs guys. The truck was restored 2 owners ago out in Arizona, and they did pretty good work but suspension and chasis has a few strange things. But this is my first old pickup so I'm learning as I go along. I'll throw the son in the cab and have him turn the wheel while I have a look.

I have checked around the steering box and there are no cracks. That was one thing I looked at before buying it.

Would that inside shock have been added to off-roading? That's not my thing, at least not yet.

[blakeduren]

Brace the box before it breaks...
think about crossover steering even if it is a street truck. Gets you better lock to lock everytime.
Get rid of that extra shock, it's not for offroading, it just makes it ride worse.

I think they lifted it 3 inches with out ANY steering correction which does not help things.

If you need help, I'm in the Liberty/KC MO area.
I used to have a lifted blazer that steered like a dream. It had plenty of mods to it though.

[msgross]

more pics of the steering components would help...


the drag link should be parallel to the ground, yours is a "little" down slop which will start to cause bump steer...

raised steering arm or dropped pitman arm would help... maybe some pics of the steering stops with the wheels cranked both ways as well...


very nice truck though. ditto that the extra shock should go...

[67_SS396]

Good looking truck. Get a raised steering arm and check all the other joints for slop. With a raised arm, it will drive much better. By the looks of the truck, I would assume this will be more of a mall crawler, so I would suggest a front sway bar to firm it up a bit. A sway bar will take away quite a bit of the wishy/washy feel. You will need to drop the frame brackets for the sway bar some for a correct fit. Some 1.5" square tubing works great.
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[scottsdaleowner75]

The steering is screwed up because someone bent the steering arm down to clear that stupid shock they added next to the ball joint. Replace all the tie rods (2) the pitman arm to steering arm and adjusting sleeve (1) and it will be 100% better. Maybe $200 tops. Also look into replacing the steering arm as it looks weird from the photo. More pics please