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#148087 08/29/2006 4:46 AM
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 32
L
'Bolter
'Bolter
L Offline
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 32
On it's first shake down cruise my 41 1/2 T wandered as if it had a mind of it's own. It turned out it did, the stearing box was not tighted down. Still it was squirrely. Tihted up the worm gear in the stearing box. Better . It still needs more at 40 mph it is a bit troublesome. It has a 54 front axel about 2 1/2 inches wider on each side than a 41 but only a 1/2 wider that a 46 on each side. I used all the linkage out of the 46. How tight can I tighten this stearing up. The stearing gears in the box didn't appear to be worn on examination. The king pins seam tight, tie rod ends seam tight drag link connections seam tight. Nothing appears to move when it's not suppose too. I have brand new tires. How do you a-line one of these things or better yet who does it? Big truck shops? What is the proceedure to help this thing go straight with out constant ajustment or am I just to use to new trucks,


The White Knight
1941 Chevrolet 1.5-Ton
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 584
T
'Bolter
'Bolter
T Offline
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 584
I'm completely un familiar with the bigger/older trucks maybe more so than you, but I have to think it would be a tow issue rather than sloppyness, given your description of everything. When it is sitting still do you have excessive play in the wheel? If not, then should only need alignment (don't know how 'cause i'm not there yet). I would bet that most alignment shops (not pepboys or auto zone) would take it on and figure it out. In our area there are enough farmers that these don't present that big of a problem for those in the know.


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R
Wrench Fetcher
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R Offline
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 23
I'm no expert here either but I agree that it sounds like a tow problem. With the truck on the ground, and with the help of a buddy, you could measure from one tire to the other on the front and back of the wheels, using the same tread grove front and back. I don't know what the difference should be but I can't imagine it should be much! If it is way off you should be able to adjust at the tie rod to get it close to the same front and back, and give that a try. I have a junker (called tough trucks around here) that I take to different tracks and go around obsticals and over jumps, and I constantly have to adjust this because of bending the front axle back and I just get them close to equal and that makes a tremendous difference. Good luck!! R&G

Joined: May 2006
Posts: 8,351
L
'Bolter
'Bolter
L Offline
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 8,351
rust & grease has the right idea, the spec is 1/16"-3/16". You'll need to check the adjustment of the steering box and the preload on the tie rod ends too. Any slop in either will cause the problem you are having. Your shop manual (you do have one, right?) will tell you how to adjust the box correctly, the tie rods adjust by turning the plug in until it bottoms out, then back off to the first cotter pin hole. Then follow r&gs procedure to set the toe. I set my truck with that procedure, it handles great.


Bill Burmeister

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