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I went on a rock hunt today along Canada's most dangerous Highway. Wouldn't ya know it, Old Blue was swaying along with a fair amount of play in the steering and a load of rocks. I had sorta noticed it over a few weeks but really noticed it with a few rocks in the back. The kingpins were replaced a few months back and Red mentioned steering arm or something. Anyone have some suggestions for what to look for so that I can find the problem. Could it be tie-rods or that adjustment at the bottom of the steering column the alignment guy did? I wasn't sure which forum to put this in, sorry.

Check the drag link ends and tie rod ends, they are the most likely to be loose. If the drag link is still the original spring loaded type, I would change to the newer style even if they seem tight.

Also check the preload and lash adjustment in the steering gear.

Just put the front end up on stands, have someone rock the steering wheel back and forth while you watch. Replace/repair anything that moves!

I can suggest 2 things. It can either be the backlash adjustment of the steering box, or the pre-load on the tie rods if they are still the original type.
Either one is relatively easly to take care of. The backlash can be taken care of with the screw on the side of the steering box. Loosen the lock nut and turn the screw in to remove backlash. It is very similar to adjusting the valves on a 235.
The Tie rods can be adjusted by first removing the cotter pin from the end of the housing. Then the large slotted plug is turned in to set the preload. The plug should be turned in until the spring is completely compressed, them backed off to the first cotter pin hole.
I had to go through a similar situation on mine. You will have to have the toe reset if the tie rods need to be re adjusted for preload.

Old Blue.... tell us aboot the rocks you found!!!

(Rusty Rod is a closet rock hound)

You didn't have most of the rocks aft of the rear axle, did you?

That was my thought too

The "swaying" means that either the springs were overloaded, or the shocks are bad. If the swaying is severe enough, it will modify where the vehicle is heading and thus give the impression that there is a steering fault.

By the way, the procedure in my GM Truck manual for adjusting the ball socket joints in the steering is to adjust for no clearance, then back off one complete turn and then back off further to the nearest notch.

Thanks everyone for your comments and Longbox55 for the "easy to understand" instructions. I put my truck on jacks last weekend and reviewed. When the wheels were turned to the far right or far left the wobble was most noticeable. I kept jiggling it to see where it was loose. So would you all say this is tie-rod ends? When I adjust this should I remove the tire then? I've been phoning around for replacement tie-rod ends and not a single place has it. One guy even laughed at me on the phone.

As for the rocks, they were evenly placed in the back as one layer and not too many. The sway happens with or without the rocks. Rusty Rod, the rocks were a mix of granite, a reddish/pink, some blue-grey coloured rock between Vancouver and squamish where they have recently been doing blasting. Here's a few pics of the highway construction: http://www.seatoskycountry.net/gallery/construction.html

tierod ends and rebuild kits are available from all the catalogs. check the links page.

read this:
it may be worth a try for you.

upgrade your DRAG LINK:

http://www.stovebolt.com/bboard/cgi-bin//ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=22;t=003275#000000


any moon rocks ??? or alians seen?

nice pix.... how did you acquire the one from the middle of the bridge supports?

You might also replace the spring shackles and eye bushings. They were the cause of much of the play on my truck. If the king pins and tie rods are worn out they are too.

all the previously posted suggestions are valid. start from the outside in. it will take some time but as you work through the whole suspension/steering system, things will start to tighten up.

i still have the shackles and spring pivots to work over but after replacing the king pins, restoring the drag link, checking the backlash and adjusting the toe in, it tracks really well down the street (even with bias ply tires). it works well enough that i can "palm" the steering wheel when making turns even at slow speeds.

My buddy who has a 40 Chevy 1/2 ton asked me drive his truck in a movie, "Marriage", all through the night lastnight so I broke down and called the shop. They've got a hoist (I really need to buy large jack stands & a good hyd jack). The shop somehow found tie-rods ends but I'm going to mention what you've all mentioned while we have it up in the air and can review it better. Unfortunately they barely used the 40 in the shots and focused more on the Terraplane, mid 30's Caddys, etc.

Thanks everyone! :-)