The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Steering wander

My 54 3/4 ton is wandering pretty bad. It really does not seem to have play in the wheel and it doesn't wander all that much at low speeds, but the faster i go the worse it gets. at about 50mpgh it about takes everything i've got just to keep it between the lines. would it be tie rod ends, king pins, etc. or would it be steering box adjustment, bearings, etc? I know nothing about steering gear boxes. I read the tech tip on adjusting it and don't know what i'm looking at. Any help would be appreciated.

All of the parts you describe can be checked/tested for looseness/wear and most of them are adjustable, if not too worn for safe service:

- tie rod ends (are adjustable)
- king pins
- steering box (is adjustable)
- bearings (is adjustable)

Any of those parts could affect steering and wander. Checking and adjusting those parts are described in the Shop Manual.

Bias ply tires (and over-inflated) tires will wander.

Have you checked the front-end alignment toe-in setting?

i havent checked alighnment or toe-in. I recently swaped wheels and tires with some used ones.

Start with the easy stuff. Check the wheel bearings. Are they adjusted, greased, and snug?. Then jack up one side so the tire is off the ground. Place your hands at 3 and 9 just like a clock. Try to move the wheel. Watch from under the truck with a helper and you can see if it is the drag link or the tie rod end. Still good? Put hands at 12 and 6 try to move the wheel. This will show the king Pins. Still good? Look at the spring shackles. Are they nice and straight? are they clean and tight? Look at both the front and back on each side. Put the truck down and have some one inside to turn the wheel. Won't take much. Watch all of the tie rod ends, the drag link, and the pitman arm. If the pitman arm moves in and out of the steering box you need to set the end play or rebuild it. If the wheel moves but nothing else does then set the column end play or rebuild the box. I would bet you find something loose by the time you get to this point. Don;t forget to look at the "U" bolts that hold the axle to the springs. They should be nice and tight and not broken. While you are looking see if there is any signs of movement where the axle sits on the spring. If all of that is good get it to an alignment shop and see if something is out or bent. Castor will bring the wheels to straight after a turn. Camber will keep the wheel true to the road under load. Toe in will keep the wheels parallel in a turn. That is what those angles and measurements are all about. Good luck and see what you can find.

Oh yeah: Big truck: Use big helper...:)

Thanks Steve, that gives me a good starting point. I did grease the wheel bearings when i put the new wheels on, but really didn't pay much attention to wear or anything else, was just wanting to get it on the road, lol. That should give me a good start in tracking it down.

Years ago I had a car that pulled hard to one side after I put on some used tires. Turns out the radials I put on were directional and were now rotating the opposite from when new. If the problem didn't exist before you changed wheels and tires your problem may be similar.

I am experiencing the same issue with my 58 apache. about to go through adjustment procedures.

Did it wander at high speeds before the used tire/wheel swap? I would start there if I were you. There may be a good explanation as to why someone got rid of the tires in the first place. Bad or incorrect tires will ruin the ride of these old trucks, especially with the wandering problem. As a frugal person, I found this out the hard way. Changed back to new, stock tires an rims, problem solved.
Carl

I followed the steps you guys laid out. went great. Steering nice and tight now. Thank you!