other than the A/C...the only other thing I have left to tackle is the steering...under 30...no problems. once you get above 30 - 35...you can just be driving along and all of a sudden, it'll just jump or lean to one side or the other. it feels like it just kinda leans quickly or jumps over to one side. It'll do it to the left or the right...no difference in sides.

we checked out the steering stabilizer and it looks good...nice and stiff..and no fluid leaking...tightened it all back up. a guy that was helping talked about the body leaning from one side to the other when I turned the wheels with them looking at everything. It was pretty noticeable. he recommended we changed the track bar bushings...which we did...we also got under it and torqued down every nut on the steering/suspension on the front end...it tightened up the steering some...but didn't stop the lean/jump from one side to the other. we even tightened up the steering with the adjuster screw on the gear box...but that didn't fix it either. from under the truck...if we have someone turning the wheel....it looks like everything else is good.

every thread I've read thru says that big tires and a lift are always problems for steering...but surely there is a way to fix it?? surely I don't have to live with this saftey issue?? I've got 33x13.50x15 on the truck (from the PO)...it also has a 3 in suspension lift (also from PO). (its the truck in the signature and gallery)

any ideas? - thanks

 

Did you inspect/replace your radius arm bushings? If the lift was done incorrectly, your front end may require shimming at the other end(axle side) of your radius arms to correct the altered steering geometry. Have you put the front end up in the air and push/pulled on the tires top and bottom for any end play? Are your U bolts on the rear axle tight?

 

i wondered about radius arm bushings....I read that with the different sized lifts that the bushings had to have the degrees fixed into them...i looked a them...but can't really tell if they were replaced when the PO put the lift on. any idea on how I could tell?

I haven't put the front end in the air...other than on a floor jack...but have been underneath while someone was turning back and forth....Haven't checked the rear u bolts...but will this evening....

If I took it in for one of those "free wheel alignment tests"...would it be able to pick up on the issue caused by the radius arm bushings? without access to a lift, how can I test the top and bottom end of the tires for play?

any other suggestions or ideas?

 

My dad had a 78' and the truck did the sme thing. Found that the ball joints on the knuckles were bad.

 

The easy way to do it, take it to an alignment shop, have them put your rig on the rack. They will inspect for worn components prior to doing the alignment, if something is wrong, they will send you on your way with a list.

 

thanks masterbeavis...appreciate the ideas....I'll check the U bolts tonight on the rear...and see if I can find out if they ever replaced the radius bushings when they did the lift. Don't most of the kits come with them? My brother keeps telling me to just go get an alignment check too...but I kinda was hoping to figure it out without doing that.

 

i had a 1978 that did that also,it was the ujoints in the front axels. pulled the axel.s and you could not bend them a the ujoint . they were rusted solid.

 

man....so many "possible" things...I know it "could be" the radius arm bushings, ball joints, u joints, etc...if I take it to get an alignment check, will they be able to isolate the problem so that I don't just "throw parts and money" at it? can't really afford to just keep replacing parts that aren't the cause of it. I know it all has a cumulative effect...and so it will all probably "help" in the end...but I'd prefer to find it and fix it rather than everything around it!

thanks for all the ideas and things to check...hopefully we can nail it down to one of them and get it back steering like its supposed to.

 

dont leave out the possibility of the rear axle being loose and one side shifting forward and backward.I've seen vehicles going down the road like a crab walking sideways.

 

ok,you said the body had a sudden lean......may be stupid but if there is not a suspension problem the next question i would have would be do you have a body lift?Is there exsessive rust underneath? Leading to the maybe stupid...check the body mounts. oh by the way ball joints?.................should be kingpins

 

hadn't thought about that....I'll check it out...thanks!

 

I've got a suspension lift...and no rust underneath....and I don't have kingpins - I've got springs in the front, not leafs.

 

I would replace the C-bushings and the radius arm bushings, both of those will cause the side to side grab if they are worn out, and yes, they make C-Bushings with the caster adjusted for the lift, I have 2 degree C-Bushings in my 77, took it to the alignment shop,,, he said factory perfect as it sits. Energy suspension makes the bushings, check with a 4 wheel place (reputible) or 4wheelparts.com I ordered all new bushings, trackbar/radius arm/C-bushings was less than $50 for all of them. Will make a BIG difference, espesially with 33's. Also check your pitman arm make sure it is tight, and the steering gear box.

 

thanks for the info...I have checked several places, jeff's bronco graveyard, NPD, LMX, etc...and all have the radius arm/c bushings for with the caster adjusted for lift and pretty resonably priced...I'll check into getting them and changing them out. I've figured that the bushings were the issue...that's why I've already changed the trackbar bushings....didn't notice much with that. we tighted up everything under the front end...including the pitman arm (it was loose)...but surprisingly, after tightening everything and replacing the trackbar bushings...it hasn't stopped. I'm gonna look into the radius arm/c bushings and maybe take it by to have the alignment checked just to be sure....thanks again for the info and help!!

 

When the radius arm bushings are gone, sometimes you cant see it until you sit in the truck and hold the brakes, and have someone watch as you put it in gear, keep the brake on and give it a little gas, and you can SEE the axle move, from outside appearances, the radius arm bushings looked ok, so did the C-bushings, I would venture to say it drives as good as my wifes 02 Ex. (but I just like it more too)