Left turning radius decreased after alignment
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 157
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From: Gary, IN
Left turning radius decreased after alignment
Passenger side tie rod snapped a couple weeks ago. I replaced the tie rods both and drag link myself. Took it to local frame & axle shop a couple miles down the road because the NTB I would normally use is about 15 miles away and didn't want to drive that far.
Here's my problem. Got the truck back and the left turning radius is off. Get about 2 full turns of the steering wheel before lock. What could be the cause? Should I look at the adjustment sleeves on both. I've got my old parts to compare.
BTW, I immediately called the shop tht afternoon and they want to tell me its normal. Also stated how off the toe was which leads me to believe they don't want to rectify the problem. I don't trust them at this point now anyway.
Is this something I could possibly correct myself if I leave the wheels on the ground and adjust the sleeves? I can't think of anything else it may be.
Here's my problem. Got the truck back and the left turning radius is off. Get about 2 full turns of the steering wheel before lock. What could be the cause? Should I look at the adjustment sleeves on both. I've got my old parts to compare.
BTW, I immediately called the shop tht afternoon and they want to tell me its normal. Also stated how off the toe was which leads me to believe they don't want to rectify the problem. I don't trust them at this point now anyway.
Is this something I could possibly correct myself if I leave the wheels on the ground and adjust the sleeves? I can't think of anything else it may be.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,790
Likes: 24
From: Mount Royal, NJ
Yeah, I'd say they screwed it up. Don't go back to them. God knows what else they screwed up if they got something so simple so wrong. Get it double checked somewhere more reputable. If you do it yourself, make sure you turn both sleeves the exact same amount. Just my opinion, as I have never run into that type of issue before.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,344
Likes: 3
From: NYC
Check the pitman arm position. Sounds like the steering gearbox wasn't centered properly to me. I dealt with this issue when replacing my steering gear with a snapped sector shaft. Basically you can count the amount of times the steering wheel turns and center up the pitman arm/steering gear from there. IIRC I got about 2.5~2.75 turns to lock in each direction, give or take with some play. After you catch the "middle" of the gearbox you can set the drag link length. Don't bother trying to remove the steering wheel either to take up the difference, it only fits one way on these trucks.
All of this isn't very hard to do btw, just a little time consuming and fiddly.
All of this isn't very hard to do btw, just a little time consuming and fiddly.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,259
Likes: 346
From: Northern California
I’d tend to side with scobie that the box wasn’t centered when you put the new tie rods on and the shop didn’t correct it.
if you don’t like the shop you took it to then have your normal shop correct it. It will need to be aligned again anyhow so you are not saving any money by doing it yourself .
if you don’t like the shop you took it to then have your normal shop correct it. It will need to be aligned again anyhow so you are not saving any money by doing it yourself .
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