Steering Abnormally
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FTE Chapter Leader
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From: North Central Washington
Steering Abnormally
My 1969 drives strange, I don't see anything loose but here is what it does. When you really put your foot down it steers to the right and then when you let off it steers to the left. It also pulls to the left when I apply the brakes. It has a 2.5" lift kit, new front springs and I was told an add a leaf spring in the rear but the rear looks a little lower then the front. It also has dual shocks front and rear and the rear ones look almost compressed maybe an inch maybe inch and a half of travel left. It also has the new poly (Blue in color) bushings in the suspension both front and rear.
Any ideas on the steering problem?
Tim
Any ideas on the steering problem?
Tim
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Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Southern Oregon USA
Does it have a limited slip or locker in the rear?
Does the wheel want to pull out of your hand or does it feel like the rear end is steering you?
If it is pulling to one side when braking, you need to check brake adjustment and brake condition.
Jason
Does the wheel want to pull out of your hand or does it feel like the rear end is steering you?
If it is pulling to one side when braking, you need to check brake adjustment and brake condition.
Jason
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FTE Chapter Leader
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From: North Central Washington
Originally Posted by RCrawler
Does it have a limited slip or locker in the rear?
Does the wheel want to pull out of your hand or does it feel like the rear end is steering you?
If it is pulling to one side when braking, you need to check brake adjustment and brake condition.
Jason
Does the wheel want to pull out of your hand or does it feel like the rear end is steering you?
If it is pulling to one side when braking, you need to check brake adjustment and brake condition.
Jason
Tim
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Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Southern Oregon USA
Originally Posted by fishmanndotcom
have you checked air pressure in your tires? surprisingly enough that will cause some very strange driving conditions!
-cutts-
-cutts-
.Jason
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From: Da UP, eh!
When a vehicle accelerates, especially a light one with a short wheelbase like the Early Bronco's, and even more so if your engine is high performance with lots of torque, there is an equal and opposite reaction which manifests itself with vehicle lean, so your vehicle wants to pull to one side. Not much you can do except to have stiffer suspension and as you stated, make sure all your bushings are new.
As for braking, that is called brake steer. It is mainly due to uneven break friction from one side to another. Check to make sure the entire system is bled properly, and that you don't have any calipers or wheel cylinders that aren't bound up and move well when braking. Also, you brake lines may be corroded and one side might be getting less fluid than the other.
Plus, the EB steering boxes have a lot of play in them, so you have to steer further through the "deadband" area to get any sort of reaction at the wheels, so it seems like you are steering a lot to compensate for any of these pulls.
As for braking, that is called brake steer. It is mainly due to uneven break friction from one side to another. Check to make sure the entire system is bled properly, and that you don't have any calipers or wheel cylinders that aren't bound up and move well when braking. Also, you brake lines may be corroded and one side might be getting less fluid than the other.
Plus, the EB steering boxes have a lot of play in them, so you have to steer further through the "deadband" area to get any sort of reaction at the wheels, so it seems like you are steering a lot to compensate for any of these pulls.
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FTE Chapter Leader
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From: North Central Washington
Thanks for the replies. I did check the air presure in the tires before driving to the muffler shop, keep in mind this was only the second time I have ever driven this thing. The steering box is very loose also, maybe that is contriputing to the feel. One other thing, there is no steering stableizer shock.
As far as the brakes go I have not checked them out yet, other then made sure they work. The guy I bought it from said he had them replaced a few years back but had not driven it much sense then. Thanks for the advise on things to check.
Tim
As far as the brakes go I have not checked them out yet, other then made sure they work. The guy I bought it from said he had them replaced a few years back but had not driven it much sense then. Thanks for the advise on things to check.
Tim
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From: Moro Bay, AR
One other thing to check. When it was lifted, was the track arm bracket extended? It should be level or nearly so when sitting still. If it is at an extreme angle it will cause these problems because the front lifts when accelerating and dives when braking, causeing what is known as bump steer.
Jeff
Jeff
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Brett Foote
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Speaking of the track arm..the bushings and bolts at both ends have to to be tight with no play or slop. The track bar is a critical element for proper steering, in terms of its angle, as noted above, and its free play.
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Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Southern Oregon USA
Since it is lifted, I am more curious of the angle of the track bar compared to the draglink. They should be as parallel to each other as possible. Most of the time with a 2 1/2" lift, no track bar bracket or pitman arm is needed to correct the steering. Although I have seen exceptions where one, or both were needed.
If the track bar bushings were worn, it would cause wandering all the time, not just on accel and decel.
How are you checking for play in the front end? Have somebody turn the wheel back and forth across center and watch for movement in the steering linkage, the track bar mounting points and the radius arms. Even if the bushings look recent, you still want to look closely for play. Especially the frame mount on the track bar. It is common for the bolt hole to become egged out or the bolt to become worn. Track bar bushings are notorious for failure. I've seen them completely shot after one wheeling trip.
Since you mentioned that you believe the problem is coming from the rear, you should also take a look at the rear springs, shackle bushings, and u bolts.
Maybe for a broken center bolt in the spring? I have also seen a few rear ends where the holes in the spring perches were worn out which allowed the rearend to shift back and forth on accel and decel. Look for loose ubolts and signs of movement between the springs and the rear end.
Jason
If the track bar bushings were worn, it would cause wandering all the time, not just on accel and decel.
How are you checking for play in the front end? Have somebody turn the wheel back and forth across center and watch for movement in the steering linkage, the track bar mounting points and the radius arms. Even if the bushings look recent, you still want to look closely for play. Especially the frame mount on the track bar. It is common for the bolt hole to become egged out or the bolt to become worn. Track bar bushings are notorious for failure. I've seen them completely shot after one wheeling trip.
Since you mentioned that you believe the problem is coming from the rear, you should also take a look at the rear springs, shackle bushings, and u bolts.
Maybe for a broken center bolt in the spring? I have also seen a few rear ends where the holes in the spring perches were worn out which allowed the rearend to shift back and forth on accel and decel. Look for loose ubolts and signs of movement between the springs and the rear end.
Jason
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From: maui.HI
As Jason stated above, check draglink and track bar to be as parallel as possible. I've chased this problem which sounds identical to your for years. Like you I checked for loose or worn parts but could never resolve the problem until I came on to this forum.
If your draglink and track bar is not parallel, what will happen when ever your suspension moves up or down (e.g. braking and accelerating), your suspension will try to bump your steering because they are on different planes. You will find your self trying to compensate and steering gets pretty wierd. I believe they call this problem "bump steer". You can purchase different parts like a drop bracket for the track bar or a drop steering arm for the pitman arm. You may need on or a combination of these depending on your vehicle and lift in order to correct back to a parallel position.
In my case I installed a track bar drop bracket and flipped the tie rods to achieve my parallel line-up of the two links and my years of steering problems were solved. Good luck
If your draglink and track bar is not parallel, what will happen when ever your suspension moves up or down (e.g. braking and accelerating), your suspension will try to bump your steering because they are on different planes. You will find your self trying to compensate and steering gets pretty wierd. I believe they call this problem "bump steer". You can purchase different parts like a drop bracket for the track bar or a drop steering arm for the pitman arm. You may need on or a combination of these depending on your vehicle and lift in order to correct back to a parallel position.
In my case I installed a track bar drop bracket and flipped the tie rods to achieve my parallel line-up of the two links and my years of steering problems were solved. Good luck
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FTE Chapter Leader
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From: North Central Washington
Thanks for all of the responses. There is quite a difference in angle between the track bar and the drag link, the track bar has been lowered 4" and nothing has been done to the Pittman arm. For those that are curious, I measured 6 degrees angle on the track bar and 12 degrees on the drag link.
Here is more info also. The truck does have limited slip front and rear although the front works much better. I pulled the rear drive line to replace a U-joint and then took it for a drive, boy that thing is a hand full in town. When accelerating it still pulled to the right and in combination with a very loose steering box it's on the verge of being scary to drive.
It's in the shop for some down time now that I have some things identified to work on. Steering box rebuilt (Power steering upgrade on the wish list), drop Pittman arm, new oil seals front axle, new rear yoke transfer case and new CV yoke rear drive line.
Thanks again for all the help I will let you guys know how it turns out.
Tim in Chelan
Here is more info also. The truck does have limited slip front and rear although the front works much better. I pulled the rear drive line to replace a U-joint and then took it for a drive, boy that thing is a hand full in town. When accelerating it still pulled to the right and in combination with a very loose steering box it's on the verge of being scary to drive.
It's in the shop for some down time now that I have some things identified to work on. Steering box rebuilt (Power steering upgrade on the wish list), drop Pittman arm, new oil seals front axle, new rear yoke transfer case and new CV yoke rear drive line.
Thanks again for all the help I will let you guys know how it turns out.
Tim in Chelan
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FTE Chapter Leader
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From: North Central Washington
Ok I got it fixed. I bought another Manuel steering box that was not as wore out as mine, changed the seals and then bought a 4" drop Pitman arm. The steering problem is gone.
Now I need to buy an adjustable drag link to get the steering in the center of the box.
Tim in Chelan
Now I need to buy an adjustable drag link to get the steering in the center of the box.
Tim in Chelan