99 SD constantly pulling left. Sometimes!
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Central OH
99 SD constantly pulling left. Sometimes!
Hi all,
I have a 99 SD PSD crew cab which I dearly love. It has been pulling to the left on some roads, mostly at higher speeds, above 55-57 MPH. I have to steer at 1 oclock to stay straight, and it really seems like the crown of the road affects it. Sometimes it will pull hard enough to change lanes itself, and sometimes is only needs a nudge to center on the road. At slower speeds, I can drive with my knee no problem.
I have 305s on it, new ball joints, tie rods, and u joints. The shop I trust says it aligns all in spec, and this has been verified by another shop. Not to say they both couldnt be off, but...
The shop is saying the steering box needs replaced. They tightened it some, which helped a bit, but would a steering box do this? There is some slop in the wheel, around 1-1/2 inches total travel in the steering wheel.
Any advice or experience?
thanks, Digger T.
I have a 99 SD PSD crew cab which I dearly love. It has been pulling to the left on some roads, mostly at higher speeds, above 55-57 MPH. I have to steer at 1 oclock to stay straight, and it really seems like the crown of the road affects it. Sometimes it will pull hard enough to change lanes itself, and sometimes is only needs a nudge to center on the road. At slower speeds, I can drive with my knee no problem.
I have 305s on it, new ball joints, tie rods, and u joints. The shop I trust says it aligns all in spec, and this has been verified by another shop. Not to say they both couldnt be off, but...
The shop is saying the steering box needs replaced. They tightened it some, which helped a bit, but would a steering box do this? There is some slop in the wheel, around 1-1/2 inches total travel in the steering wheel.
Any advice or experience?
thanks, Digger T.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,332
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From: Eastern Washington
wide tires definatly affect pull, as does alignment. Some shops will tweak your allignment a bit to the right to combat road crown. I wouldn't worry about your steering box just because of a little pull, their symptoms are usually a bit more serious.
'In-spec' is for 265's on stock rims.
Good luck!
'In-spec' is for 265's on stock rims.
Good luck!
Of the next Riffraff East
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Concord NC
Have someone move the steering wheel while you lay looking and see what moves and what don't when it should. Something is worn or loose. Should have to pull back on the road. I am running bigger tires with no issues.
Elder User
Joined: May 2004
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Make sure all of the slide pins are properly lubed and move freely on all 4 corners, make sure the truck is not dog tailing, and if need be replace the front brake hoses with OEM parts.
I have a 99 F-250 that pulled for over a year before I figured it out, since it was intermitent the dealers were of no help. I believe the final fix was replacing the brake lines that I already replaced, but using OEM parts the second time.
Good luck it is frustrating esp if it does it while towing
I have a 99 F-250 that pulled for over a year before I figured it out, since it was intermitent the dealers were of no help. I believe the final fix was replacing the brake lines that I already replaced, but using OEM parts the second time.
Good luck it is frustrating esp if it does it while towing
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From: Central OH
Thanks for the posts. It did it with 315s and now 305s, regardless, and the first thing I did was flip em.
The steering box does have some play in it, and everything else is either new or checking out. I am running original brake lines, though. How was that pulling your truck, mizz?
The shop I deal with isnt really a true 4x4 shop, but I trust him. He thinks the box has enough slop to keep heading the direction of pull once the road crown puts it there. Problem is, why only to the left? If you have ever floored a front wheel drive, and feel the torque pull, that is what is feels like.
I can still keep the truck in lane with a couple fingers, but the constant pressure is very annoying, especially when you cant figure it out. Thanks for the help....
The steering box does have some play in it, and everything else is either new or checking out. I am running original brake lines, though. How was that pulling your truck, mizz?
The shop I deal with isnt really a true 4x4 shop, but I trust him. He thinks the box has enough slop to keep heading the direction of pull once the road crown puts it there. Problem is, why only to the left? If you have ever floored a front wheel drive, and feel the torque pull, that is what is feels like.
I can still keep the truck in lane with a couple fingers, but the constant pressure is very annoying, especially when you cant figure it out. Thanks for the help....
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From: Central OH
Oh yeah, good point on the specs and 265s. I may try to get the sheet to see how the camber looks. I have searched FTE for bigger tires, and know they want more pos. camber, but if things were in spec for the 265s, wouldnt that transfer to the 305s? Or, is that a case of slightly different camber values with 265s would be exaggerated with the 305s or 315s?
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Originally Posted by fordff
Thanks for the posts. It did it with 315s and now 305s, regardless, and the first thing I did was flip em.
The steering box does have some play in it, and everything else is either new or checking out. I am running original brake lines, though. How was that pulling your truck, mizz?
The steering box does have some play in it, and everything else is either new or checking out. I am running original brake lines, though. How was that pulling your truck, mizz?
I did calipers, caliper hangers, rotors, pads, brake lines 2x. The following actually fixed the pull I believe - fixing the dog tail, OEM brake lines, and a new hub bearing.
The dog tail made the pull worse while stopping w/ a trailer. I believe the hub bearing may not have been the right one for my truck, then I replaced it with the correct one.
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From: Central OH
I am still confused how a brake line would make a pull.
Mine is a dull pull, and has done it on 3 different sets of tires, that is what makes me think the box may be the culprit.
thanks for the help, mizz...Preciate it.
Mine is a dull pull, and has done it on 3 different sets of tires, that is what makes me think the box may be the culprit.
thanks for the help, mizz...Preciate it.
Of the next Riffraff East
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Concord NC
Is it pulling to the point you can feel the pull in the steering wheel or do you just have to keep correcting the drift? If you are just have to correct drift, then the loose steering box is probably the problem, If you are fighting the pull, the something else is causing that, such as brakes dragging on the front or rear on that side, maybe even a hub going bad, or may be that side hub engaged and the other not.
Do you have a leveling kit or lift? If so, are you sure you axle is in the right place? Measure from the center front to center rear on the right and the same on the left. If one measurement is less than the other, if that is even possible, would cause pulling, or at least it makes sense to me. Is there any uneven tire wear?
Do you have a leveling kit or lift? If so, are you sure you axle is in the right place? Measure from the center front to center rear on the right and the same on the left. If one measurement is less than the other, if that is even possible, would cause pulling, or at least it makes sense to me. Is there any uneven tire wear?
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From: Central OH
No uneven tire wear, but that is why I jumped on the pulling now, since I have new meats all round. I will measure the springs, and had them rearched up front to get another inch. That may be possible hit. I would say it more correcting a drift than a constant pull.
Very frustrating. I am not rich, but at 201K on the truck, I dont remind replacing the box, but dont want to chase ghosts either.
thanks for the help so far, will post the measurements tomorrow, if we dont get clobbered tonight at the firehouse.
Very frustrating. I am not rich, but at 201K on the truck, I dont remind replacing the box, but dont want to chase ghosts either.
thanks for the help so far, will post the measurements tomorrow, if we dont get clobbered tonight at the firehouse.
Of the next Riffraff East
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 8,679
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From: Concord NC
You may also want to measure axle to frame on both sides and make sure your spring heights are even. One more question for you, was the problem there before you rearched your springs??
If you want to test the mech. theory on road crown and drifting, find a good strait stretch of road with no traffic and switch lanes, putting the crown on the other side and see if it drifts the other direction. It would seem to me that road crown would make it go right, towards the ditch, downhill.
If you want to test the mech. theory on road crown and drifting, find a good strait stretch of road with no traffic and switch lanes, putting the crown on the other side and see if it drifts the other direction. It would seem to me that road crown would make it go right, towards the ditch, downhill.