I'm not quite sure what's up with Grover. I had to run into town today to pick up an engine, and it seemed like the steering was unusually twitchy. The truck seemed to be pulling to the left (more than usual) and didn't want to stay on center.

I redid the front end a few years back, so I don't think it's a matter of worn out parts, except maybe the steering box. I checked the air pressure in the tires (low, but it was the same on both sides) but putting in a touch more air and making sure the pressure was matched didn't seem to make a difference.

I figure Grover's complaining because he hasn't had much TLC lately, or he was upset that I was going after a C-word engine for my '59 Chevy Impala.

 

The Shop manual recommends that the front end parts get greased every 1000 miles which seem like alot compared to todays standards. Check your front spring U - bolt bolts to make sure you axel isn't slipping, check your wheel bearings (jack up the truck grab the wheel at 3 and 9 o'clock and see if you can move it), and check for movement in the tie rod ends and drag link. Lastly, try rotating the tires that one might be wearing funny and starting to grab.

Good Luck,
Julie

 

Don,

Are you sure ol' Grover is twitchy or are you just hyper-sensitive since you've been ignoring the old fellow for awhile? (a guilty conscience is a terrible thing).

Take another run (this time without the chevy parts anywhere in sight) and see if things feel better.

Bobby

 

I was wondering that myself. Driving Grover is a LOT different than driving the Taurus or the Tempo, but then that goes without saying. No, the "feel" is different than that. It gets downright alarming if for some reason I should wonder across the crown of the road. The shocks are worn out, so it may just be a symptom of that problem.A few years back I discovered the steering box was coming unfastend from the frame - I have no idea why. I have never removed the steering gear for any reason - but that was causing the steering to catch a little on right hand turns. My hair about went white when I found that problem!!!

 

I ran into that issue as well a couple of years ago. Was all new bolts/nuts/lock washers, but for some reason they started loosening up. Ended up drilling the bolts and putting castle nuts with cotter pins in. A random loose bolt here and there no big deal, but when it's involving the steering, yikes!

 

New Hardware will stretch and loosen under certain conditions. Especially new spring u-bolts. After installing new bardware, it's usually a good idea to go back and retorque. I had that happen to my u-bolts on one side and the axel did come loose.

Julie

 

Hmmm..... WHen I found the problem, it was obvious it had probably been going on since before I bought it and found the problem, which means that the original owner may have had the steering gear off for some reason prior to 1974! And, since Grover lived in a barn for about 23 years before I bought him, that means that any trace of "new" one the hardware had been covered with a fine layer of rust. That would have camouflaged the problem.

 

HI Don! Try this,

Take and jack up the drivers side of Grover until the wheel is just off the ground. Grab the tire at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions and see if you can wiggle it from side to side - as mentioned before. If you can, you need to tighten or replace the wheel bearnings. Then grab that tire at 12 and 6 o'clock and push me pull you. If it moves at all it's time for king pins and bushings. Then have someone turn the steering wheel. Look at the tie rod end for movement, the drag link for loose ness, and the pitman arm ball for tighness. If they are all ok, do the steering thing again and check for the axel sliding on the spring. Any weird wear on the front tire?

Then, check the other side.

On my truck I had the spring u-bolts comel oose and the truck just wouldn't turn when I turned the wheel. when I checked it, the axel would mve about 1/2 to 3/4 inch on the spring - had a stripped u bolt that finally came loose. My truck sat for 25 years too and I'm driving it to see what falls apart. It has too! When I checked th ekingpin bushings then (about 6 months ago) th eking pins were tight as a drum. I checked them last month and the drivers side tire moves more than an inch top to bottom - shot, just that fast!

Check the other side too.

Hit any big pot holes lately - castor ok?

Good luck with Grover! (I like that name-very cute!)

Julie

OH one more thing - check the "hose clamp" holding the steering tube onto the top of the steering box and the tightness of the dash mounted steering wheel brace - both to the dash and to the steering tube. Ok that's to things - tee hee.

 

Hi, Is it possible that because you havnt driven it in a while that the pads\shoes are a little "grabby" due to a stuck or stiff caliple\whell cylinder???
Ed

 

Julie, one thing I know is that the king pin bushings are just fine! I had those fixed less than 20,000 miles ago. The wheel bearings, which I took apart, checked and lubed myself, also looked good less than twenty thousand miles ago.

Besides: The twitchiness came on kind of sudden-like, and I KNOW what bad wheel bearing feel like. I think I can confidentally rule those out. The problem surfaced about halfway into a drive. Since I'd visited a scrap yard a little ove a week ago, it was really easy to assume I'd run over something and was losing air in a tire.

The brakes DO need attention, so Ed, you may be right. Grover doesn't get out much, but he tends to get used pretty hard when I drive him. I don't remember for sure when I last adjusted them, and I haven't had the drums off since I went through them when I first bought Grover, a bit more than 20,000 miles ago. Normally that isn't a problem, but it has taken nearly 12 years to put those miles on. In the same period of time we have put over 240,000 miles on our Tempo.

Yes, that is two hundred and forty thousand miles! And the car still runs!

I'm not working on anything until Kentucky thaws out, however! At this writing it is eleven degrees outside and snow and ice covers everything. If I do anything, it will probably involve a blanket and a good book.

Julie: I'm glad you like the name. We name all of our cars in this family, and Grover could not be a more suitable name for my truck. Me just got our daughter an '84 BMW 325e for a project car, and that car has been named after Dory in "Finding Nemo." If you've seen that movie, just imagine a couple of rather weird electrical glitches that occurred the first time we put a battery in the car, and you'll get an idea why we chose that name.

 

Julie~ Very solid advise that more people should do on a regular basis. I have had a few cars in the past were I new everything I put in was good but all of a sudden something failed in the front end and it was always one of the parts you mentioned checking. I have always kept my mind open that if I don't know what it is then I surly don't know what it is not until I check it again and check it off the list!

Kevin
LFD Inc.

 

I had a Porche 944 a couple of years ago, and also owned a BMW. My experience with German Engineering is that it is ver sound, but their electrical work is NOTORIOUSLY BAD!

Thanks Kevin..Yep mine when out over night. I was really suprised on that king pin. What suprised me as well is the frequency with which you are supposed to grease - every 1000 miles. One thing that's really hard to control on our trucks with the stock front end is alignment. Toe in is easy and camber too, but to adjust the castor (did I get those two reversed?) you have to bend the axel! It's not happening in my garage and I'm not even sure the shops have the monkey wrench to do it any more!

Also, I've found that as radial tires tend to wear on my truck, the ride and handling change. I'm about $500 shy of rebuilding my front end. Soon!

J!