Its wierd, the faster I go, well it doesnt want to go straight. It pulls in a left n right motion, especially on highway speeds, not hard but noticably, any ideas?

 

1st check all sterring linkage, then try the adjustment nut on top of the steering box.

 

first place i looked. it does it worst at WOT, my roomate/mechanic suspects a wheel bearing issue...??

 

DO NOT ADJUST the sector shaft nut! This is a "last resort" option that can have devastating results on the steering gear if the adjustment is not necessary. The adjustment causes the gearing to be drawn in tighter reducing backlash. If the re is no problem with the steering gear itself, you will simply jamb the gears too close and cause them to chew themselves up as you drive.

Now, on to the more likely scenario... wander is caused by a lot of things. There are numerous bushings and points of wear under the twin traction beam front end. Check the alignment and lift questions in the Red Link in my signature for details about the locations and quantities of each.

Ball joints, tie rod ends, axle pivot bushings, radius arm bushings, shocks, and all of the associated mounting hardware represent individual wear points that can and will casue the kinds of problems you are experiencing. Why does it get worse at highway speeds? Simple, at higher speeds the conditions that are causing the problems are amplified by the fact that it takes smaller adjustments to the steering to make major directional changes at high speeds. If something is allowing the steering to "adjust itself" by way of worn components, there is the root of your problem.

Other symptoms of worn steering and suspension are uneven tire wear, greater slop in the steering system itself, and sometimes noticeable negative camber with the suspension in stasis (at rest).

 

I know that nut is a last resort. Obviously it would be worse on highway speeds, its also worse when i floor it, I also have a bad power steering leak. Also i cant click on your link, government firewall has it blocked (im at work)

 

Check the balance on the wheels and tires. It's a basic thing. Often assumed to have been done first.

 

Ok, since you are not able to access the site in my link, there are several suspension bushings and pivot points with bushings that can be suspect in this case.

2 axle pivot bushings located at the inboard end of each half of the front axle assembly. Passenger side pivot holds the driver's half of the axle and vice-versa.

2 radius arm bushings located at the aft end of the radius arms where they attach to the frame rail. There is a rather sizable nut on the back side of the frame mount that holds the radius arm in the bushing.

2 outer tie rod ends attached to the steering knuckles as with most conventional steering systems.

2 inner tie rod ends which are basically the other two rods in the steering linkage. One mounted to the pitman arm, the other somewhere near the mid-point of the former.

The shock mountings should be fairly obvious however some models have an auxiliary pair mounted forward of the main shocks.

Take a few minutes to inspect the mounting bracket welds for the axle pivots in particular. More than a few people have had the axle pivot mount for the driver's half of the front axle break its weld leaving that half of the axle to flop around held only to the frame by the steering linkage and the shocks and spring on the driver's side. Note that this typically is accompanied by violent shaking in the front end at speeds around 45-55 mph so it may not be an issue with your truck.

 

Exactly the list I was looking for, this is my first 1/2 ton TTB vehicle and its alil different...no leaf springs. I appreciate the help

 

Any time... you will enjoy the coils. They move in better sync with the TTB by allowing less bind as the axle halves cycle up and down.

 

I noticed that right away, also leafs dont exactly want to bend sideways

 

I have an 86, had it for years, and it is pretty squirrely on the highway and always has been. Likes to want to go right or left but never just straight. You don't wanna turn your head aside for any length of time or you may be headed for the rumble strips. Been aligned, ball joints and tie rod ends fine, tried different tires, steering box, but...she wanders. I always assumed it was the short wheelbase.

 

I went through this a couple of years ago. Front end shop fixed everything but it still wandered. The slack was in the steering box. Adjusting the box preload just made it unsafe. I ordered one from Red Head Stearing Gear in Seattle and have been extremely pleased. Steering wheel slack went from 2" to 1/4".

 

had the exact prob on a jeep once. turned out to be u joints on axels seizing and sticking when i turned the wheel.

 

I had that same thing happen on my '83 bronc. After making a sharp turn, it used to really go nuts for awhile.. haha

 

This reminded me of my '68 F100 when I first got it; it had sticky king pins. It behaved like there was insufficient caster, steering response was dull and you had to move the wheel to turn-in and then move it back to go straight. So driving around town it was really not all that noticeable, but at highway speeds it tended to put you in a state of constant correction which in-turn made you look like a drunk to everybody else on the road. It took a while to get the feel of the steering and settle down to keep from chasseing it. I was amazed when the dealer un-stuck/greased the king pins, WOW almost like having power steering and no more looking like a drunk driver!