Wonky and unsettling steering

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Wonky and unsettling steering

Postby spencerdiesel » Sat Jun 15, 2019 2:06 pm

Ashamed to admit it but the drivers side u joint had been trashed for a while until I put a new one in it 2 days ago.

I was almost certain the u joint was binding and causing the erratic “turning-turning-still going straight-WOOP jerks and turns” issue that had progressively gotten worse. However, the problem still persists and is still relatively spontaneous though frequent.

Truck has new drag link and good wheel bearings. Sometimes it turns fine and also tracks straight with a centered steering wheel. Other times I have to maintain 10 o clock or 2 o clock with the wheel just to drive straight.

At one point today it was bad enough that trying to take slow sweeping curves then straightening out would yield a “fighting the wheel as it tries to track left, the wheel “catches” and I’m fighting the wheel from the other way”

This is hard to describe in text, and I wouldn’t normally let a problem like this get so far but my Tacoma has simultaneously decided to make a hole in its radiator and the starter took a dump. So I’m trying to keep at least ONE of my two vehicles mobile :?

What does the above steering issue sound like to y’all, besides a healthy dose of dumbass-ery on my part?
1992 W250, 5 speed, 4.10, Ext. cab Ext. bed, 12.5k winch, 75 gal. fuel tank

H1C/18

Fuel: THD 6x10 VCO sticks, THD 12 psi piston pump, THD fuel pin, 366 spring, fuel screw 2 turns in, timing to the head/ >1/4”
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Re: Wonky and unsettling steering

Postby spencerdiesel » Sun Jun 16, 2019 6:44 am

Front wheels off the ground, I can rotate the seemingly fine u joint to a spot where I can’t turn the wheels by hand. So I’m replacing that one today.
1992 W250, 5 speed, 4.10, Ext. cab Ext. bed, 12.5k winch, 75 gal. fuel tank

H1C/18

Fuel: THD 6x10 VCO sticks, THD 12 psi piston pump, THD fuel pin, 366 spring, fuel screw 2 turns in, timing to the head/ >1/4”
Muffler delete

Minimum 60% WMO full time since Sep. 2018
spencerdiesel
14mm rotor
 
Posts: 1106
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 4:02 pm
Location: Brevard, NC

Re: Wonky and unsettling steering

Postby PToombs » Sun Jun 16, 2019 8:18 am

Start with that. How is the box on the inlet of the gearbox? If that's sloppy it can give you a loose wheel feel also. Tons of people swear by replacing it with a Borgeson shaft, but I replaced my unit with new parts from dodge and haven't had a problem since, 7-8 years so far, and it was about $30.
pete

Just enough power to break everything behind the crankshaft.
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Re: Wonky and unsettling steering

Postby Fred_M1010 » Fri Jun 28, 2019 12:22 am

Did a new U-joint fix the problem?
If you have ruled out all other common stuff like worn joints etc. It might be a sheared center pin in the leaf pack or a cracked steering box plate (and/or frame).
-91.5 W250
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Re: Wonky and unsettling steering

Postby fatty » Fri Jun 28, 2019 4:58 am

Yeah check that center pin. I had one break once and sometimes my steering wheel would be a bit left and sometimes a bit right until I replaced that pin.
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Re: Wonky and unsettling steering

Postby spencerdiesel » Fri Jul 19, 2019 8:14 pm

Thanks y’all for the advice, it turned out to be the passenger side u joint. I replaced both u joints with greaseable spicers and it tracks straight and even better doesn’t try to throw me into other lanes :D

Best I can figure the old joints were original.......

The center pin in the leafs never crossed my mind, they are original too. I put a borgeson shaft in the truck about 4 years ago or so.
1992 W250, 5 speed, 4.10, Ext. cab Ext. bed, 12.5k winch, 75 gal. fuel tank

H1C/18

Fuel: THD 6x10 VCO sticks, THD 12 psi piston pump, THD fuel pin, 366 spring, fuel screw 2 turns in, timing to the head/ >1/4”
Muffler delete

Minimum 60% WMO full time since Sep. 2018
spencerdiesel
14mm rotor
 
Posts: 1106
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 4:02 pm
Location: Brevard, NC
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Re: Wonky and unsettling steering

Postby cougar » Mon Jul 22, 2019 8:52 am

Another place to look is where the front left leaf spring mount attaches to the frame. Those rivets get loose and allows the bracket to shift, then the leaf spring, then the axle. On the side the drag link is on inducing all kinds of driftiness.
RIP 91.5 W250 5 speed. The great experiment.
92 W250 HD 47RH with Compushift. Upgraded H1C to 62/60/16, Scheid Lightning VE, 60# valve springs, DAP 7X.010 injectors, 4" DE exhaust, home made cooler tubes.
01 2500 "the work truck".
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