[RootBreaker]

Well I am back again....
Here is my delema
Back in 1997 I lifted my truck but found out they passed a new law...the truck was supposedly to high..well now I found out it is legal. So I just started working on the truck again...

Here is my delema. I can turn the steering wheel like normal but the tires only turn 1/8 way to the left and 1/4 way to the right????

I dont get it..
I have a dana 44 front
I put a drop pitman arm,
Raised steering arm
S-Drag Link ( S-Bar ) in.
Now The tires are straight and it isnt like the truck turns all the way to the right and not enough to the left????
IT IS NOT ENOUGH EITHER WAY???
anyone got any info for me?
thanks
RootBreaker
South, NJ
<img src="http://www.pavementsucks.com/readers/jeffr3.jpg">

 

[RootBreaker]

Thanks for the info. I figured the S-Bar is my problem. Also I dont have the $$$ for a dana 60 right now. I still need a motor, exhaust, and get the breaks working...calipers and wheel cylinders

 

[RootBreaker]

Well I called up SuperLift and they say my problem is not the S-Bar....SO I still dont have a clue.... but I guess I will try and figure it out. I did unhook the s-bar from the drop pitman arm... I was able to swing out the tires both ways for full wheel movement. Nothing is binding. So while I had the truck lifted off the ground I put the s-bar back on then my steering worked fine. Until I put the truck back on the ground, then I went to my normal problem???????
oh well... I am gonna work on other stuff first then worry about steering next to last....
RootBreaker

 

[RootBreaker]

Well here we go again:
I had the guy who lifted my truck come over and check it out. He said first off I have 14" leafs... GEEEZZZZ..
Also he said because I havent driven the truck yet, the suspension is still rock hard and has not settled yet. He had a good point because if I jump on the front it doesnt budge. He said that my steering components are not level but if I buy any more then break the truck in I will have to remove the piece later due to the truck settling.
Also NJ is starting to urk me...
check this out...
I called up the inspecion for modified vehicles a few months ago and asked what was the new law...he said I was allowed up to 35" to the bottom of the door. Well I called yesturday for a different question and got someone else. He asked me what truck I had and said I was only allowed 33" to the bottom of the door. Well I am at 35" so screwed once again. I also told the guy that the other guy said 35" and he said ....and I quote.... " Oh he gets ford and chevy confused where ford gets 35" and chevy gets 33".... " Well the dude shouldnt fricken work there because it is gonna cost me more money to bring the truck down !

 

[JasonB]

Do they really change the max height based on make? Fords have always had tall bodies to begin with and then to allow them 2 more inches seems backwards. Its like the Chevy should have the extra room since the total height is lower.

 

[NoRulz]

shouldn't be based on make... but I know a number of states are basing it on GVWR... usually the higher your GVWR is, the higher your frame/bumpers can be off the ground, but it does vary state to state. Makes me glad I live somewhere I can do pretty much anything I want & still be street legal.

 

[RootBreaker]

Yeah I know this sucks... here is the entire NJ rundown...

GVW to 4500 ==> 7" total lift up to 35's
4500 - 7000 ==> 9" total lift up to 36's
7000 - 10000 ==> 11" total lift up to 38's
total lift example is my truck is a 8400gvw so I am allowed 7" lift and 38's.
Well my truck is sitting in at 40's that measure 37 and 14" leafs. This is almost legal and a total lift of 17" over stock !!!

total inconsistancies...
also I see what all yall are saying about chevy/ford height but both in the same gvw, ford gets the benefit.

now I measured my truck again and it is sitting at 34 1/2 to the bottom of the door. Well after I drive the truck and the steering settles I should be at 33 1/2 which is close... hopefully they let me go through and they might because check this out also.....it just gets so good...

I am allowed tires that measure 38"
40" ground hawgs measure 39" from what their web site says...
but the guys in inspection told me.... you can go with 39.5" super swamper boggers because they measure 38.5. And we will overlook the .5. Now tell me aint that a kicker...
oh well I guess I will be adding more to this post soon... [:->

 

[87GMC]

Back to your original Question. There are at least 2 problems with the original steering configuation. First off I'm assuming you have converted to a solid front axle. The first problem with larger tires on a GM is the frame likes to flex and crack at the steering box. You need to install a steering box brace. This goes from the rear bolts on the steering box to a front crossmember. I assuming you're using 40"+ tires. It you also be a very good idea to install a frame repair kit even before is cracks. This should eliminate any flex. Offroaddesign.com sells both parts. The second problem is with the drag link(s-bar). As the front suspension moves, the drag link moves through an arc causing the front tires to turn without you turning the wheel. This is call bumpsteer and gets worst the more lift you have. Also when offroad, if you flex the right tire up and the left tire down far enough, you will not be able to turn right. The draglink will drop down as far as the suspension allows and the steering box doesn't have enough travel to push the draglink any father to turn right. Left is fine but no right. The ONLY ways fix this are to convert to hydralic steering(nice but very expensive and not DOT legal) and crossover steering. This works because now instead of the draglink connecting the steering box to the driver's side and being about 18" long it now goes from the steering box to the passinger's side and is about 5' long. This means as the suspension cycles, the arc that the draglink travels through is extremely reduced, thus almost no bumpsteer and no more right turn problem. Offroaddesign.com and oru.com both sell crossover kits. You will need to have you passinger's side steering knuckle machined to accept a steering arm and switch to a 2wd steering box. Everything else is in the kit. Hope this helps.

 

[87GMC]

Disregard the solid axle conversion comment. I read the "lifted in 1997" as "lifted my 1997".

 

[mj]

that got dragged from the depths.
wonder if the origonal poster ever got that squared away.

 

[RootBreaker]

actually no I havent done a darn thing..... I just uncovered the truck this weekend.... well took all the tree leafs off. Started it up and let it run.... but it overheated...

 

[RootBreaker]

Ok not to drag this question any farther.... but we are putting my motor in, in 2 weeks so my steering will be the next thing...
I had a friend come over and he looked at the truck. He said that even with a 4" lift and a 4" s-drag there are problems...
So my question is .... What is the biggest drop pitman arm they have for a chevy?

If I use the 3" block and 4" raised steering arm (sold as 1 piece) that is 7". I would get the 1 piece unit because NJ has a limit of only changing 2-3 pieces... I think it is 2 and I have already changed 3. Then all I need is like a 6-7" drop pitman arm. Then I can go back to the straight bar and I was told THAT would fix my problem with the steering. It was brought to my attention that the s-bar will pull or push but since it isnt a straight bar it WILL flex. So I would love a d60 but at current prices around $800+everything else, that is more than what I have at this moment.

 

[KS2A]

On 2001-07-30 06:49, RootBreaker wrote:
I did unhook the s-bar from the drop pitman arm... I was able to swing out the tires both ways for full wheel movement. Nothing is binding. So while I had the truck lifted off the ground I put the s-bar back on then my steering worked fine. Until I put the truck back on the ground, then I went to my normal problem???????

is your steering box and pump original? could it be that the gear box isn't getting enough pressure from the pump, or that maybe the box itself is bypassing the pressure it needs to turn those huge meats? i would ponder the increase in contact patch and mass of what you have mounted to the truck now versus the dinky little tires the truck came with multiplied by the age of the pump and box. you didn't mention before if the steering wheel stopped along with the steering travel. if the steering wheel turns lock to lock and the tires don't make it all the way over, then the problem isn't in the steering linkage, but more likely in the gear box.
get someone else to spin the wheel while you watch the front end and let us know what happens.

 

[RootBreaker]

Well,
I get 1 1/2 turns left and right from center. If someone can test this for me... see how far you can turn from center to left and center to right to see if that is correct. I dont have a stock truck around or know anyone with one.... The pump and all seems fine. I even tried this with the front end up in the air to aleviate the possibility of frame flex.
Also if it was the steering box not able to turn the tires that far.. I even pull foreward and I think that that would push the tires to turn more while moving but doesnt.... I called up Rough Country and Super lift and they both say that the s-bar is ok because they sell alot of them.... so Who knows.. maybe I will suck it up and try and get the dough for the D60. If that is the case then I will be saving for about 1-2 years.... cuz I got alot of other bills.... but if the Mega drop pitman arm and block/arm kit will work and allow me to go back to the straight bar and fix it I am looking at $250.
Thanks for your time on looking....

 

[RootBreaker]

<!-- BBCode u1 Start -->http://community.webshots.com/user/rootbreaker" TARGET="_blank<!-- BBCode u1 End -->
check em out.... also my steering problem pic is in there also....

direct link to it..
[urlhttp://community.webshots.com/storage/1/v4/3/1/76/31230176XxSNbjbBOs_ph.jpg[/url]

 

[RootBreaker]

dangit...
steering setup... I know i need x-over but dont have the cash at this moment...
<!-- BBCode u1 Start -->http://community.webshots.com/storage/1/v4/3/1/76/31230176XxSNbjbBOs_ph.jpg" TARGET="_blank<!-- BBCode u1 End -->

 

[68bullit]

hey there dude i have the 4 inch arm and the dropped s link and mine is fine.

with the dropped pitman you are changing the arch in which your steering box moves in.

but first make sure ALL your bumper bolts are there and tightened.especially the angle ones that attach to the ends near the fenders.

the frame can turn into an unequal length LADDER so to speak and throw you all over the place.

do you have a body-lift?this can create problems as well because the body isnt directly attached to the frame and can flex more as well.

btw my truck is a 81 blazer with 12inch springs and 39 inch mickey ts

 

[RootBreaker]

hmmm interesting...
4" arm and 4" s-bar....
If that is all it takes that would be cool. Since my current layoff the project is pushed back a bit. I am going to wait until I get my truck on the road... drive it over a ton of whoooptieeeeee doooooooos.... and wait for the front to settle... then get the specs of what I need.
Do you have a d44 or d60 in the front?

 

[68bullit]

mine is a stock 10 bolt that was original in mt 81.

mine seems to turn equal in both directions the same or at least not very different.

did you flip the sway bar or leave it stock.

i had a guy here who had a body lift and no bumpers on it and it was all he had to keep it between the ditches.he bought it for a song and didnt like it til if left here with both bumpers and all brackets and a new steering stabilizer.

 

[RootBreaker]

well my company has let me stand in the unemployment line so I havent been on the boards much....
but I have a solution.. I have 4 leafs in the front of my truck... 1 is thicker than the rest and I was told that it will not settle enough... I am going to take the 14" leafs out the front and replace them with 10" and leave the 13" in the back. See my problem is not only my steering but NJ lift law only allows 33" to the bottom of the door on a chevy... so I am at 34 3/4 so If I drop the front of the truck down 4" I will be lower.. I dont think I will be down to 30 3/4 since I am leaving the the rear at 13" so I will have a little to play with... then I can get a 6" raised steering arm that I heard they have.... or put a 2" block under mine... that is 6" arm + 4" drop pitman arm... go back to my stock drag link and my steering should be fixed.... but no job for 4 weeks now and gotta figure out how to pay the bills... truck might go up for sale b4 I get a new job.... :