Hey guys, 

Most of you know that I recently did A LOT of work on my power steering system, including attempting to rebuild the gear box, which failed forcing me to replace it with a reman. Anyway my trucks steering has never been what I would call very bad, but it's always had the usual 10-2 dead spot. The new box and shaft and even Rock Solid Ram Steering Fix bushing did nothing to help that, though the bushing did get rid of the clunking. I am also guilty of sanding the bushing a little too much to prevent binding in cold weather and so I still have a little movement in the shaft. Anyway I got tired of the dead spot and read up on the "over center adjustment". I tightened the screw about 1/8-1/4 turn max. It helped some but I still had a dead spot. After some more research I found quite a bit of emphasis on performing the bearing preload adjustment BEFORE the over center adjustment. Anyway I ordered a spanner wrench and finally performed the bearing preload adjustment after returning the over center to the way it was. Now I was able to turn the nut about 1/4 turn max before it got tight. So I backed it off about 1/8 turn to halve the total movement. It definitely reduced the dead zone and the steering still feels fine. My question is, do I tighten up on the preload more even though there's only about 1/8 turn left? Or do I now adjust the over center? 

lol that's ok. I was hoping @Buzzinhalfdozen Or @Wild and Free would chime in since they suggested it haha. So what is it about those darn lower control arm bolts that causes them to seize up? I think I spent about an hour on the sawzall trying to cut that bolt on each side of the arm. It didn't even look rusty at all but the nut wouldn't budge! Just like the other side....

Edited August 21, 20168 yr by leathermaneod

You want to adjust them with the bottom of the axle as far to the front end as possible. That will max out the positive camber. Here is a simple explanation I found.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=4

Thanks @dripley. Yes I understand what I am doing and why, I'm just trying to confirm exactly how the adjuster needs to be positioned to accomplish that. Thinking about it, I believe I would need to have the hole and the line on the washers pointing staight ahead. Does that sound correct? 

I would turn it which ever way it needs to go to push the bottom of the axle towards the front of the truck. You will in essence make the lower control arm longer. Not sure which way to turn it since I have never done it.

Its been a while since doing one but like stated above once the cam bolt moves it is easy to see what direction one needs to go with it. Pretty sure the hash mark or the marker hole looks like you have already replaced one needs to go to the forward most point as that is the high side of the cam as you can see how it is offset.

Yes the washer should be pointing straight forward like this. 

Even when brand new they are tough to move, there's a lot of weight on those adjusters.

I've found if you jack up the truck by the frame you'll find a sweet spot where it's easier to turn. 

Thanks guys! I should hopefully be getting this done tomorrow provided the dealer gets the bolt, nut, and washers. I ordered it Friday and stupidly did not confirm that it all comes together. I just told them to get the bolt....I'm really hoping it all comes together or I'll be waiting a few more days :-(

Alright so I got everything back together and caster maxed out. It definitely helped my return to center, most noticeably at higher speeds like 55 up, still not perfect though...at low speeds it still seems pretty poor to me, but I honestly don't remember how it was before my new steering gear....for example, if I make a 90° turn like in town, 3rd gear so pretty slow, it will only return to about 2 o'clock to the right or 10 o'clock to the left....does that sound normal? Is there anything else I can do? I may give Ryan a shout today and see what he says....

From my experience tires play a huge role in the overall picture too. I think you are trying to make it perform like a new 100K Beemer. Be happy and watch the road rather than the wheel there bud.

I would have to agree with Bill on that one. It took me some getting used to after buying mine. Then I go home and the wife makes me drive her old Dakota and the Saturn she has now. Both with R&P steering. What takes 3" on my wheel takes a 1/2" on hers. So much difference.

Thanks guys. I do have a tendency to expect more than I should out of this truck, so it's good I have you guys to keep me in check lol. I hadn't even thought of tires before, but it probably doesn't help that I have a Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ with like 5/32 on one side and a toyo MT with like 12/32 on the other side lol. I also have a weird squeak from my control arm bushings on the drivers side now. I notice when getting in and out or if I press down on the bumper. Not sure what that's about. Those bushings were replaced over the winter, I just had the arm out last night to clean them up, add antiseize, and pinch the arm a little more so it had a better grip on the bushing. Then I set the caster to max on both sides. 

Edited August 23, 20168 yr by leathermaneod

18 minutes ago, leathermaneod said:

but it probably doesn't help that I have a Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ with like 5/32 on one side and a toyo MT with like 12/32 on the other side lol.

 

, If you are truly serious in that I would say you spent a ton of time and money chasing Kasper the Ghost for nothing.

18 minutes ago, leathermaneod said:

but it probably doesn't help that I have a Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ with like 5/32 on one side and a toyo MT with like 12/32 on the other side lol.

 

, If you are truly serious in that I would say you spent a ton of time and money chasing Kasper the Ghost for nothing.

 

For what you spent on trying to fix the steering you could have had a new matching set of tires and had a good steering rig there alone.

 

Heck on both my rigs just a 5 psi difference in tire pressure alone can make a huge difference in steering quality.

Edited August 23, 20168 yr by Wild and Free

Haha yes unfortunately it is true. I didn't take measurements, those are just guesses, but fortunately I didn't really do anything that didn't need done anyway. You really think that could be affecting things that much? 

Hellyah!!!!!! Big time. lol

Affecting return to center or other things? Do you think it's hurting anything?

It will affect the steering in all sorts of screwy ways but it should not "hurt" anything other than your mind trying to figure out your issues when it is out of the closet now so to speak.

Heck looked at your town of Watertown NY, I have a brother in law who lives just outside of Buffalo NY, He works at Praxair headquarters there and just recently bought an 05 Cummins and is hitting me up for advice all the time now lol.

You will be surprised when you put a new set of tire on there. Night and day. I used to have a S-10 chevy with manual steering. New tire I could palm the steering wheel. by the time they were wearing out it took two hands to steer it at low speeds. 

Very interesting! I am in kind of a crapy situation with tires right now lol. I need to get something figured out. Wish I could find a used hankook dynapro MT so that I could have a matching set up front. They are discontinued and very expensive where I have found them....

I just had to buy a set my self. Tore the sidewall out of one on the job the other day. The bright side is Discount tire will replace it. Still had to buy the other 3. They still had a little life left in them.

Yeah I'm in a bad/unexpected situation right now because of having to go to the 17" wheels for my tie rod upgrade. I have 3 decent Mickey Thompson ATZ in stock size, but then the oddball dynapro mt which has a lot of tread left. I only feel safe running the oddball on the front because of my LS diff in the back.....right now I'm trying to decided wether to by one dynapro mt so I have 2 sets of 2, or 1 Mickey Thompson so I have a complete set, or 2 of whatever I would buy if I was buying all four. Probably cooper discover ATP or at3....any opinions? Lol

Or should I just throw the odd ball on the back? Will it hurt the LS diff to have different tires? The are the same size of course...