Steering Problems 76 Chevy short box

046mag · 10-20-2007, 06:18 PM

Just put 3/4 Ton running gear under my 76 Short box also put a 6" Rancho lift on as well. The 3/4 Ton running gear came off one of my other trucks I use too drive, It always wandered and I thought it was the steering box.
Put the running gear on my short box and it drives like my other truck did and a little worse. The truck will veer to the right out of the blue, and is just sloppy. I know I need new sway bar bushings, The ball Joints are good Drag link ends seem to be tight Could use a new steering stabaliser which i plan to get, Any thing else that could be wrong? It also has new tires, any suggestions would be cool.

75K30 · 10-20-2007, 07:00 PM

These Chevy trucks usually rip the box right off of the frame. There are kits available to patch or fix the ripped frame, but I would take an educated guess and say that the steering box is falling out of the truck.
Now, that being said, since it apprears you are having the same problem with two different trucks, the common denominator is the axles. Now since you have a 6" lift, you can rule out the sway bars and bushings, throw them out, you will no longer need them.
Now I will ask you what type of steering correction you have done for the added lift. If you say none, or even have a drop pitman arm and still have the push / pull steering, then your biggest problem is going to be there. Willing to bet you truck makes very good turns one direction, but takes a country mile to turn the other.
Crossover steering is the only answer.
You could have a problem with the caster. If the kit you purchased came with "wedges" that get installed between the spring and axle pad to correct the pinion angle you may not have enough caster, and the axle is rolled too far foward. While this helps with pinion angle, it does bad things for the steering, and the steering becomes to fast to control, and feels twitchy. This could also explain the random wander.

Streakn · 10-23-2007, 12:44 PM

The random wander can also come from the gear box, have you tightened up the worm gear?

10-20-2007, 06:18 PM	#1
046mag Full Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: La Grande, Oregon Posts: 18	Steering Problems 76 Chevy short box Just put 3/4 Ton running gear under my 76 Short box also put a 6" Rancho lift on as well. The 3/4 Ton running gear came off one of my other trucks I use too drive, It always wandered and I thought it was the steering box. Put the running gear on my short box and it drives like my other truck did and a little worse. The truck will veer to the right out of the blue, and is just sloppy. I know I need new sway bar bushings, The ball Joints are good Drag link ends seem to be tight Could use a new steering stabaliser which i plan to get, Any thing else that could be wrong? It also has new tires, any suggestions would be cool.

10-23-2007, 12:44 PM	#3
Streakn Full Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: south central ky Posts: 35	The random wander can also come from the gear box, have you tightened up the worm gear? __________________ 3D graffix, as you can see by the spider, my graphics ain't from a piece of vinyl.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
5.7 Chevy short block any difference?	KeckWerkes	Chevy Truck Forum	3	08-11-2007 04:52 PM
67 chevy 4x4 power steering	goldengoat2	Chevy Truck Forum	2	05-07-2007 04:29 PM
2000 Chevy 4.8 5-speed 2wd Cranking Problems	06BLACKGMC	Chevy Truck Forum	2	05-05-2007 04:27 AM
1994 Chevy pickup electrical problems	seniorjudge	Chevy Truck Forum	4	01-02-2007 08:17 AM
Power steering problems	j_legos	Chevy Truck Forum	3	03-27-2006 05:42 PM

10-20-2007, 07:00 PM	#2
75K30 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,515	These Chevy trucks usually rip the box right off of the frame. There are kits available to patch or fix the ripped frame, but I would take an educated guess and say that the steering box is falling out of the truck. Now, that being said, since it apprears you are having the same problem with two different trucks, the common denominator is the axles. Now since you have a 6" lift, you can rule out the sway bars and bushings, throw them out, you will no longer need them. Now I will ask you what type of steering correction you have done for the added lift. If you say none, or even have a drop pitman arm and still have the push / pull steering, then your biggest problem is going to be there. Willing to bet you truck makes very good turns one direction, but takes a country mile to turn the other. Crossover steering is the only answer. You could have a problem with the caster. If the kit you purchased came with "wedges" that get installed between the spring and axle pad to correct the pinion angle you may not have enough caster, and the axle is rolled too far foward. While this helps with pinion angle, it does bad things for the steering, and the steering becomes to fast to control, and feels twitchy. This could also explain the random wander.