Vague Steering

[fridayman]

The steering on my Colorado has become increasingly vague. I have changed the fluid, fitted poly bushes and changed the rod ends. I haven't change the tie rod inners yet. I also know there is a very small leak at the steering column seal, but this doesn't even drip on the ground. The vague feeling is worst at slow speeds e.g. if I pull away from a standstill and do a 90 degree right turn, I turn the steering wheel between 270-360 degrees. While I can only move the steering wheel back and forth about 10% at 70mph, before the truck sways. The vague feeling is equal in both directions. The steering still feels very light btw.

Can anyone explain to me what has changed (from a new steering setup) to produce these symptoms?

 

[adrianr]

Might be worth checking wheel bearings?

 

[Chris]

Was that Poly bushes on the steering rack? Worth a look underneath whilst someone wiggles the wheel back and forth.

Chris

 

[AndyCook]

any clonks?

e.g. get the front wheels off the ground, make sure steering lock isnt on, grab a wheel on at each side and push-pull to turn it and listen for clonks
best with 2 people and one person can wiggle the wheel and the other feel joints for play/clonks

 

[fridayman]

Yes, Superpro steering rack bushes (I changed all the suspension and steering bushes).

There don't feel like there are any clonks. I had the wheels in the air to bleed the rack yesterday and didn't notice anything. I'll have another look tomorrow morning.

It feels like a seal is ballooning when the rack is under pressure, and then when the pressure is off the steering settles again.

 

[fridayman]

Checked the steering again with the wheels in the air and my missus holding onto the steering wheel. There is a definite clonk on the left hand side - pretty sure its the inner tie rod end. On the right hand side there is just a hint of movement. And the leak is still there - the only thing that the stop leak did was to stop me spending that £10 on something else...

I have sorted out so many things on the truck, and most things are spot on now. So I'm very tempted to just get a recon rack (mine has done 150k miles), then I would have perfect steering again. Anyone used Roughtrax or Milners for this? Or can anyone recommend anyone else?

 

[fridayman]

On Sunday I fitted the Roughtrax recon steering rack, and I had the wheel alignment done yesterday afternoon. The steering is noticeably heavier to the left though (or possibly lighter to the right), but the truck drives straight with hands off the wheel. Any ideas what is wrong?