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98 Chevy Z71 steering problem
I've got a 1998 Chevy Z71 k-1500, 350 4x4.sometime when I'm starting to speed up from a stop, the steering wheel will shake and then stop at about 55-60 mph. .It also does it when I hit bumps in then road sometimes. I've looked at the wheel when this happens and it does wiggle back and forth. I took it to my dealer and he discovered the pitman arm was bad. He changed it and did an alignment, I also have had the tires rotated and balanced, but the problem still exists. It stopped for a while after the pitman arm was replaced but has since started again. Any thoughts? Dealer also checked everything else and said it was fine, and I do trust my dealer!
Its nice to hear that someone has faith in their service suppliers. I like it when my customers talk about me that way too. Does your truck have a steering stabilizer...it looks like a shock absorber attached horizontally parallel with the linkage If so, you might want to check it for looseness in a short throw. Occasionally they get soft or totally inactive in a very short area of movement without showing any signs of leakage. The only way to accurately verify its function is to remove one end and move it back and forth and check for any loose feeling area in its stroke.
Beyond that..possibly the loose pitman arm is loose again, or the idler. Occasionally dealer front end parts suffer from the same disease as the part they replaced G.M.trucks over the last couple of years have undergone some major changes to their suspension and steering as a result of a lot of parts they found wore out prematurely. Unfortunately, sometimes the only fix available is outside the scope of a dealership part. A good example of this sort of thing would be,"Moog" front end parts available from many jobbers. They specialize in what they refer to as there problem solver parts. They actually redesign a front-end part to usually exceed a manufacturer specification to fix what the manufacturers of automobiles and trucks fail to recognize as a problem.
Also, another avenue to check into might be ride height verification as the height and torsion bar setting (stiffness) run hand in hand, as well as the front shocks in this situation. Again, sometimes they don't show visual signs of a problem but when removed at one end will tell the true tale. Bounce tests are okay on cars but on a truck, they don't really cut it just because the suspension is so stiff. Tire pressures and sizes can be critical if you haven't adhered to the recommendation in your owner's manual for your vehicle. I've seen over inflated tires cause what your describing in extreme cases .In any event, hopefully I've hit on something that may help you solve your dilemma .I am sure given time the dealer will try and correct the problem for you but these are some other areas to look in.
Steering gearbox
I have a 93 Nissan truck with 162,000 miles with MANUAL STEERING and I have alot of play in the steering wheel. The linkage is all-good too. I will turn the shaft before it goes in the gearbox and the pitman arm moves too but alot less then the shaft. Is there any adjustments that can be made?? Or is there a rebuild kit for it?? Or do I need to spend $150 for a new body from the salvage yard.
There are adjustments on the box that can be made to help, usually the overcentre (usually a bolt stud like thing with a nut on it above the pitman shaft) is the only one that is accessible on the vehicle but if the amount of play is excessive, I doubt it will help and if executed improperly can result in binding steering. The box could be removed and set up on the bench with the correct instruction if it isn't too badly worn but sometimes the used option is a lot less work and sometimes more successful depending on your level of expertise.
