99-04 steering wander

D66stroke

New member
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Messages
207
Reaction score
0
Location
Baltimore, MD
My 2000 is all over the road, mostly at highway speeds. Any tricks to fixing this? I've installed a Bluetop steering box and replaced all front end parts that had play. The only thing I haven't replaced are the track bar and leaf spring bushings, as well as the steering stabilizer. I just want an idea on where to look before I continue throwing parts at it. It seems common but everything I read says they replaced everything including tires and no fix. Since replacing everything mentioned, the steering is tighter and the play in the wheel is pretty much gone, but it just wanders really bad.
 

D66stroke

New member
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Messages
207
Reaction score
0
Location
Baltimore, MD
I have it toe'd in a hair. Yes, 4x4. I pulled the axle shafts to see if anything changed but it didn't. I just did some more reading and someone said there's an updated drag link that mounts to the top of the pitman arm instead of the bottom? It was supposedly updated by 02, and our 02 and 03 trucks drive straight unlike mine. When I look up this "updated" drag link, I can't find anything
 

tomlin

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2014
Messages
57
Reaction score
3
Location
Athens, Illinois
Mine does it as well. The only thing I have not done is replace the box. It still has the OE unit and it does have some play. I have minimized mine by messing with the tire pressure. In my case, a lower pressure seems to improve wander whereas the closer I get to max pressure, the more it wanders. Just keep in mind there is a safety factor that comes into play when you take the pressures out of the recommended ranges.
 

Lt.Dan

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2015
Messages
421
Reaction score
1
Location
Visalia, CA
99-04 trucks are known to have very little caster, which is what helps the vehicle drive down the road straight, and is responsible for centering your steering wheel after making a turn. Try and get some leaf spring shims to add some caster to the vehicle, or a longer shackle will do this too, but will also lift the vehicle.

Factory should be around 3*, I like being 6-9* if I can.

Of course this is probably not the only cause. This is assuming everything mechanically is working fine.
 
Last edited:

D66stroke

New member
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Messages
207
Reaction score
0
Location
Baltimore, MD
I do have PMF 1.5" leveling shackles but it's just the rear shackle (rear of front spring) and probably isn't long enough. I think PMF also makes axle shims so I'll look into them. So has that been the trick to the 99-04's wander issues?
 

Lt.Dan

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2015
Messages
421
Reaction score
1
Location
Visalia, CA
I do have PMF 1.5" leveling shackles but it's just the rear shackle (rear of front spring) and probably isn't long enough. I think PMF also makes axle shims so I'll look into them. So has that been the trick to the 99-04's wander issues?

It'll only help if you don't have any other issues. Make sure everything else is set correctly
 

lincolnlocker

Well-known member
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
27,824
Reaction score
134
Location
Central Michigan
Definitely get new bushings for the track bar and a new steering stabilizer.. what is there to lose when everything else is new?

live life full throttle
 

D66stroke

New member
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Messages
207
Reaction score
0
Location
Baltimore, MD
Came across another post about someone using 2° shims from WFO which fixed his wander. They sell 2°, 4°, 6 and 8. I guess I'll need an alignment to determine which ones I'll need, but I'm assuming no more than 4° shims. Another thing, my springs sit flat, the arch is gone. Would new factory springs or aftermarket leveling springs bring the positive caster back or would it still not be enough? Like the 2" Pro-comp springs for example, they seem to place the axle at more of an angle.
 

lincolnlocker

Well-known member
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
27,824
Reaction score
134
Location
Central Michigan
Oh yeah I will. Not trying to cheap out on it, just tired of throwing parts at it with little to no results
10-4 man! Leaf sprung trucks dont have bump steer issues. Not even close to the coil sprung trucks. Those things can be dangerous.

Are wheel bearings good? Running oversized tires or hard tires? I knkw more air in the tire will make it fallow a crack in the road way worse than softer air pressures like mentioned already.

live life full throttle
 

D66stroke

New member
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Messages
207
Reaction score
0
Location
Baltimore, MD
10-4 man! Leaf sprung trucks dont have bump steer issues. Not even close to the coil sprung trucks. Those things can be dangerous.

Are wheel bearings good? Running oversized tires or hard tires? I knkw more air in the tire will make it fallow a crack in the road way worse than softer air pressures like mentioned already.

live life full throttle

Yes sir, both bearings replaced. Drivers side last week and pass side about a year ago. I run 295/75/16's so nothing too crazy. I have them down to about 55psi. Not sure how low I can take them lol
 

D66stroke

New member
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Messages
207
Reaction score
0
Location
Baltimore, MD
Installed new leaf spring bushings and 4° caster shims from WFO. Still a slight wander to my surprise, I figured the shims would have definitely fixed it from what I've read. I did notice the pitman arm nut has come loose twice since replacing the box so I guess I'll try a new nut and loctite
 

Slimline

New member
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
I've got some Intel on this, as well as I'm still trying to fix my wander too. A big possible issue you need to check, is if your track bar bracket is cracked on your axle. Inspect the whole thing closely. Mine has broken off and been welded multiple times. This was a big part of my wander.

I have also repaired or replaced:
- Blue top steering (I also had to fab a washer for the nut, as even when the nut was tight, I still had play in the pitman arm. Turns out the pitman arm was bottoming out the splines and not actually compressing on tight. Tighten it up and have someone wiggle the wheel and see it you still have play. If you do, I bet you need to do the same thing. Basically the nut was using all the available thread. So I had to make a washer to space the nut further off the pitman shaft.
-replaced hydrosteer pump
-replaced all bearings, tie rods, balljojnts, shocks, stabilizer bushings, trackbar and bushings, had it aligned etc etc. I've chased this extensively.

The small amount of wander I still have I suspect is worn leaf spring bushings and weak leafs. Mine are flat like yours so to speak.

Cliffnotes, check your track bar mount at the axle for cracks and that your pitman arm nut isn't bottoming on the threads without actually tightening the arm properly.


Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk
 

MeTo

Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Messages
332
Reaction score
3
I have zero wonder, it handles like our Honda.
1st. All suspension and steering mechanics need to be 100%.
My blue top box is adjusted to zero end play, YES.
My steering shaft had slop, took it out and penned it with
a hammer and chisel until snug.
2nd. DIY high steer to eliminate tie rod roll, ~$75. This resulted
in bump steer. DIY custom trac bar bracket, both trac bar
and drag link need to be parallel with the ground. This is
important in eliminating bump steer.
3rd. A quality alignment.

Worth every penny and minute. I had to get used to how little (1/4" to 1/2") steering wheel movement is required. I should have done this BEFORE I did all the other stuff.
 

joebuck

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
233
Reaction score
9
When I had my 01 with a 6” lift on 37s it had some bad wonder, I installed a red head steering gear box and it was night and day difference with that unit installed.
 

Latest posts

Members online

No members online now.
Top