03 steering problem

[graphicideas1]

When i drive 50+ mph it seems I am constantly correcting the steering wheel. The corrections are small but often enough to be a aggervation. I have a wheel alignment done & my front end was check & in good condition. Does anyone have ideas?

 

[str8wkd1]

hey graphic I have a 03 yukon slt and I'm ALWAYS fighting the wheel in mine on the hwy wish I could figure it out to

 

[shadow]

usually a result of not enough toe in on the set up.

 

[graphicideas1]

I had it aligned twice.

 

[yukondoit]

loose tie rods would be my guess...

 

[graphicideas1]

When i cheked the front end everything seemed ok, no play when jacked up in driveway

 

[yukondoit]

hmm. there has to be something loose or worn for it to have play in it. Not too sure..

 

[road1will]

ISS?

 

[graphicideas1]

what is ISS?

 

[jey_]

Intermediate Steering Shaft. Ours clunks but it doesn't alter the steering behaviour that much.

Are you on stock wheels/tires? Have you checked tire pressures? (You've probably already checked this)

 

[graphicideas1]

No way the steering shaft has that much play, everthing is tight.
Stock 16'' - air ok

 

[road1will]

Well, im guessing its an alignment issue. Have you had it aligned at the same place both times?

 

[Old Goat]

What tires do you have?
AT or Highway?
Are they worn?

 

[graphicideas1]

The tires are not worn, they are Michelein. I had the alignment done at Just Tires & Firestone. I swapped the tires front to back yesterday, still nothing. It seems the truck is also very sensitive to the crown of the road.

 

[graphicideas1]

I just took it to the Chevy dealer in town. After a test drive they also think it is an alignment. I told them it already had 2 and they are a little concerned, but they say they need to start there to make sure. I will try this one more time and see. What are the symtoms of a steering box problem? I feel very very very little to no play in the wheel. Can a steering box get loose and what would it feel like?

 

[graphicideas1]

I got a call from the dealer - the right front toe is out of spec. This is my 3rd alignment, all showing a problem with the right front toe. What can cause the right front to to keep going out OR where the 1st two alignments wrong??

 

[SPXTrader]

Don't know how old you are graphic, but I learned a long time ago to only have alignments done by alignment shops. Firestone, Wallymert, Gas-n-Go, and most tire shops in general don't pay close enough attention to the work.

My guess is that the first two said "It's close enough" and kicked it out the door.

 

[graphicideas1]

I will take in on the highway later. The thing that is wierd is the main difference in the 3 alignments was only the right toe. Everything else is very close to each other. I wonder if i have somehting causing the wheel toe to go out of spec. But all 3 places adjusted the right toe, but then was off on the next alignment.

 

[graphicideas1]

I drove the car on the highway and it may be better but still somrthing feeels wierd. I am used to driving cars with rack & pinion, how easy is the steering wheel to turn at 55mph?

 

[tspain]

I'm a Chevy tech and you would be suprised how many alignments we do, that people have just picked up from Firestone, Goodyear, etc. and brought to us to verify the alignment. They are almost always out of specs. Alot of the times, the plastic knockout tabs are still in the upper control arms, meaning, they didn't adjust anything, just set the toe to center the steering wheel. And even then, the toe is still out of specs.

If your caster is set too high, it can cause the truck to wander, and have "easy steering" also.

I try to set up my alignments as close to perfect as possible, but that's just me. I take pride in my work