Steering Wheel is a half turn off after disc brake conversion

[Myself]

There we go! Center the gearbox and if your wheels are straight then just straighten the steering wheel. I've had to do this before when I put a quick ratio box on my S10.

[Big John Sny]

Ok. I centered the gear box by dinging the stop at each end and set the box half way. The steering wheel turns 1 and 3/4 turns in each direction. The steering wheel is straight at half way from each end stop.
Unfortunately the front wheels are not straight unless I turn the steering wheel a half turn off.
The tie rod ends are pretty close to even now. I will probably have to just try to alight it, but pretty sure there is not enough adjustment to get the wheels straight.
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[Big John Sny]

one of my lower ball joints was bad so I decided that I should get that in line anyways before I worry about aligning it.

The new brake proportioning valve apparently has a crack in it, so the truck is down for a few days till I get a new one swapped in. (poor quality replacement parts are really starting to get me down on this truck.

Since I am pulling the lower ball joints anyways I decided to drop the lower control arm and do it on my press. And, since I was dropping the lower control arm and, I am aligning anyways, I decided, I might as well do the Caster mod and move my lower control arms forward.
I tore it all down today and I can take it and put them on the mill at work in the next day or so.

It looks like I could possibly get away with moving a half inch forward. I am at 2 inches now.

[KevinK7]

subcribing.
Curious to find what the source of this issue is...
Please keep us posted (now that you're tearing into the whole frontend now

[Big John Sny]

Was getting set up on the mill to machine the new locations and when I measured the locating holes on the shaft they are 17 mm (.6693"). I was thinking this was 5/8. Maybe on the older models (this front end is from a 85 suburban). I will have to order a metric end mill.
I probably should wait till I am able to remeasure the locating rivets on the cross-member.

[Big John Sny]

Hmm. So the metric holes got me wondering. Does the 85 front end I used even need the Caster mod.
So when I look it up all I can find is this post on another site. Is this right? If the factor settings for an 85 suburban is really 8 degrees then I am more worried about the caster being too high. I should have measured caster before disassembly.

[Big John Sny]

Ok, the numbers appear to be real. I probably should not be trying to relocate my control arms forward, Also, if you are after increased caster, it looks like the suburban parts are the way to go.
Guess it is time to put this front end back together.

[KQQL IT]

Is the pitman on 45° off,
if I remember correctly there's 4 positions possible ?
Center the input shaft left to right then the pitman should be nearly straight to the rear or parallel with the rail.

[rpmerf]

The pitman arm can go on the steering box 4 ways, but there should only be 1 way it can go and connect to both the box and the center link.

[clay68c10]

So, after you centered the box and reinstalled the steering wheel, how did the pitman and idler arms look? Parallel to each other and the centerline of the truck/frame rails? If not, something is out of alignment, possibly the front frame horns. This is how I figured out one of my previous trucks had a tweaked frame.

[Big John Sny]

Originally Posted by clay68c10

So, after you centered the box and reinstalled the steering wheel, how did the pitman and idler arms look? Parallel to each other and the centerline of the truck/frame rails? If not, something is out of alignment, possibly the front frame horns. This is how I figured out one of my previous trucks had a tweaked frame.

The steering wheel was centered, so I didn’t need to move it.
The pictures I posted earlier show the position of the pitman and idler arms.
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[cashforclunkers]

I've had the same issue before building crossover steering for a 4x4. What I did and what you may have to do as well is take a square file and file a groove in the 4 keyways in the pitman arm to make it fully splined. The keyways are the exact width of 2 splines (they just don't cut the one out of the middle) It takes a while but then you can clock the pitman arm however you want. I was able to get my steering wheel perfectly straight by doing this and it doesn't compromise anything in the process.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by cashforclunkers

I've had the same issue before building crossover steering for a 4x4. What I did and what you may have to do as well is take a square file and file a groove in the 4 keyways in the pitman arm to make it fully splined. The keyways are the exact width of 2 splines (they just don't cut the one out of the middle) It takes a while but then you can clock the pitman arm however you want. I was able to get my steering wheel perfectly straight by doing this and it doesn't compromise anything in the process.

This is what I'm going to do with mine. All I have to do is get off my lazy butt and do it....

LockDoc

[Big John Sny]

Thanks guys. Looks like the plan is this.
Going to reinstall the lower control arms, with no modification.
Then going to see what my measurement for each tie rod is from the frame and try to balance and see if I have enough tie rod adjustment to make it happen. If not, i can try a couple more pitman arms, but otherwise there is a file. Got called by the city because my own truck has not been driving for one week. got 2 days to fix it.
Got to love the stuck up people in the neighborhood.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by Big John Sny

Thanks guys. Looks like the plan is this.
Going to reinstall the lower control arms, with no modification.
Then going to see what my measurement for each tie rod is from the frame and try to balance and see if I have enough tie rod adjustment to make it happen. If not, i can try a couple more pitman arms, but otherwise there is a file. Got called by the city because my own truck has not been driving for one week. got 2 days to fix it.
Got to love the stuck up people in the neighborhood.

Well, that stinks. My neighbor parked his truck in the street for YEARS without moving it, and the popo only came to the door to tell him that he needed to get new tags. Apologies in advance to any realtors out there, but in my experience, once a house goes up for sale on your street, people start getting poked about parking too long, or "eyesores" in the driveway. The CHP came out one time to tow two of my dad's vehicles that were "illegally parked", both in the driveway. We moved one behind the fence into the side yard, and the other into the garage. Tow company had no joy on that deal. A house down the street was for sale. I recommend rolling your truck a few feet so that it appears to have been moved (since the chalk mark will be gone from sight, if that's how they mark it for over-staying the parking). I'm not complaining about my neighbor's truck, btw. I don't give half a hoot what people park in front of their own house.

[clay68c10]

Originally Posted by Big John Sny

Ok, I centered the steering box. The steering wheel is straight. The pit man arm will not go back on unless I turn the steering wheel a half turn (about two splines on the pitman arm) I took a picture with the steering box centered and the pitman arm on. The wheels are turned lightly to the left.
the pitman arm looks parallel with the frame but the idler arm is turned slightly in. About half the ball joint is under the frame. I have a pic of this as well. also took a pic of the idler bolted to the frame.

not sure how the pitman arm could be parallel with the frame and the idler arm not be. The frame width is the same in the 85 and the 68.

It doesn't take much off on the angles to add up to a lot.

Sorry, not sure how I missed that info.
I would definitely be suspicious of the pitman arm splines being off, or the steering box having an internal problem (less likely).
Is the idler arm bracket symmetrical? Maybe it’s flipped? I don’t have one handy to look at now. It does look like the idler arm is out of whack compared to the frame.

[Big John Sny]

Well, everything went back together ok.
got the alignment tape measured in. Actually does look a little closer to lined up. Maybe the bad lower control arm ball joint causing to be a bit off. still not perfect, but looks align-able.
Funny thing though, was just about to test drive it and something popped in the steering column.
One step forward and two steps back. Greatest part is when I turn the steering wheel, the horn starts to honk.
Not sure if the spring broke or the bearing cage failed or what.

More fun work to do.