03 Suburban LT Steering Issues, Wandering and Wobbly and Loose

[GMT800Man90]

I've got an 03 Suburban LT 4WD with problems that I just can't seem to figure out. So I'm hoping someone here can point me in the right direction.

Truck has 243k. I replaced a ton of things trying resolve this wandering, wobbling and loose feeling issue. And it's still all over the road and hard to control most of the time. The following is what I've replaced with brand new quality components.

Tires
Upper and lower ball joints on both sides
Outer tie rod ends
Pitman arm
Idler arm and bracket
Hub bearings
Sway bar links
Upper intermediate steering shaft and steering column bearing
Adjusted the steering box
Tightened the torx screws under the steering column covers
Alignment

It seemed better for about 10 miles and then has been the same since. I have absolutely no idea what else it could be. I just jacked it up and checked play and there is no up and down or side to side play. Truck has the stock 16" alloys on it.

Any ideas on what I need to check next? It has the stock shocks on it and came with the factory autoride suspension but has not worked in a long time and I've bypassed the system. But the factory air shocks front and rear are still on the truck. This is the 5th GMT800 I've owned and none of the other 4 have driven like this.

Thanks y'all.

 

[Fless]

This is a little "out there" but how are the front diff mounts? The bushings do go bad and might have some impact here.

Condition of both the upper and lower control arm bushings?

Do the front jounce stops contact the lower control arms at ride height? They should.

Can you post the alignment form that the shop gave you, showing the "after" measurements?

 

[GMT800Man90]

This is a little "out there" but how are the front diff mounts? The bushings do go bad and might have some impact here.

Condition of both the upper and lower control arm bushings?

Do the front jounce stops contact the lower control arms at ride height? They should.

Can you post the alignment form that the shop gave you, showing the "after" measurements?

I'm not sure on the diff mounts. Haven't really looked at those, didn't think of that.

Control arm bushings are fine, not new but they aren't shot. Yes the front stops contact the control arm at ride height.

I've gotta take it back because my steering wheel was not set straight. It won't let me post the picture, keeps saying the file is too big.

After measurements are as follows:
Front left:
Camber -0.1 degrees
Caster 3.7 degrees
Toe 0.07 degrees

Front Right:
Camber 0.3 degrees
Caster 4.8 degrees
Toe 0.08 degrees

Cross Camber 0.3 degrees
Cross Caster -1.1 degrees
Total Toe 0.15 degrees

It didn't seem that great to me honestly but I'm not an alignment expert

 

[GMT800Man90]

This is a little "out there" a bit but how are the front diff mounts? The bushings do go bad and might have some impact here.

Condition of both the upper and lower control arm bushings?

Do the front jounce stops contact the lower control arms at ride height? They should.

Can you post the alignment form that the shop gave you, showing the "after" measurements?

What are your thoughts on those alignment results?

 

[Scottydoggs]

if it has not be to the alignment shop since all them parts were changed, try that first.

only major thing left is the steering box. my whole front end was pretty much worn out, so i did the easy stuff and had a shop do the steering box then got it aligned, felt like a new truck, nice and tight.

you can tell if the box is worn out too, watch the shaft at the box and the pitman arm as someone turns the steering wheel engine off, looking for play. should move together.

 

[Fless]

What are your thoughts on those alignment results?

I am not familiar enough with the desired specs, so perhaps others can comment.

@Scottydoggs is spot on:

you can tell if the box is worn out too, watch the shaft at the box and the pitman arm as someone turns the steering wheel engine off, looking for play. should move together.

I had a shop do mine since they have a two-year warranty on their parts and labor. (No warranty if I bring the parts -- I know, the parts are marked up but that's what it is around here.) If it's not right, it's going back.

 

[ivin74]

I've got an 03 Suburban LT 4WD with problems that I just can't seem to figure out. So I'm hoping someone here can point me in the right direction.

Truck has 243k. I replaced a ton of things trying resolve this wandering, wobbling and loose feeling issue. And it's still all over the road and hard to control most of the time. The following is what I've replaced with brand new quality components.

Tires
Upper and lower ball joints on both sides
Outer tie rod ends
Pitman arm
Idler arm and bracket
Hub bearings
Sway bar links
Upper intermediate steering shaft and steering column bearing
Adjusted the steering box
Tightened the torx screws under the steering column covers
Alignment

It seemed better for about 10 miles and then has been the same since. I have absolutely no idea what else it could be. I just jacked it up and checked play and there is no up and down or side to side play. Truck has the stock 16" alloys on it.

Any ideas on what I need to check next? It has the stock shocks on it and came with the factory autoride suspension but has not worked in a long time and I've bypassed the system. But the factory air shocks front and rear are still on the truck. This is the 5th GMT800 I've owned and none of the other 4 have driven like this.

Thanks y'all.

What brand of aftermarket parts did you use?

With 243k miles why did you not replace all the control arms?

If the parts you used are not Chinese parts and the control arm bushings are in good shape I would replace the steering box and add the Cognito Pitman Idler Arm Support Kit. You will be amazed how much better it will drive.

 

[GMT800Man90]

I am not familiar enough with the desired specs, so perhaps others can comment.

@Scottydoggs is spot on:



I had a shop do mine since they have a two-year warranty on their parts and labor. (No warranty if I bring the parts -- I know, the parts are marked up but that's what it is around here.) If it's not right, it's going back.

Yeah, I'm not putting much more into it, body is rusty(as we live in Ohio and it's been through 21 winters in Ohio) and while I only have $2300 including what I paid for it, it's not worth dropping much more into.

My last suburban i had was an 04 Z71 and the steering box was beyond shot, and it had zero play in the wheel and drove straight and didn't wander or anything. As well as my 04 Sierra, 04 Suburban and 01 Yukon XL before that did. They all had well over 200k miles, all had worn suspension components and that's why I'm having such a problem with this one is it's the same darn truck, yet it's giving me problems to the point its almost undrivable and I feel like I look like I'm drunk while driving it because it's all over the place. Nothing I've done that should have improved things has actually improved anything. It's maddening. Especially with the severe health issues I have(and I'm only 34) and destroying my body fixing these things. I hate taking it to the shop because of crazy markup, overpriced labor and selling things you don't need

 

[mattbta]

Another symptom from when my centerlink was oriented incorrectly was inability to keep the thing straight on heavily crowned roads and a feeling of instability at highway speed. With all your parts replaced, make sure the centerlink is installed properly: tie rod droops angled toward the back of the truck so to keep them parallel.

Very easy for the unknowing to put back on wrong.

 

[strutaeng]

Has the truck ever driven okay? Did you just buy it, or you've had it for a while? Has it ever been in a collision?