Bent tie rod

[wafflecakes13]

Very oddly it seems passenger rear caliper pins were the culprit of the pull...I say oddly since it was pulling to the passenger side. But that was the only wheel that still moved while braking. the slide pins had no grease on them and were slightly rusted. Replaced it just now with a whole new caliper setup due to it being only double the price of the damn pins and boots. Now looking up the bleeding process.

 

[M1Gunner]

Very oddly it seems passenger rear caliper pins were the culprit of the pull...I say oddly since it was pulling to the passenger side. But that was the only wheel that still moved while braking. the slide pins had no grease on them and were slightly rusted. Replaced it just now with a whole new caliper setup due to it being only double the price of the damn pins and boots. Now looking up the bleeding process.

Yeah you would typically have a pull to the oppisite side that wasn't contributing.
I'm still diggin around for some leads on this.
I did find this GM TSB through identifix
Maybe double check that idler arm bracket. I know you said you changed you idler arm and it's typically a rule of thumb to change the bracket too. Idk if you did that? But I would double check it with the front end loaded and unloaded.

 

[M1Gunner]

And I forgot to ask, do you have a steering stabilizer installed?

 

[wafflecakes13]

Yeah steering stabilizer went on a couple weeks ago

 

[M1Gunner]

Yeah steering stabilizer went on a couple weeks ago

I knew I should've asked that sooner... installed right about the time you started having this problem I would imagine? I would remove it and take it for a test drive. I think you're gonna be surprised.

 

[wafflecakes13]

It was actually installed a little after the problems. You think it could be causing a negative effect?

 

[M1Gunner]

It was actually installed a little after the problems. You think it could be causing a negative effect?

Absolutely, especially at higher speeds. As ironic as that may sound considering it's a 'stabilizer'...

 

[wafflecakes13]

Well, I got half a mile from the house this morning going about 40 mph it started to wander way more than I was comfortable with. No way am I taking it on the freeway in this condition. About to bite the bullet and get a rental and drop it off at a shop. I've tried trial and error for the last couple weeks, but it's getting to an unreasonable point. I worry that I'm going to wreck every time I drive it.

 

[M1Gunner]

If all joints/linkage are good as you say, including control arm bushings. The only thing it can be now is the gear box,again, or the pump. If by removing the stabilizer made things worse than what else is there, you have ruled everything else out.

I hate that you'll be paying someone else to hopefully find the issue but please keep us informed.

 

[wafflecakes13]

M1, thanks for sticking with me and all of your insight! I actually was able to arrange a free tow to a dealership on a friend's AAA account haha. The service manager there is an old friend of my wife's from the car scene years ago. It's a nissan dealer but they have a guy that specializes in domestics. Anyways, he said he found it was the gearbox pretty quickly. Said he felt the play in it on the highway and also showed me the steering shaft turning a good bit without the wheels moving at all. Sucks being out $ on part and labor again but whatever...free tow and he's putting my new box on for 75$ off the books total for diagnostic and labor, just had to buy my own box.