steering box issue

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sunrisor

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Just got my '03 XL back from the shop. I had most of the front end part replaced:
upper arms
lower arms
tie rod ends
idler arm
pitman arm

Tech tells me the steering box has a 'flat spot' in it. I thought, well after 184k miles that might be possible.
I read some threads about 'sloppy steering box' issues and tightening the adjusting nut.

...then I found this:
With 34+ years as a suspension tech (ASE sert) I would like to add my two cents in here. DON'T TAKE 100% OUT !!!!!!!!! Here is how to do this. (With the park brake on and the truck in park)(LOL) Do this with the tires straight and the steering wheel level. Start the truck and hold the adjusting bolt with the Alleen wrench, loosen the jam nut about 1 full turn. Hold the Alleen wrench with your left hand and with your right hand turn the steering shaft back and forth. Yes some power steering fluid will leak out but don't worry about that. Watch the pitman arm as you tighten up the adjusting bolt. You want just a little play. DON'T TAKE 100% OUT. Tighten up the jam nut and wipe up the oil. With your hand at the top of the steering wheel you want about 1/4 inch movement to the left and about 1/4 inch to the right before the tires turn. If you take 100% out you will be chasing the road like you can't believe. With 1/2 inch play you wont notice it as you are driving. But if you take it all out you wont like it. Trust me on that. Now go for a test drive. To check your front end parts your self do this. (It takes two people) (Brake on/in park) Do not jack the truck up at this time. Have some one slowly turn the steering wheel back and forth as you are under looking at the tie rod ends and pitman arm sockets for play. Any play you need to replace. Look at the idler arm for movement up and down. Just a little is OK but more than 1/4 inch you need to replace. Shut the truck off and jack up one wheel at a time under the lower control arm close to the ball joint. (You don't want the shock to extend) With your helper have them grab the tire at the top and push and pull on the tire as you watch the upper ball joint. Any play replace the ball joint. Now for the lower ball joint get a long bar and have your helper pry up on the tire as you watch the lower ball joint. A little play here is OK to. A lot of play and you will need to replace the ball joint. Now look at the sway bar links at the control arm. Large cracks or missing bushings and you will need to replace the link kits. Check the sway bar bushings at the frame for large cracks and any gaps between the bar and the bushings (You want the bushings to be tight). Check the shocks by twisting the shock to see that it is tight at the lower bushing. Look at the bushings on the top of the shock to see how they are. Also look at the steering coupler (Rag joint) at the firewall. Thats it for the front end now for the back end . Look at the control arm bushings and check your sway bar bushings (Links and frame bushings) check your shocks by twisting the shocks at the top and bottom. Grease the front end every oil change. Stay up on having your tires balanced, rotate if you can and WATCH YOUR AIR PRESSURE. Be nice to your mother and stay out of trouble. Scott
I forgot about WHEEL BEARINGS on the front end. Check your front wheel bearings with the tire off the ground by grabbing the left and right side of the tire and push and pull back and forth to see if you have any play. On my 1992 SUBURBAN I have adjustable wheel bearings on my 2003 YUKON XL I have sealed wheel bearings.

However, when I drove it, it felt like the steering was extremely tight, had to 'help' the steering wheel back from a turn. I also had to give constant corrections. Now, I know that might be not enough caster, but I don't think that's the problem. Could the steering box be too tight?
 

Jimmy John

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Yes from everything I have read "it felt like the steering was extremely tight" is 1 of the symptoms of a steering box be too tight. Also the steering not returning back to center with your hand off the wheel as you drive is another.
 

Larryjb

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Also check the ride height. After I replaced my steering box, idler arm, pitman arm, and tie rod ends, my steering still didn't return to center very well. I then noticed that my front end was a couple of inches lower than the rear. After confirming that my front end was too low (Z-trim spec), I leveled the front end by adjusting the torsion bars, and rechecked the toe. The steering now feels much better. The ride height will affect the caster, which in turn, affects the on center feel.

I had a lot of headaches changing my steering box. If you haven't done one before, check my thread on it so you can learn from my headaches. It took me days, but knowing what I know now, I should have had it done in an afternoon.
 

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