Steering is all over the place. Need help!

[Prorider17]

’05 Z71 Tahoe with 177k miles. Over a month ago, I upgraded the wheels and tires. Same circumference, but 20”s vs 17”s. Had truck aligned during install. Roughly two weeks after, I start noticing the truck pulls to the right a little. Kept dealing with it until I decide to take it back to get the alignment checked two weeks ago.

They do their thing and tell me I’m good to go. I drive home and the truck pulls to the right even more now. I take it back 3 more times and get the same results. They rotated tires thinking it was a tire issue. It wasn’t. They said my upper control arm bushing looked a tiny bit worn, and replacing it would fix it. I was skeptical and took it to another shop. They look it over and said my tie rods, pitman arm and idler arm all need replacing, as they can’t properly align the truck until there’s little to no play in the front-end. They said my lower ball joints look ok, but I definitely need to replace the tie rods, pitman and idler arms.

Fast forward a week while I’m waiting to get my parts installed, my truck continues to pull right when driving straight, but when I go to apply my brakes, my truck then shoots the other way when I keep my hand on the wheel! Very unsettling. It’s almost like something moves big time when weight gets put on the front end. I tried to record a video for illustration purposes. Has anyone had this issue before?

 

[bottomline2000]

Truck doesn't seem to be driving straight so it's not aligned or holding. It seems going to a lower profile tire can magnify suspension issues since there is less give in the tire. Gonna have to start replacing parts and find the slop. Does that year have a steering rack or box?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T377A using Tapatalk

 

[Prorider17]

They tell me my alignment is right according to their computer print out, but we know it's wrong. I believe I have the steering box. I know I have hydraboost.

 

[bottomline2000]

They tell me my alignment is right according to their computer print out, but we know it's wrong. I believe I have the steering box. I know I have hydraboost.

You could try flushing the steering system thru the hydroboost. You could have contamination in the steering box. My steering was eratic from a junk steering box. The only other option is to jack up the front and start shaking the wheels looking for anything loose.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T377A using Tapatalk

 

[Prorider17]

Update - my truck still pulls right, but I learned that the shop who's did my align,ent didn't torque the control arm to spec. So, every time I braked, my front end would self align.. not a pleasant experience. Hoping that my new parts will help my off steering.

 

[Scottydoggs]

Update - my truck still pulls right, but I learned that the shop who's did my align,ent didn't torque the control arm to spec. So, every time I braked, my front end would self align.. not a pleasant experience. Hoping that my new parts will help my off steering.

is the shop footing the bill for the **** up?

 

[camaroz1985]

If the pitman, idler, and tierods need replaced you can align it 100 times and it will be right according to the computer at that time but as soon as you hit any kind of bump or even turn a wheel it will be off again. Replace those parts, get it realigned and you will be good to go. The first shop should have never even tried to align it if those parts were worn out.

 

[swathdiver]

There's probably nothing wrong with his suspension or steering gear. It's probably a sticky caliper or the tires, a radial pull on one or more. What kind of tires did you put on? Then there's always treachery, sabotage by some unscrupulous mechanic to steal your money.

 

[camaroz1985]

I wouldn't be so quick to jump to that conclusion. If they are original parts with 177k miles, its pretty safe to say they could be worn out. Easy enough to check for yourself if there is play in the steering.

 

[06JET]

I had a brake line that collapsed on the inside and would make my truck pull hard to the opposite side when i hit the brakes. Basically it would stop up the line on the side it was on and only apply pressure to the other side caliper. Very scary every time I hit the brakes it darted hard.