Wonky steering after new UCA install.

[thecole1098]

Sorry to be hijacking this thread, but I figure this is better than making my own thread for this "issue" I'm having.

In short, my returnability to center is subpar. if I'm moving at speed it does center by itself, however from about the 10 o'clock position of the steering wheel to 2 o'clock it will happily keep tracking in that direction until you manually adjust it. In that 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock range, the steering overall just feels "vague" but not necessarily sloppy. Steering is also very touchy on the highway and if I'm driving on a bumpy road at slower speeds, the truck will want to keep pulling in the direction the bump made the tires go, which requires a lot of minute steering changes instead of it wanting to naturally track straight.

Some quick specs of my rig that pertain to this:
- 285/75R16 tires with -19 offset Pro Comp 1069 wheels
- 3" Toytec suspension lift
- New steering rack with inner tie rods
- Poly steering rack bushings
- New outer tie rods
- Moog lower ball joints (about 6k miles on them)
- Poly front sway bar bushings

I'm pretty sure my issue is my caster being out of spec due to the lift and is just being amplified due to the larger tires. The last time I aligned my rig the toe and camber was in spec however I know the caster was out of spec, I just forget how much. I believe it was around ~+1.5* when ideal for my lift should be 3-4* correct? The caster I have is maxed out for the stock upper control arms I have by the way.

 

[theesotericone]

I'm pretty sure my issue is my caster being out of spec due to the lift and is just being amplified due to the larger tires. The last time I aligned my rig the toe and camber was in spec however I know the caster was out of spec, I just forget how much. I believe it was around ~+1.5* when ideal for my lift should be 3-4* correct? The caster I have is maxed out for the stock upper control arms I have by the way.

A lot of guys still have the stock arms and don't have a return to center issue. 1.5 is super close to the lower 1.7 limit for caster anyway. Did this start happening after the new rack? I'd be looking at the center guide nut. If that's too tight steering will not return to center. Try backing it off a 1/16th of a turn at a time and see if it improves.

 

[thecole1098]

A lot of guys still have the stock arms and don't have a return to center issue. 1.5 is super close to the lower 1.7 limit for caster anyway. Did this start happening after the new rack? I'd be looking at the center guide nut. If that's too tight steering will not return to center. Try backing it off a 1/16th of a turn at a time and see if it improves.

It did it with the old rack as well, but to be fair that rack had shit the bed since I've owned it lol. The rack guide is certainly possible and I have not touched it since I brought the new rack out of the box. Perhaps I will give that a try.

I will say however that while minimum spec is 1.7*, that is assuming the suspension still has its stock geometry which mine does not. To compensate for that I would think the caster would need to be increased more positive.

 

[A.Wilson013]

Had entire suspension re torqued. Took about 10,000 miles before it loosened up and stopped squeaking...I absolutely love the way it handles, so much better than stock.

10k is wild. Mine was maybe a couple hundred miles. Is your commute backing in and out of your driveway without turning?

 

[KAK707]

LOL...not driveway miles but may as well have been. Bay Area to Truckee to Eugene, OR...all on highways. Really loosened up finally on a Idaho, Wyoming, Montana trip....dirt with turns.

 

[thecole1098]

Put the truck on the rack after work today to get this printout and ya... the caster is way out of spec as I suspected. Aftermarket UCAs would likely fix my issues I'm having.