The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network







Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Go Back   The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network > 47 - Current classic GM Trucks > The 1969 - 1972 Blazers and Jimmys Message Board

Web 67-72chevytrucks.com


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-03-2019, 10:20 PM   #1
JR1
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Vista (S.D. County) California
Posts: 70
Steering

75 blazer power steering all good except turns way farther right than to left, is there an adjustemt! Tough to park!
JR1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2019, 08:48 AM   #2
rpmerf
Registered User
 
rpmerf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Parkville, MD
Posts: 1,024
Re: Steering

Just a guess - someone replaced something in the steering a while back, the steering wheel was not lined up right, so they pulled it off and lined it up. I would jack the truck up and verify that it is going lock to lock on each side and nothing funky is going on.

The fix for this will be to adjust your tie rods, so the steering box is at the center of it's range when you are going straight down the road. Then remove the steering wheel and reinstall it so it is straight. May be hard to find where exact center is and may take a bit of trial and error. Adjust the tie rods by turning the adjustment sleeves 1 turn on each side so it pulls the right side in and pushes the left side out. You can watch the pitman arm to try and get it in the center of it's range. After you've made adjustments, count the number of turns from center (going straight down the road) to lock each way

You are messing with tie rods, so you will need to have it aligned afterwards if you want it to be right. If 'close enough' is good for you, the 1 turn each way, and a tape measure should be sufficient to get the toe close.
__________________
1970 C20 Custom Camper - 350, TH350
1997 GMC Suburban
1994 Acura Integra GSR
1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z
rpmerf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2019, 12:25 PM   #3
1rippen6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Greencastle PA
Posts: 6,685
Re: Steering

I think you are on the right track but I think the steering box is not center. Someone may have replaced the draglink and didn't adjust it correctly. Turn the steering wheel completely to the left add a piece of masking tape to the steering wheel. Rotate completely to the right and count the number of turns. Center the wheel and I'm guessing the wheels won't be straight. My brother in law had this problem on his 4x4 buggy. He added crossover steering and basically didn't center the steering box before installing the drag link. We fixed it on the trail and it was so much easier to steer. You may still need to adjust the steering wheel if you want it straight once you have the steering box centered.
1rippen6 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2019, 01:44 PM   #4
JR1
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Vista (S.D. County) California
Posts: 70
Re: Steering

Ok, jm following most of this, tie rod lengthen or shorten seems easy, drag link adjuster looks like it might work like a turn buckle, just loosen the two clamps and turn it, one way lengthen one way shorten, does this seem correct? Also can the pitman arm, the piece right on the bottom of steering box just be taken off and put back on a spline or two either way?
JR1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2019, 02:00 PM   #5
1rippen6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Greencastle PA
Posts: 6,685
Re: Steering

No, the pitman arm is keyed. Correct works like a turn buckle.
1rippen6 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2019, 02:41 PM   #6
JR1
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Vista (S.D. County) California
Posts: 70
Re: Steering

So it seems like if I shorten or lengthen that turn buckle type rod, which I think is the drag link?, it should bring the center of steering one way or the other, I'm gonna try shortening it which should bring the steering to the left? I'm also gonna Jack it up and check all other parts and connections in the steering first, I dont need a perfect fix, in a few years im gonna redo most of the vehicle for learning and fun, RETIREMENT! does that sound reasonable?
JR1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2019, 03:40 PM   #7
rpmerf
Registered User
 
rpmerf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Parkville, MD
Posts: 1,024
Re: Steering

You will be turning 'Tie rod adjusting sleeve'. This is located between the inner and outer tie rod ends and changes the length between the drag/center link and the spindles/knuckles. Adjust them equally to keep the toe the same.

Since you can turn further to the right, you want to shorten the right side and lengthen the left.

I agree with 1rippen6's idea of going lock to lock, counting turns, and finding center. You can do this looking at the steering wheel and the angle of the pitman arm. Steering wheel should be about 3-3.5 turns lock to lock

I had this experience in my 97 Suburban. I cheaped out and bought a $25 pitman arm rather than the $45 Moog one. Turns out the cheap one was keyed 1 tooth off, so the steering wheel was like 45* off. I used the method I described to get it close. Still a couple degrees off, but it drives fine.
__________________
1970 C20 Custom Camper - 350, TH350
1997 GMC Suburban
1994 Acura Integra GSR
1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z
rpmerf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2019, 03:50 PM   #8
JR1
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Vista (S.D. County) California
Posts: 70
Re: Steering

Thanks guys, I'll let you know how it turns out
JR1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2019, 08:29 PM   #9
JR1
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Vista (S.D. County) California
Posts: 70
Re: Steering

Can someone please describe which part has what name, I think I might miss understand a little......this has the steering box, the lever type piece on that, then on the lever what looks like a mini ttie rod goes back about 18" connected to a big curved piece bolted to the hub, this of course pulls front and back pulling the wheel assembly left or right, then there is one long rod from that left wheel assembly across the front of the axle to the right wheel assembly which just forces the right wheel to follow what the left wheel does, what are the names of these parts?
JR1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2019, 09:46 AM   #10
litebulblsc
Senior Member
 
litebulblsc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: LaSalle Mi
Posts: 496
Re: Steering

The long one from left to right is the tie rod.
The short one from box to knuckle is drag link
Arm off steering box is pitman arm
Arm off knuckle is the steering arm.

First 2 are usually adjustable, with tie rod ends
The second 2 are just solid chunks of metal.

The only one you should be concerned with is the drag link. Loosen clamps and turn the center to lengthen or shorten the assembly to center the steering box when the wheels are pointing straight.

Last edited by litebulblsc; 01-05-2019 at 09:55 AM.
litebulblsc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2019, 11:30 AM   #11
raggedjim
Senior Member
 
raggedjim's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Murray, Kentucky
Posts: 3,338
Re: Steering

I'll throw this out there, it's a long shot, but it happened to me on a 1977 chevy truck.

If the pitman arm had been replaced by the cheapest one at one of the parts stores it may have been made with the key splines being a mirror image of what they should be. I took the old one in and compared it in the store and all of the cheap ones were wrong!

Once I put the right one one, it was perfectly aligned.

Good luck, Rg
__________________
Roger

'68 Short step - https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=849675
'69 ('70?) 2wd Blazer
'70 GMC Jimmy 2wd
raggedjim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2019, 06:15 PM   #12
rpmerf
Registered User
 
rpmerf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Parkville, MD
Posts: 1,024
Re: Steering

You have the steering box.
Connected to the steering box is the pitman arm.
Connected to the pitman arm is the center link or drag link.
There is another thing supporting the center / drag link on the pass side of the frame, that is the idler arm.
Between the center / drag link to the knuckle / spindle. You have an inner tie rod connected to the center / drag link. You have an outer tie rod connected to the knuckle / spindle. Between the tie rods is the tie rod adjusting sleeve.
__________________
1970 C20 Custom Camper - 350, TH350
1997 GMC Suburban
1994 Acura Integra GSR
1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z
rpmerf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2019, 06:18 PM   #13
rpmerf
Registered User
 
rpmerf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Parkville, MD
Posts: 1,024
Re: Steering

__________________
1970 C20 Custom Camper - 350, TH350
1997 GMC Suburban
1994 Acura Integra GSR
1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z
rpmerf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2019, 06:24 PM   #14
rpmerf
Registered User
 
rpmerf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Parkville, MD
Posts: 1,024
Re: Steering

I just realized that I am really only familiar with the 2wd models (for 67-87) and my 97 suburban with independent front suspension. It is possible this is different with 4wd with a solid front axle.
__________________
1970 C20 Custom Camper - 350, TH350
1997 GMC Suburban
1994 Acura Integra GSR
1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z
rpmerf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2019, 10:18 PM   #15
YoungPup1977
Account Suspended
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: No longer here
Posts: 1,000
Did anyone replace or install the stabilizer that is bolted to the drag link. If this is not adjusted right it will turn one way and not as far the other way. In the pic I provided, shows the drag link with the bracket that bolts the stabilizer onto the drag link. But this a 72 blazer so it may not apply. Good luck
Posted via Mobile Device

Last edited by YoungPup1977; 01-07-2019 at 11:42 PM.
YoungPup1977 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2019, 09:40 AM   #16
litebulblsc
Senior Member
 
litebulblsc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: LaSalle Mi
Posts: 496
Re: Steering

Has it been lifted and the steering not corrected?

Did you buy it like this?

If it has been yours and used to be fine, what has changed to cause the situation?

And just for certainty this is a 4x4, correct?
litebulblsc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2019, 08:15 PM   #17
JR1
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Vista (S.D. County) California
Posts: 70
Re: Steering

Ok, great info guys! Here's the deal, IM NOT SURE! it could have been like this when I got it and I never really noticed, then it got worse when the draglink ball joints wore out which made me notice it! Bottom line: I discovered over 10 hours of trial and error this weekend is: to bring the full range of steering right or left is done by lengthening the draglink (for moving the range right) and shortening drag link for left. Well I got all new drag link parts and shortened with the adjuster, it improved a little but maxed out the draglink adjuster ( basically a turn buckle) the ends had extra threads outside but hit in the middle, well I cut a half inch off each side and YEEHAW, done! Everything else looks good so I'm guessing it might be the pitman arm being a little off as mentioned above! But it is good now, Pulled left into a parking space, ONE TURN, NO THREE OR FOUR POINT! THANKS FOR THE HELP
Attached Images
 

Last edited by JR1; 01-07-2019 at 08:23 PM. Reason: Pic
JR1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2019, 08:30 PM   #18
JR1
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Vista (S.D. County) California
Posts: 70
Re: Steering

BTW, yes 4x4! Also K5 blazer with all one ton power train! All could be a factor! This is my "learn how to work on old cars start" pretty steep learning curve BUT REALLY FUN! might be able to find shorter drag link ends but I have a patience problem! ANOTHER BTW "NAPA IS AWESOME!"
JR1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-08-2019, 07:29 AM   #19
rpmerf
Registered User
 
rpmerf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Parkville, MD
Posts: 1,024
Re: Steering

Glad you got it figured out! It's always really satisfying to get something working the correct way.

I typically use Rock Auto. Shipping can be a bit expensive, but parts are cheap. I've seen a lot where they are 50% of what you see in local stores.
__________________
1970 C20 Custom Camper - 350, TH350
1997 GMC Suburban
1994 Acura Integra GSR
1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z
rpmerf is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:47 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 1997-2022 67-72chevytrucks.com