[97 S-10 on 18's]

Ok I have this strange "loose" feeling in the steering wheel. It pulls on and off to the right sometimes even to the left. Feels like something is loose in the front end but I dont know what to look for. I have spindles and 3" springs and the back is lowered about 6" 18's all the way around and the tires are fairly new. What should I look for first, I know it needs brakes, could the calipers help cause the problem of it pulling sometimes? Sometimes I hear noises from the right front, like some metal is loose and smacking something but I dont see any marks on anything. Any help would be greatly appreciated.




:sheep:

 

[CenTex]

It might be your A-arm bushings, I've actually had them slip off of the bushings. Have a look at the bushings. If they look good, then grab hold of the very top of each front wheel and shake the P..s out of it. If its solid, then the bearings are good.
Lay down under the front and shake the poo out of the steering linkage, look for looseness.
Put a jack under the lover A-arm and lift your wheel off the ground about an inch. Pry on the wheel with a tire iron and a brick to see how much the wheel goes up, and how loose it is. If you have a lot of play, its the ball joints.

 

[97 S-10 on 18's]

When grabbing the top of the wheel should I jack it up first or do it while its on the floor? While shaking the steering linkage, should I shake all the parts like the tie rod end and all that also, and should I jack it up for that as well? I had the ball joints on the right side replaced less then a year ago as well as the tie rod ends. Thanks





:sheep:

 

[CenTex]

When you grab the top of the wheel, its best to have the truck on the ground. that way the suspension is under stress and any play in the bearings will show up. (It also keeps the truck from falling off of the jack).
Shake all of the steering linkage, If its connected to the steering system, give it a shake and look for looseness.
You might have a bad idler arm, the tie rod ends you replaced are usually the first things that go on high-mileage front ends.
The ball joints you had replaced, was it just the uppers, or both upper and lower? Most shops like to replace only the upper cause they are quick and easy to replace.

 

[97 S-10 on 18's]

ok I will do that this morning but I cant get under the truck to shake the linkage unless its jacked up because its so low, would it be ok to just jack it up a enough to get under it then shake the linkage? I had both the upper and lower ball joints on the right side replaced cause they were both bad and the left side were ok
and they used pretty good ones too.

 

[JohnH]

you said your tires are fairly new. did you switch to a wider tire? after i went from 205 to 225 my tires catch the grooves in the road more and it pulls pretty hard sometimes. thats normal so if thats the problem then you have no worries, just some getting used to it.

 

[litestab]

did you get an alignment after your spindle install?

 

[Rhansen]

you said your tires are fairly new. did you switch to a wider tire? after i went from 205 to 225 my tires catch the grooves in the road more and it pulls pretty hard sometimes. thats normal so if thats the problem then you have no worries, just some getting used to it.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[97 S-10 on 18's]

ever since I had these wheels I have had the same size tire, almost three years now and the alignment I had checked a few months back when they changed the front parts and he said it was fine. As for the pulling with wider tires is that really true, a few friends told me that and I thought they were just saying that. Maybe it is that. I checked the front end and nothing really shakes looses when I shake it, although theres a clanking noise when I jacked it up and lifted the tire with a tire iron, just a little bit though, is that normal or is all this in my imagination? Thanks for all the help also



:sheep:

 

[anotherblacks10]

If everything looks okay mechanically then it probably is your tires dude. I was running a set of pirelli P zero's and the damn thing would just follow every groove on the road. I'm running all-season tires now (yokohamas) and no pull at all. It's just one of those thing you get from the tread design from high end tires.
Hope that's it.

 

[97 S-10 on 18's]

ok I hope its just that, does that just happen all of the sudden or would they do that the entire life of the tire? and what about the clanking or popping noise when raising the wheel? Thanks again

 

[CenTex]

It shouldn't clank or pop when you raise the wheel. Did both sides do it?
I still think that it's something in your suspension. Maybe one of the spacers on your A-arm fell out.
As for the tires causing the pull, that is easily checked by finding a good flat parking lot and just letting go of the steering wheel to see if the truck drifts. Go over the same area in both directions.

 

[97 S-10 on 18's]

Actually both sides did make the noise. It sounded kinda likeif you were to have a bolt in a bigger hole then it should be in, know what I mean? Its dark out now so I cant check it until the morning, but I will look and see if maybe one of the bolts are loose on that. I will do the parking lot test also tomorrow, maybe even tonight if I still go out. Thanks for the help guys, and keep giving the advice please, it helps. Before I forget, Happy New Year everyone and be careful tonight if you go out. Thanks again