Caster issues after lift?

[Nalanthi]

So I FINALLY got the 4" on my suspension that I've been wanting (and my truck is more badass because of it) and replaced a few worn parts discovered - especially a particularly dead tie rod end.

Problem is... there is a TON of play in my wheel that didn't exist before. I have to turn the wheel more than a quarter turn in either direction from dead center before steering even responds - and when tracking straight from a turn, the wheel is angled in the direction of the turn made. I checked everything under the truck with a buddy wiggling the wheel and everything seems to be tightened up fine. The gearbox seems to be responding fine with its usual bit of minimal play (no reason it shouldn't respond fine when it did at stock height).
Is this a caster issue? I can't quite grasp what else may have changed in the steering geometry that would be causing this.

Oh, and I attempted to take it in for an alignment after the lift but that didn't happen due to the shop attempting to piss me around with a ton of bull... I'd much rather learn and correct the issue myself after that fun bout.

 

[hirschdalechevy]

Did you install a steering arm with your lift ? You want your drag link to be as flat as possible , so you should run a steering arm for a lift.

Could be caster , most lift springs come with degree shims on them to roll the pinion up for better drivline angle , but you really dont need them for a 4" lift so you could take them out and that would help bring your caster closer to where it was before.

I myself have had a few trucks with 4" lifts before and did not have a problem , but I built my girl a 78 short bed with a 6" skyjacker soft ride and it drove well but not perfect so I dropped the front axle back out , removed the degree shims and put new center pins in the springs and put it back together. Now it drives like a dream and the front driveline angle is still fine. Her truck has a steering arm and a drop pitman arm as well so the drag link is perfectly flat.

 

[Nalanthi]

Did you install a steering arm with your lift ? You want your drag link to be as flat as possible , so you should run a steering arm for a lift.

Could be caster , most lift springs come with degree shims on them to roll the pinion up for better drivline angle , but you really dont need them for a 4" lift so you could take them out and that would help bring your caster closer to where it was before.

I myself have had a few trucks with 4" lifts before and did not have a problem , but I built my girl a 78 short bed with a 6" skyjacker soft ride and it drove well but not perfect so I dropped the front axle back out , removed the degree shims and put new center pins in the springs and put it back together. Now it drives like a dream and the front driveline angle is still fine. Her truck has a steering arm and a drop pitman arm as well so the drag link is perfectly flat.

Ya know... because I'm all retarded and what not, I was thinking that it was going to be more with the drag link. I adjusted it, but don't think I did so enough.
That's the only thing that "should" have changed the geometry of the steering.

I went with the 4" rough country lift that has the raised steering arm (no drop pitman). I just can't quite grasp which way I need to adjust to bring the steering in tighter and increase my turning radius.

 

[bucket]

...and when tracking straight from a turn, the wheel is angled in the direction of the turn made.

Steering shaft and/or rag joint. Also check the steering box mounting, frame might be cracked.

 

[farmerchris]

have been fighting with similar issues on my steering geometry.they say the steering arm is for 4 to 6 inches of lift,however the arm gives you approximately of 4 inches of increased spacing upwards,which was too much angle on the drag link for my 4 inch lift.you need only about 2 inches of drag link to be parallel for 4 inch lift.a drop pitman arm gives you the 2 inches you need,but they are expensive.will put your back to being parallel.being a cheapskate and having access to a lathe.I machined out the taper of the raise arm and added a taper insert to locate the drag link side of the steering arm.

 

[farmerchris]

used this taper insert here. http://www.ebay.com/itm/EZ-Knuckle-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a9e1ccfe5&vxp=mtr
used a lathe to drill a precise and dimensionally correct hole.

 

[farmerchris]

now to fix my frame cracking issues.which will cause steering deflection and clunking also.

 

[bucket]

have been fighting with similar issues on my steering geometry.they say the steering arm is for 4 to 6 inches of lift,however the arm gives you approximately of 4 inches of increased spacing upwards,which was too much angle on the drag link for my 4 inch lift.you need only about 2 inches of drag link to be parallel for 4 inch lift.a drop pitman arm gives you the 2 inches you need,but they are expensive.will put your back to being parallel.being a cheapskate and having access to a lathe.I machined out the taper of the raise arm and added a taper insert to locate the drag link side of the steering arm.

That doesn't add up. Sounds like you didn't get 4 inch lift springs. Or you already had a drop pitman arm installed.

I can provide pics of more than one truck with a 4 inch lift, a 4 inch steering arm, and a level drag link.

 

[Nalanthi]

yeah... I'm just retarded.
I figured it out that night - not only was my draglink a bit off, but somehow the bolts that SHOULD have been super tight on the u-bolts on the driver's side worked their way loose (that could have been fun) causing play between the axle and leaf spring.