Steering Geometry Question

[Vbb199]

So this is a question related to a truck frame that didn't come under a squarebody, but rather is under my squarebody. A gmt800 tahoe frame. But steering and all are all basically the same and im seeking input on idler/pitman arm geometry


Attached is an overhead view of the trucks idler arm with the greasable torsion cylinder thing.
Right there next to the oil pressure sensor.

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And next is a picture of a proposed change i want to make.

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Is there anything wrong with doing that? Im not a steering expert but im hoping maybe someone else out there is.
Im swapping a motor in a gmt800 chassis that never was put in one and the oil filter boss is hitting the cylinder for the idler torsion. Im wanting to move it over 2 or 3 inches and just want to know the ramifications of doing so. Does it have to be parallel to the pitman? Or is this incredibly stupid and is going to cause binding or some terrible steering condition

Thanks

 

[Ricko1966]

If you move it over aren't you going to run out of travel?

 

[xm20k]

Never mind it's the oil filter location that is blocked. Was seeing the sender that can be corrected with an angle adaptor.

If you suck it into the frame, it's going to change the angle and how far to the right it can move. and at that kind of angle, it would need to extend and collapse as it swings back the other way so no not going to work.

Might have to fab up a lower profile bracket and use a different style idler arm from something else in the same length and location. Or go to another steering setup entirely.

 

[xm20k]

Is there not enough room to run a remote filter?

 

[Ricko1966]

Could you get by with this. They also make them where the block fittings come out horizontal rather than vertical. Point them forward and run hoses to where ever.

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[Vbb199]

Is there not enough room to run a remote filter?

No I dont think so sadly

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[Vbb199]

You know, looking at it, I could move that steering arm over just a little bit and probably get away with the remote oil filter thing

 

[Ricko1966]

You know, looking at it, I could move that steering arm over just a little bit and probably get away with the remote oil filter thing

Looked to me like if you put the block adapter on before installing the engine maybe notching the bracket and raise the engine 1/4 inch it would go. But pics can be decieving.

 

[Ricko1966]

Now this is going to be tough to explain,and I don't that engine at all to tell you where the oil valleys are. There's going to be a galley the runs through the block and another galley drilled to intersect it and provide oil to the oil filter. Then there's going to be the same thing to return the oil. If you can get to both galley you can run the filter supply and filter return via hoses and fittings right to the galleys,block the filter,position. I'll find a pic. Best I could do at short notice. This VW engine he drilled and tapped the main oil galley and installed a pump cover with a fitting.

 

[bucket]

If the idler arm swing does not match the pitman arm swing, there's going to be some funky steering geometry.

Is it possible to move the engine rearward at all? Even a little bit of firewall surgery would be less complicated than re-engineering the steering geometry.

 

[idahovette]

The idler rms that I've worked with have a full 360 degree swing, that is they will completely turn a round. You may be able to get by with moving the support closer to the frame, but you are gonna have to keep it level with the pitman arm to keep the same arc.

 

[bucket]

The idler rms that I've worked with have a full 360 degree swing, that is they will completely turn a round. You may be able to get by with moving the support closer to the frame, but you are gonna have to keep it level with the pitman arm to keep the same arc.

Right, but moving the mount will f#ck up the geometry too. The idler arm needs to be parallel to the pitman arm. If it is not, as they go through the swing, the passenger inner tie rod will move fore/aft either much more or much less than the driver side, depending on which way the truck is being turned.

 

[xm20k]

It only has so much fore and aft movement one side will bind in one direction before it has fully travelled, and the other direction won't move much fore and aft but will not extend far enough with the offset arch. You would need to keep it parallel to the other end but the way the drag link is built that's not going to happen unless you slide it over keep it parallel and fab a custom drag link.

I'd look into what other steering setup could be swapped in like a rack and pinion.

If all else fails, you could build a custom setup with Heims and tubular links from a place like speedway the way people build steering for old hotrods and gassers etc.

 

[Vbb199]

Either its going to come down to this

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Which eliminates the torsion feature and ill have to run a cylinder to the drag link

However after moving the motor into position, it looks like i can run a remote filter setup and just notch the idler bracket a little

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No need to total reinvent the wheel on the steering setup

 

[xm20k]

Those pics give a much better shot of the situation. A remote filter unit and a bit of massaging looks like it'll work.