GM IFS Woes
I own an '88 GMC Sierra with independent front suspension. It has a 3-inch body lift, a 3-inch Rough Country suspension lift, and sits on 35-inch Pro Comp Mud Terrains. My question is about the steering and front end problems I'm having. There is a lot of front end shimmy and wandering at all speeds when driving over small bumps on highways and local streets. I've replaced the idler and pitman arms twice, as well as the steering box and tie rod ends (had an alignment after each of these). I also installed a heavy-duty steering stabilizer, yet I still experience this problem. It was extremely better after the steering box, pitman, and idler arms were changed, but shortly after I am once again experiencing the same problem. It seems like the parts are already worn, and the steering is loose. They are all high-quality parts. People have told me that upgrading to Super Swampers would help. What should I do?
Sam Heller, Plano, Illinois
Hey Sam,
It sounds as if you've covered a lot of ground already, but there may be a few stones still left unturned.
First, check to make sure your control arm bushings aren't worn out. Also check to make sure your wheel bearings aren't loose or worn out. Assuming you're using aftermarket wheels, your wheels may be pushing your tire centerline out too far, which increases scrub radius and puts bigger loads on your steering parts. You may need to change wheels to bring your tire centerlines closer to the ball joints -- you'll still need to make sure that the tires will clear the body panels at full suspension compression and at full steering lock both left and right.
Recheck your alignment to make sure that your caster and toe settings are correct. You might also check your frame to make sure nothing's cracked. If you've got a cracked frame, it won't hold your suspension and steering parts in place. The steering box area takes a major amount of abuse when leveraged against big off-road meats.
Both Pro Comp and Interco make great tires. There's no need to change your tires unless you're looking for a different tread pattern or if your current rubber is worn out and you'd like to try something new. Whatever tires you use, make sure they are balanced. If you have shimmy only at certain speeds, it usually comes from unbalanced tires. Since you said you have shimmy at all speeds, it doesn't sound as if unbalanced tires are the problem.
How to Mix Dissimilar Parts
Help, please! I'm doing a frame-up build of an '80 Jeep CJ-5. I bought an '82 Wagoneer for the drivetrain and have been told that it has Dana 44 axles. Is this correct? I am planning to use a Dana 300 transfer case that I already have. The problem is that the Wagoneer front axle has a driver-side front differential, and the Dana 300's front output is on the passenger side. Is there anything I can do so that I can use this front axle with the Dana 300 T-case?
Steven Rogers, via e-mail
Steven,
Dana 44 axles have been offered in many configurations over the years as both front and rear axles. Variations include the overall width, wheel bolt patterns, brake types, and which side of the axle the differential is on. The Dana 44 is a strong axle and should survive well in a smaller vehicle like the CJ-5 you're building. If you were building a fullsize truck and wanted to use a big-inch motor and burly, aggressive tires, we'd tend to recommend something even stouter, such as a Dana 60.
Yes, there's definitely something you can do to mix your passenger-side front output on your Dana 300 transfer case with the driver-side differential on the front axle you've got. Down East Offroad makes a Dana 300 flip kit that will flip the 'case over so that the front output will be on the driver side. The company's website address is www.downeastoffroad.com.