[marge1990]

Sorry for the many questions today....
My suburban appears to wonder while I am driving and the steering wheel appears to have lots of play. Any idea what this could be?


1990 V2500 4x4 Suburban 5.7 lts

 

[stprovost]

Sorry for the many questions today....
My suburban appears to wonder while I am driving and the steering wheel appears to have lots of play. Any idea what this could be?


1990 V2500 4x4 Suburban 5.7 lts

I would HIGHLY suggest that you have this looked at by a mechanic!!!
If you have steering with play, there is a component in the steering system that is loose. This is NOT something to determine what went wrong at highway speeds.
Your steering should have a tight feel to it.
stephen

 

[unplugged]

A 1/2 inch of play is acceptable. More than that and there is a mechanical issue. With the year of your burb, I'd suspect the steering box. How many miles on it? I replaced the steering box on my 93 earlier this year after it broke following a curb jumping incident. It failed about a couple of weeks after the contact with the curb. Luckily it happened when I was backing up at slow speeds. It could have been a handful at highway speeds.

Any good suspension shop should be able to diagnose it for you.

 

[Kraziken]

I recently took my 1991 suburban in to have a check up. My steering is also a bit loose. I thought that was just the nature of the beast with these older Burbs.
The report came back that they recommended the steering box be replaced. So I suspect you probably have the same issue.

Anyone (unpluggged?) know how hard of a task this is to do yourself?

 

[collinsperformance]

not too bad. you disconnect the lines and the rag joint and the pitman arm and then remove the box and install the new one and reconnect all and fill with new fluid and test for leaks and possible new front end alignment...mike

 

[unplugged]

Did the box myself earlier this year. I have a post somewhere here that includes a sort of step by step with the socket size you will need to disconnect the pitman arm. I think if you have done ball joints before you could handle a steering box. Got mine from NAPA.

 

[Kraziken]

Before blowing some money on a new steering box, I had someone help me with the adjustment nut on the steering box.

It's a lot better. I think the box is fine for now. I imagine this trick can only be used a few times before the box really needs to be replaced.