new owner, steering question

[zc911]

Hello guys

i just picked up an 88 samuri it has a totoal of 9inchs of lift (4 suspension, 3 body, 2 shakle), it has 33inch TSL Thornbirds and the steering is a littel dead.
By dead i mean it has alot of free play in the wheel before the truck responds.
I can be driving down the street and move the wheel more than %50 and the truck will track on straight ahead
Could it be a dying steering rack?
Any input is greatly appreciated
thanks

[Depot]

could be a bunch of things - real easy to find out...

get a buddy to wiggle the steering wheel from side to side while u check each component... start with the steering shaft where it comes through the firewall, check where the 2 pieces conect (mid way down the shaft).. with that much body lift, the shaft is stretched out further than normal. check for play in this shaft where it slides into one another. keep looking down, u'll find the rag-joint - where this shaft connects to ur steering bix.. make sure thats not ripped or about to rip.

next check the box itslef.. if ur turning the wheel that much and the shaft is spinning inside the box but the pitman arm is not moving, then its ur box thats pooched.

check the rest of the steering compnents - drag link and tie rod, check all the ends to see if they're worn out or lose

start with that.. see where it takes yah

gl

D

[zc911]

exelent, thanks for the info :)
I will go over it tonight and see what i find

[Mudslug]

Hey Depot don't the Sammy boxes have a free play adjustment on them?

[zc911]

do they?

That would be cool becuase that looks like what it is.
I can turn the steering but the box won;t turn the wheels, the steering shaft turns in the box, but no output

[Mudslug]

On the top (or side) of the box the might be (easy guys i said might) a lock nut with a screw head in the middle. Unlock the nut and turn the screw slightly (just a bit at a time) to the left. lock it down and check it.

Keep the process up until the box tightens up.

If left is getting it looser go right.....I am way foggy today so i could be wrong here...

[Depot]

i dont know... i remember hearing something about that long time ago... have to go find a sammi box and check...

D

[gordZuki]

i would check but i'm not near mine ... and i only think there is a filler bolt on top .. and nothing on the side .. or nothing i've noticed before

[Mudslug]

Ya I am at work so i can't check mine either......I'll check when i get in

[Depot]

i run a toy box now.. have to go find an old steering box on the shelf when i get back to the ranch to check.... its a race.... first one to find out wins nothing! :beer:

D

[zc911]

i will check tonight when i get home if i can;t see anyhting i'llt ake a bunch of pics of the box and you guys point out what i should be playing with :D
Since it;s the steering box it;s not somthing ir eally want to be experimenting with:yike

[Mudslug]

chicken.......

[zc911]

damn right
:cool:

[Fullload]

There is a screw on the top of the box with a lock nut ( i do not have to check cause i know) If you do turn it clockwise ( i am 100% sure on that too) it will tighten. be very careful and do only an 1/8th of an inch at a time and drive.
With all good short cuts there is a price. Shortly after you tighten the screw and think that everything is cherry you'll find your self buying or replacing the old box. This is only a temporary solution and should only be enough time to get you a replacement. I have done this and run into the same problem. I am also sure that the tire size had something to do with it as well. I am running 31x12.50 boggers.

good luck.

[zc911]

great thanks for the info

So pretty much the best thing to do is get a new/remanufactured box?
Or will it be the same just because of the lift tires ect...
thanks again guys much apreciated:)

[MuddMachine]

Easy now boyz........ check your drag link too. If you run a z-link chances are it's toast. Ive found the TRE on a z-link only lasts a season. This will induce alot of slop. While youre at it check the tie-rod. When you lift a sami and stuff 31's or 33's under it, alot of parts take a crap.

[Depot]

are u sure its the box that has the play in it? u checked all the other components? from what I've seen, boxes go sloppy over time, not just all of a sudden. elimnate the other simpler items b4 u replace the box.


D

[zc911]

what hapens is when the steering wheel is turned, the steering shaft turns in the box, and what ever is attached to the box moves but the wheels don;t turn and their is zero resistance in the steering wheel till you turn it about %30 (my inital number was a bit off :) )

it hasn;t happened all of a sudden, i just picked up the truck a week ago and it did it on the test drive i took it on, i jsut didn;t care about it becuase i wanted the truck LOL

[Mudslug]

So the pitman arm moves with the box and steering shaft but the wheels don't turn?? If that is true I would say TRE's

Guys?

[Depot]

if by TRE u mean Tie Rod Ends... thats my vote! 2 on the drag link and 2 on the tie rod... grab ur rods and give em a shake.. do they move in the ends?

D

[MuddMachine]

Ive only changed the steering box once and TRE's or links several times. Like i said, if you run a z-link, it's only good for a year.

[zc911]

Originally posted by Mudslug
So the pitman arm moves with the box and steering shaft but the wheels don't turn?? If that is true I would say TRE's

Guys?

%100 true But i will verify :)

Does crappy tire carry those parts? And are they easy to change?
Wanna get it done before the winter.:)

[Fullload]

If the pitman arm (the one attached to the bottome of the box) moves with no play then it is you TRE's. If you turn the steering wheel and you see the skinny rod under the hood ( box entrance) move and nothing coming out of the box the it is your box.

[MuddMachine]

Originally posted by zc911
%100 true But i will verify :)

Does crappy tire carry those parts? And are they easy to change?
Wanna get it done before the winter.:)

There is only one replaceable TRE in the whole system. The drag link has one TRE and one forged end. The tie-rod has 3 TRE's and only one is changeable.

[zc911]

well i checked it out on the weekend and i don;t think it;s the Tie rods.
THey have no play at all.
I also check out the rest of the system and the problem only comes up when you are moving, like more than 20km/h and gets worse the faster you go.
At around 50-60 it;s kinda scary becuase you turn the wheel and you get nothing :eek:

I am going to try tightening the stering box with the scew and see how that goes

[MuddMachine]

Checked your wheel bearings ?

And last but not least, have you checked your rag joint lately ? This is what i found when I checked my rag joint, prior to puttin the 33's on.

[zc911]

wheel bearings seem fine there is no slop in the front end, and ya i check out that rag joint (what the hell is the purpose of that anyway) and it;s all intact and looks ok
I am stumped and pissed off :bang:

[gordZuki]

steering box gearset stripped??

[zc911]

i think it;s the seering box, i mean eveything else seems perfectly fine.

But why does it feel worse the faster you go?

This weekend i am going to fix it no matter what it costs me
:boot:

[Depot]

no matter what it costs eh??? bring it to me then! lololol

D

[drtysuzuk]

did you check to see if the drag link is tight @the pitman arm, i noticed some wandering @road speed and found the nut had backed off...someone who shall remain nameless forgot to use a cotter pin could have been scary:yike :yike :yike

[Depot]

Originally posted by drtysuzuk
\...someone who shall remain nameless forgot to use

Was it Shane (aka toyworks) from orangeville????? LOL

srry, couldnt resist


D

[zc911]

Originally posted by Depot
no matter what it costs eh??? bring it to me then! lololol

D

hahah well ok within reason :D

Where are you located? Maybe iw ill tkae you on that :D

[SiR]

the one I drove did the same thing zc.
it wasnt as delayed as yours but it was ..wierd to say the least

[zc911]

hahah hey you signed up :)

[zc911]

alright i am an idiot :D

it was teh stupid ass rubber this in the steering shaft.
I guess you should not do trouble shooting in the dark :D

What the hell was susuki thinking, why not put another little swivle joint like the top of the steering shaft.

We had a **** YJ shaft we where going to sorten and use, but the splines where just a tiny bit off :(

Guess i'll just pick up a $20 piece of rubber :mad:
Might as well pick up two i guess, becuase these things must shear all the time

gain guys much appreciated on the help, especially Depot

[KAC]

Get another steering shaftwith the u-joint end on it. With a little cuting and welding you can have a steering shaft free of rag joints. The splines are the same on the steering box and the the shaft that comes from the steering wheel.

[Depot]

glad u got it fiugured out - catch yah around

D

[zc911]

KAC- thanks thats good to know i think i will do that :D

Depot, me too. Since we live like 10min apart just look for the ellow samuri driving around in the next week :D