300 Front End
 

With only the right wheel off the ground, I have a bit of whell rock when rocking the wheel from 9:00 to 3:00. I have been told its normal, but it doesn't seem right.

Anyone know if this is right, or could someone with a tight no wandering steering please give it a check?

Thanks
Don

Check for worn tie rod ends, worn drag link pivots, or a loose or worn bushing in the idler arm.

You shouldn't be able to feel or see any movement in the tie rod ends or drag link pivots, and there must be no vertical play on the idler arm. Replace any worn parts.

A bad bushing or two in the steering coupler can also cause wander -- in this case, the steering wheel will rattle on rough pavement or gravel, too.

So will bad track rod bushings or worn ball joints (these can show up and 9-3 "play" if the wheel is moving on the lower ball joint instead of simply pivoting).

Peter

I replaced the drag link, tie rods and instaled and idler arm kit. I still find that there is slight 9 to 3 play in the left wheel, which seems to be coming from the idler arm bushing flexing. I have it torqued to specs and am trying to figure out if the left wheel movement is normal.

I specifically only raised the front right and then the front left to insure that anything in the gear box and sterring wheel play would not enter into the evaluation.

Thanks again.

Don

Very slight play is unavoidable, since the rubber in the idler bushing flexes a bit.

If you can just feel it, you are fine. If it is visible, more than say a mm or so at the edge of the wheel, something is still loose (steering box?

If it goes "thunk thunk" as you move it back and forth, something is still loose.

Peter

What I see flexing is the idler bushing which allows the drag link to move, which allows the right wheel (tire) to move more than 1/2" when pushing and pulling from 9:00 to 3:00. I have the left wheel on the ground when doing this, so the box can't move.

Maybe the idler needs to be tighter?

Thank you,

Don

Don:

Either that or the bits aren't assembled correctly somehow. There should be almost zero vertical movement of the idler arm, certainly never enough to allow 1/2" tire movement -- you are going to wander all other the road with that much flex, and wear the tires out to boot!

Peter