Hey all, I've been lurking for a while, finally posting. The rig in my sig is the one in question. Been in the family since 92, not been abused, and has 155k on the odometer.

When I swapped in the D44HD from a W250 I seem to have picked up a poor return to center problem. Since then it's got new ball joints, tie rod ends, drag link, AGR steering box, rebuilt steering coupler, a good rubber coupler, good alignment, tight wheel bearings, 3 different sets of springs, good frame-side shackle bushings, good body mounts, and everything is tight on the mounting points. It will NORMALLY run reasonably straight and return to the same point, however when really loading the wheel and then returning to center the wheel has been as much as 90 degrees off from center. I have found I can stand on the brakes, crank the wheel in the opposite direction, let off the brakes, and roll forward as I let the wheel back to center and it will USUALLY return to center again, with a clunk associated with it about 30% of the time. Keep in mind it did this with the stock box and the new box, stock pump and new pump.

Does ANYONE here have any thoughts? I'm stumped and it's getting old after 5 years!!

When you get your alignments done, what is your caster reading?

I wanna say it was 1.2-1.5 degrees. Been a year since it was done last. It was easily within spec for either my RC or the 93 W250 the front axle came from.

Have you checked to see if any of the three bolts that bolt the steering arm on top of the drivers side knuckle are broken/loose? I would take the arm off and inspect the bolts where they enter the knuckle to see if they are moving around a bit... (rust powder where threads enter the knuckle)

When my 78 m880 would do this same thing i knew i had loose u-bolts, or my steering box bolts were getting loose... my box mounted to a plate that bolted to the frame.. the frame bolts would always loosen up on me...

have somebody sit in the truck and "rock" the steering wheel back and forth and watch intently EACH component and its mounting for ANY detectible play....


chris:cool2:

Glad I am not the only one who thought that might be it. I DO have a block on there now until I find the cash for a drop pitman arm, but none of the studs going thru the block into the knuckle are moving around. Last time I was out at Prarie City I had my brother rock the wheel while me and another friend looked at every possible junction, but never saw or felt anything move (even down to spring perches up front, steering gear mounting plate, rear frame-mounts for the shackles, etc). At least I know the sizes of every bolt in the suspension by heart though.