2006 Chevrolet pick up steering won't turn?

[Sierra Boy]

Have a friend that just slid into his driveway wall and popped left front tire...steering wheel now just turns very easy like on a jack or something? Is there a sheer pin in the box or something that broke? Don't see any suspension damage other then a popped front tire. Am I missing something on this year truck? Truck was fine till he slid into the wall at 5 MPH.

 

Sierra Boy

[Mike GMC]

When you turn the steering wheel watch the steering shaft under the hood.  If it's turning and the input to the steering box is turning but the pitman arm does not move the box is broken.  If the shaft doesn't turn it could be broken somewhere in the colum.

[Sierra Boy]

I did look at the shaft and it is moving with steering wheel but did not look at the pitman arm to see if that was moving as the truck is super lower on the left side due to the popped tire. Will look at that tomorrow...all this for a 5 MPH hit on the tire?

 

Sierra Boy 

[Mike GMC]

On mine I can see enough of the arm from above with a light to tell if it's moving.

[davester]

I've had a tie rod separate due to a low-speed hit on a curb.

[dsr611]

1 hour ago, Sierra Boy said:

all this for a 5 MPH hit on the tire?

 

Sierra Boy 

Yes...I was backing out of a parking spot that was next to a telephone pole at work one day (same spot I had parked in every day I worked for 5+ years).  Every time I backed out, I would back out to the left then turn right and head out.  This day I had to drive around to our shop at work and backed out to the right.  Front tire caught the telephone pole and broke something in the steering box.  I had one of the guys at work come out and turn the steering wheel while I was checking under the truck and the steering shaft would turn but the output shaft/pitman arm wasn't.

[Sierra Boy]

Wow! 

Thanks for the post...will have a look tomorrow afternoon before the snow hits.

 

Sierra Boy

[Sierra Boy]

Had truck up in the air today...both wheels turn and seem to be attached with pitman arm so must be the steering box. The owner thinks it made a left turn on him and thinks the box broke at that instant? Possible right...

 

Says he cannot get the spare down to replace the rim? No "D" on the end of the shaft to turn down the rim...will have to look at that as well.

 

Sierra Boy