98 Chev 4X4 Sensitive to wind and road crown

airwolf · July 7, 2004

I just bought a 1998 Chev 4X4 extended cab 1500 with 88,000km on it. I also own since new a 1992 1500 Chev extended cab 2wd. The 1992 handles great on the hi-way no matter the road or conditions. The 1998 seems very sensitive to road crown and wind. I had the front end checked out and everything is good and the alignment is good as well. The thing that bothers me the most is having to hold left into the steering wheel on most hi-ways in the right lane, but the left lane it steers ok. I find it uncomfortable after a while.

I have been searching this forum but have not specifically found anything that would answer my question. Are all 1998 4X4's like this?

Thanks, Dave

[email protected]

GMCTech · July 7, 2004

I've seen this problem a few times, and it has turned out to be the VSES - Variable Speed Effort Steering.

Ususlly, if there is a problem there will be a code set that can be read. The fix is 90% of the time going to be replacing the hand wheel speed sensor at the base of the steering column.

It is a fairly inexpensive part and only an inconvenient job to do.

See if you can get the codes read (the code is in "Chassis" under VSES/ESC).

This is all dependant on your truck having VSES (I think it does).

Unfortunately that is not the only possible solution, and possibly can be your variable effort steering valve at the back of your power steering pump, which is MUCH more inconvenient to replace.

Hope this helps.

Wingnut · July 7, 2004

Not that I'm disagreeing with GMCTech (He knows a lot more about these trucks than I)...Just throwing out another possible problem.

What about your tires? How old are they? Are they a meaty set of Bias ply tires? Those things will climb to the high spot in the road something awful. Worn out tires will make things get all wishy-washy at speed too.

Note, you can tell my level of expertise with my use of the highly technical term "wishy-washy"....Yeah...It's a word.

snoman · July 7, 2004

I just bought a 1998 Chev 4X4 extended cab 1500 with 88,000km on it. I also own since new a 1992 1500 Chev extended cab 2wd. The 1992 handles great on the hi-way no matter the road or conditions. The 1998 seems very sensitive to road crown and wind. I had the front end checked out and everything is good and the alignment is good as well. The thing that bothers me the most is having to hold left into the steering wheel on most hi-ways in the right lane, but the left lane it steers ok. I find it uncomfortable after a while.

I have been searching this forum but have not specifically found anything that would answer my question. Are all 1998 4X4's like this?

Thanks, Dave

[email protected]

You need less negative caster. The pivot pins/ball joint axis on front axle need to be tipped a bit more forward at the top of axle to cure this problem. (It is easy to do with shims between spring pad and axle with a straight front axle and is accomplished through upper control arm shims with IFS. I would suggest between a .5 to 75 degrees change here for starters. This is if truck steers down the crown make a change toward positive from stock and if it steers up crown make a change toward negative. It also can help to have a little more "positive" caster, 1/4 to 1/2 degree (in relation to driver side) on the passanger side of vehical with a IFS front end

airwolf · July 9, 2004

I had the sensor checked, the tires are the original stock 245's. I am going to try rotating the tires today. According to the service history book I got with the truck when I bought it, it hasn't been done in a while. It also says that there was a wheel alignment done at 44,000km. I did some reading on VSES, my explanation of sensitive may have been taken wrong. It is a very nice handling vehicle on the hi-way, I just hate having to hold a little left pressure on the steering wheel all the time. It isn't much, but my 1992 2wd I can let go of the steering wheel and it will go along ways down the road without input, but under perfect conditions I can't do that with this 98 4X4, it always wants to slowly head to the ditch. The first time I pulled my 5th wheel trailer I had a fairly heavy side wind from the left. The steering pulled so hard, I pulled over thinking that I had a low right front tire, but everything was good. My 1992 2wd would have never given me that impression.

Snoman, I mentioned the changes in the front end that you suggested, to the local wheel alignment shop. He said to me that the front end is set to GM specs and didn't want to change it. I couldn't argue with him.

I don't know, this all might be my imagination, maybe just not used to the easy steering compared to the stiff steering in my 92. I would like to try someone elses 97 or 98.

I will get back to you guys after I drive it a little this weekend and tell you how things went. I really appreciate your input, and I would welcome anymore comments & ideas you guys would have.

Dave

[email protected]

snoman · July 9, 2004

Here is a though for you. Throw a couple thousand pounds of ballast in the bed to get it to squat some (like trailer is attached) and this will change caster angle in front end relative too ground and have them align it loaded.

Slick · July 9, 2004

Here is something to look into. I have had 2 older style chevys (89 & 95). I had to replace the paseenger side idler arm on both trucks. The stock design is weak and wears out. I replaced with a TRW units. The arm will move up and down if worn out and that will make your truck pull one way or the other as the right tire passes over a crown in the road.

drtbikerbc · July 9, 2004

I have a '98 4X4 and have the same problem. It's not that it pulls much, just that road crown tends to affect it (both pulling right and left). I too have had it aligned and everything is to spec----I just deal with it and keep the tires rotated (265 BF Goodies).

airwolf · July 12, 2004

Thanks everyone for your input. I rotated the tires, which seemed to help a bit and I had a guy that I work with who owns a 97 like mine drive my 98 home from work and he said the my truck handles better than his 97. I think it will be an uncomfortable vehicle to drive in a side wind. It still doesn't handle anything like my 1992 2wd, but I guess I will get used to it.

Dave

[email protected]

tfpary · July 13, 2004

My 97 Suburban had very similar symptoms, had an alignment done when the transmission was replace (don't ask) and the tech said the alignment was fine, the pull was caused by worn out tires. Well, they looked good to me.

A month later I put new Goodyears on and the problem is gone. I always figured the sensitivity to road crown and wind was due to the long wheel base (dont know why I thought that) and wind was due to the fact that the thing is a huge billboard from the side. But new tires fixed it.

tad

airwolf · July 13, 2004

That's good to know, I will be putting new tires on next spring. It will be sitting in the Garage all winter anyway. It is just a trailer towing unit.

Dave

woody68 · July 22, 2004

Somebody mentioned having to replace their idler arm. I was at the shop and they told me mine is loose. Can someone fill me in on the replacement procedure? Do I just need to replace the bushings, etc. or should the entire assembly be replaced?

I have a '92 Sierra, 2WD

number9 · July 23, 2004

My truck does the same thing. Althought it did not used to. My tires are getting pretty close to needing replaced.

Slick · July 23, 2004

Woody68,

You will have to replace the entire idler arm. It comes as a unit and is a straight unbolt/bolt in swap. If you're really worried, a front end alignment might be needed, if the replacement arm is of slightly different length than the original.

Slick · July 23, 2004

Woody68,

You will have to replace the entire idler arm. It comes as a unit and is a straight unbolt/bolt in swap. If you're really worried, a front end alignment might be needed, if the replacement arm is of slightly different length than the original.