First Post: Steering "slips" at hard cornering

[zr77]

Good morning all,

 

Great forum and have learned quite a bit so far about these vehicles. I just purchased a 1998 GMC Suburban with 106K on the dial. Exterior and interior are in amazing condition and runs very well. Only problems with the 300+ mile trip to drive it home where:

 

When cornering, either fast or slow, you can feel the wheel slip a little. The car jerks a little, and will do this whether turning left or right but only does it once in a while. A bit concerning when doing 65-70 on the highway. Any thoughts?

 

Also the car has an odd vibration above 75, and a small one from about 60-70. Probably the tires as they are pretty shot but have read that the ujoints tend to go at 75K. What is the typical cost to replace a ujoint and is this something i could do myself?

 

And suprisingly on the trip back I used up 17 gallons going just over 305 miles. 18mpg. Not to shabby for a huge vehicle with 106K on it.

[mcreyaufmiller]

Good morning all,

 

Great forum and have learned quite a bit so far about these vehicles. I just purchased a 1998 GMC Suburban with 106K on the dial. Exterior and interior are in amazing condition and runs very well. Only problems with the 300+ mile trip to drive it home where:

 

When cornering, either fast or slow, you can feel the wheel slip a little. The car jerks a little, and will do this whether turning left or right but only does it once in a while. A bit concerning when doing 65-70 on the highway. Any thoughts?

 

Also the car has an odd vibration above 75, and a small one from about 60-70. Probably the tires as they are pretty shot but have read that the ujoints tend to go at 75K. What is the typical cost to replace a ujoint and is this something i could do myself?

 

And suprisingly on the trip back I used up 17 gallons going just over 305 miles. 18mpg. Not to shabby for a huge vehicle with 106K on it.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

your problem is a common one amoung our trucks. It is the speed controlled steering on the truck. If you look under the dash on the steering collumn there is a ring close to the firewall, unplug the ring and the problem will go away, but the steering will change. Or you can replace the ring and fix the problem.

 

As for the vibration, the u joints are easy to replace if you have a bench vice, but be careful, when I did mine I had to go back to the parts store 3 times since they did not know which ones belonged on my truck.

 

I had a 305 and could get upto 24 mpg on trips.

[zr77]

Thanks for the reply. I'll unhook that before the drive home tonight.

 

And thanks for the ujoint information as well. How would I go about finding out the exact ujoint? just trial and error?

[mcreyaufmiller]

Thanks for the reply. I'll unhook that before the drive home tonight.

 

And thanks for the ujoint information as well. How would I go about finding out the exact ujoint? just trial and error?

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Take yours out and take them with you, but you will probably need to check all of the versions for your year (RCSB, RCLB, ECSB, and ECLB) to get the right ones. I had one from each of 3 different styles on mine.

[98silvz71]

Thats what people said what was wrong with my truck too about that speed sensor but in fact it was the pitman and idler arms. Sometimes it would steer fine and other times just slip on a corner occasionally. I changed that speed sensor ring in the steering column and that did nothing. If the burb has bigger tires plus the miles the pitman and idler could be warn out.

[wayneo]

Do 97 2500's have this ring on the steering?

[98Z71Slvrdo]

How do you go about removing the speed sensor ring? and is it in the hole where the steering shaft goes through?

[98silvz71]

Its near the firewall, you'll be able to tell when you see it around the steering shaft.

[dietz4ibanez]

Man, you had the slip going that fast? Thats kinda freaky cause on my 99 which is basically the same as yours I noticed that slip backing in and out of parking spaces when cutting the wheel! I had to get the same thing replaced pitman arm and steering arm!

[dustytwo]

I always went to at least 3 frontend shops to get a estimate and usually had one of them do it. When I did it myself more than half the time something woouldn't come loose,fit or I had to take it back. Learned alot and then on my next truck I could fix it myself!