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SAS Steering feels sloppy??

docj88

docj88

'Splain this to me again
Joined
Oct 13, 2020
Member Number
2934
Messages
64
Loc
Texas!!
I got the 88 rolling and carried it to the alignment shop. It has all of 14 miles on it post-SAS but it feels kinda sloppy. I got the toe in to about 1/8" and it runs true, no death wobble even without a steering stabilizer. i did notice that when i turn left, the right side of the truck dips down and vice versa, camber related I am certain. It goes lock to lock easily and runs straight down the road. the issue is that as the suspension flexes is seems to want to change steering angle, which would be "bump steer". When I crossed railroad tracks this morning it nearly changed lanes on me but it did not get all squirrelly on me and skate out of control. I was expecting it to do that so I was ready. Truck recovered very well. Will adding a stabilizer decrease the bump steer tendency? The tie rod and drag link are parallel and level at center so it's not a pitman angle issue.

By loose or sloppy, I mean there is no real resistance to the steering wheel when turning. The truck feels lazy, not responsive to steering input. I know it obviously ain't no Corvette so some degree of latency is to be expected. Anyway, here it is all buttoned up, for now anyway..

IMG_20201116_140528_01~2.jpg
 
Shot box, bad trunnions,loose wheel bearings,ragg joint, frame plates for box(loose box)?
shop questions, castor angle?
 
Clb said:
Shot box, bad trunnions,loose wheel bearings,ragg joint, frame plates for box(loose box)?
shop questions, castor angle?
Click to expand...

Steering box is tight, no play. trunions and bearings are all new. Rag joint is fine, checked it when I rotated the steering box. Box is torqued to the frame well. I'm not 100 percent certain on the castor angle but i do know that it is defiantly positive. The alignment shop is supposed to check that and give me the readout.
 
Les swab did an "alignment" on my 83 that consisted of setting the toe and taking measurements and handing me a bill.
​​​​​​:rolleyes:
last time Ive paid a shop for one.
 
Clb said:
Les swab did an "alignment" on my 83 that consisted of setting the toe and taking measurements and handing me a bill.
​​​​​​:rolleyes:
last time Ive paid a shop for one.
Click to expand...

I did a rough alignment on it and it was a combined 3 degrees toe-in. the shop is checking the caster angle for me so i will know what it is and how it may need to be adjusted.
 
rockota said:
Sounds like someone is used to ifs with sway bar and not solid axle with no sway bar....
Click to expand...

Exactly. When my springs broke in the entire truck felt like a bowl of spaghetti.
 
I got pulled over in my 85 with 40" boggers for swerving. Cop asked if I had been drinking. I said nope, it's an old piece of shit on 40s. It goes where it wants
 
How the hell do you perform a SAS, and not know how to put a degree finder on the trunion cap/steering arm for castor? And no, adding a bullshit shock to your steering doesnt 'fix' anything.

I cant tell from the pic, but did you use a kit? Home brew? If so what pieces and parts.

rockota said:
Sounds like someone is used to ifs with sway bar and not solid axle with no sway bar....
Click to expand...

I'm thinking sheer newbness as well.
 
SAS with crossover is not going to be Rack and Pinion. Add a ram assist, it firms it up.:flipoff2:
 
TRINDU said:
How the hell do you perform a SAS, and not know how to put a degree finder on the trunion cap/steering arm for castor? And no, adding a bullshit shock to your steering doesnt 'fix' anything.

I cant tell from the pic, but did you use a kit? Home brew? If so what pieces and parts.



I'm thinking sheer newbness as well.
Click to expand...

No kit, just a guy with a big imagination.

The alignment helped tremendously. I can tell the difference from the IFS and I know it won't be anywhere near the same feel. I did not expect it to steer like a jon boat though.. after the alignment it feels like other trucks I have driven. The steering wheel has a bit of weight to it but not too much. The bump steer is all but gone. It is much more responsive and still very stable at highway speed. According to my wife's speedometer we were running 65 most of the way home for about 20 miles, hit 70 a couple times.

In other news, the muffler fell off on the way home. I heard it and knew what happened, wife (who was driving behind me) and had me in complete hysterics. Conversation went like so:

Wife: Did you just hit something in the road?
me: no, I think that was my muffler.
Wife: how the f... Do you lose a muffler??

​​​​​Been patching the exhaust but when there is more rust than pipe it's hard to make anything stay.. seems now would be the perfect time for a header since the entire exhaust needs to be replaced from the manifold back.
 
If you had it toe in 1/8" I dont know what an alignment shop could have adjusted to fix anything. Unless you were off on your measurements.
 
TRINDU said:
If you had it toe in 1/8" I dont know what an alignment shop could have adjusted to fix anything. Unless you were off on your measurements.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure I was off on my measurements. Or, when I tightened everything down it moved. Possibly a combination of both.
 
You can add a trackbar/panhard bar for improved steering response. Factory leafspring jeep YJs have trackbars, also 90s fords with a dana 60.
 
I also vote that Samurais drive all soupy... :flipoff2:

In all seriousness though, if ya aren't accustomed to a solid axle and the springs are mushy - then yah... it feels lite it floats a bit.
 
Did ya tighten everything up while in the air?
 
Last edited:
Squamch said:
Thats how my IFS with no swaybar feels. You never drive a piece of shit before?:laughing:

How did you do your "alignment"? What did you measure to and from?
Click to expand...

I set the front end on stands with the wheels off the ground, spun them and stuck a sharpie to them to get a straight line all the way around the circumference of each. then, measured the distance between the lines front and rear until the front was 1/8" narrower than the rear, or so I thought.

My buddy that always helped me out was involved in a vehicle accident last week and did not survive. He didn't know a thing about working on vehicles. he was a computer tech and a hell of an IT guy. He would come hang out and help what he could. He would hold a tape or write down measurements, double check my math. He would ask questions because stuff didn't make sense and although he wasn't interested in learning, he wanted to be sure I was right. I know I've kinda blown up the board with some seemingly silly questions and for that I apologize. I miss my buddy. I find it a bit ironic though that I busy myself with tasks that I need his help with so that I won't think about him being gone. Everett would find that rather comical...
 
Sorry to hear about your buddy. Loosing friends sucks.

Ok. Next time you do an alignment, remove the wheels and tires, clamp a straight edge the same length as your tires are tall to your rotors. Measure between those straight edges to do the alignment.

Or, put a straight edge on the sidewalls of each tire and measure between those.
 
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