I am new to this forum so I hope that this is the right place to put this.

I have a 2000 Blazer 4x4 4-door, for some reason it likes to go from side to side on its own. I have had it aligned a couple of times and replaced all the tires, and it still does this. I was wondering if mabey somebody thought that adding a steering stabilizer would help, I have one on my Jeep, but I dont even know if you can put one on a Blazer. Does anybody think that this will help? And has anybody put one on their truck? If so do you know if there is a write-up on how to do it on a blazer?

Thank You in advance for all your help.

 

If it's wandering as bad as you say, I'd have to say that it's either a warn idler bushing or a worn pitman arm. The idler arm is on the passenger side and just keeps the steering linkage parallel. The pitman arm is off the bottom of the steering box on the inside of the drivers side frame rail. I would get a friend to turn the steering wheel side to side (little movements not lock to lock), while you lay underneith looking at the linkages. Look for any play that shouldn't be there. Things you'll be looking at are where the steering rods (tierods) connect with the steering knuckle (at the wheel on each side). Play here would mean a worn out tierod end. Play at the pitman arm, either at the steering box end or at the other end where it attaches to the steering linkage. And last at the idler arm either at the frame where it mounts or where it attaches to the steering linkage. If the pitman arm to steering box is loose, you'll probably need a new pitman arm. If the idler arm to frame is loose, you'll probably need a new idler arm. If anything else is loose, those parts (if I remember correctly) are replaceable.

I would also recommend going to a different alignment shop. Any alignment shop worth its salt (so-to-speak) would pick up on warn components in the steering and not keep hitting you up for an unnecessary alignment. If you have to replace any component in the steering, you'll probably need another alignment, so make sure that you get everything that needs replacing done before doing so!

On the stabilizer, you can pick up many 'universal' stabilizers. My 2k Bravada steering is rock solid, spot on without one so I bet there's something worn in your linkages. Good Luck and let us know what you find!

 

I'm replacing my steering box right now as well...it could be that, although I only have the wandering on the right side because of it, not both.

 

Kyle, I think you should have your own column in the newspaper like "Ask Kyle".
I noticed my Blazer starts shaking badly at 70 MPH and I have notice it pull slightly to the right at lower speeds, but the vibration doesn't start until about 65 mph. So if I take it in, they should look for all of these other problems BEFORE a front end alignment, right? Do they automatically look for these things or should I give them a list (I don't trust some of those quicky places.)

 

It could be just that you need an alignment, but I have heard that Blazers not only are suscepitible to ball joints being a pain in the ***, but steering gear boxes going a lot as well. It could be stuff related to that... So I'd check it out with someone you trust before you just send it in for an alignment.

I had an alignment done when I replaced the ball joints and it's just a few months later and the guy that did the alignment is just NOW diagnosing the problem with the gear box...even though it was obvious that it was an issue when he aligned it the first time because even when it WAS aligned, it still wasn't right. That's actually why I went back in the fiurst place...to get him to do the alignment right

NOW he says it's the gear box...I wish he'd have said that in the first place.

 

Thanks, that is what I'm trying to avoid.

 

If you have a helper, you can check all of this stuff out yourself without even lifting the vehicle off the ground. Just have your helper wiggle the wheel back and forth and have a look at the tierod ends, steering linkages and the pitman & idler arms. It is fairly straight forward and you will be able to see some play, but anything that looks like it may be too much probably is.