steering not returning to center
 

Hey guys just joined up here. I replaced my idler arm and pitman arm, now if i turn left or right the steering wheel stays right where it is. It doesnt return back to center. I can literally let go of the wheel and take a corner. I have power steering but it just gets stuck. Any ideas ??????

After having replaced those parts you should have an alignment done. Did you just replace those parts or more?

I replaced those day 1 then that problem came along. Then day 2 i did inner,outer tie rods, and sway bar linkage. Next is an alignment.

my steering got a lot stiffer too on my 90 fullsize when i changed idler and pitman. i dont know if thats just normal. i remember it being very loose but in a good way but yeah it was kinda like you described, it wouldnt return to center unless you helped it. i think its been about a year and im either used to it by now or it broke in back to normal

Did you use a Pitman arm puller? Forcing off a pitman arm any other way can damage the steering gear by stripping the adjusting screw threads within the steering gear causing the gear itself to sit on fatter teeth causing hard steering wheel turn as well as no steering wheel return to center.

My buddy had an issue with his truck, and his dad decided to use a pickle fork (normaly used to unseat ball joints) to remove the pitman arm off of the steering gear. He had the same issues after the service with his truck; a replacement steering gear fixed it.

The steering gear will eventually wear away the teeth over time. Usually after about a 100,000 miles the steering gear will so much it will appear as slop in the steering wheel and when a mechanic can't fault the ball joints or tie rods they blame the flex coupling (rag joint if your older), not knowing that the steering gear can be adjusted and that's why the steering gear has an adjusting screw in the first place. I learned all this from my steering and suspension teacher :D. A small adjustment and it steers like new.

BLKLBL,

Any updates? I have an 89 and replaced my steering gear alone with the drag link. My steering now it toooo tight and will not return. I thought it was the gear box but maybe it is the drag link ends???

Chris