Hi folks,
First off I'm new here and have done ALOT of reading today....lol
I'm SOOOOOOO glad I found this place. I have a 95 Blazer LT 4WD.
I happen to be an engineer and BOY do I hate it when something don't work right, and I'll lose sleep over something until I figure it out. I have Alldata with databases up to 2001 I think..(if anyone needs a copy of something lemme know and I'll fire it off as a pdf to ya). Now my issue... I have seen the many posts about the pulling to the right and this weekend I'mma go have those 2 front tires swapped around to see if it changes anything. Here's the WEIRD part..... Ok, I'm cruisin' down the road about 20 - 30 mph and got a NICE pull to the right causin' my steering wheel to be at about 10 to 11 o'clock to go straight ahead. It seems the faster I go the lighter the pull seems but the wheel is pretty much in the same place (I'm THINKING faster = more pressure on the power steering pump makin' it seem a bit lighter) now if I'm runnin' on the interstate and go to change lanes... I give a slight pull left (as you would for a normal lane change) and all is fine still with pressure against the wheel... if I need to make a right lane change I have to turn it a bit more than for a left lane change and it's almost like it goes straight and pressure on the wheel gets kinda slackand then kinda "dives" into the lane... Now I've read on here about a cam bolt... I don't understand what that is unless they're talkin' about the camber setting or something to that nature. I also read where someone hit a HUGE pothole and it started pullin' REAL bad and it was just a bolt lose (Which bolt so I can check). Also I've had the rear leaf springs replaced (new) because someone was pulling someting and they were a bit sprung but the vehicle looks as if it's sittin' a TAD high on one side (yeah I'mma stickler.. hehe) so I'm thinking I can adjust the pre-load on the tortion bar... Do I need a special tool to pull those preloaders down then tighten the bolts or can I just pull 'em with the bolts??


Hey Thanx alot folks, nuttin' like a HUGE think tank when you're workin' on something!!!

Aqua

If ya don't fall off.. you're not ridin' hard enough is my motto!

 

I'm betting that you have atleast one worn tie rod end as well as possibly a worn pitman arm spline or worn idler arm.

Before you switch your tires around, jack up only one side on the front. Position your self in front of the tire that is up so that you can see the steering linkage and move the tire (hands at 3 & 9). Look for movement on the pitman arm and idler arm. The pitman arm is off of the steering box, the idler is on the passenger side much in the same position as the pitman arm. Also listen for any clunks while doing this.

Then get both wheels off the ground, pull them off and check the outer tierod ends for play. If any is present, they need to be replaced and a full front end alignment done (as with any other part of the steering - pitman or idler arm replacement). While the tires are off, check for abnormal wear (inside or outside edge) as this might point to another area. Swap the tires and take it for a test spin.

If you don't want to go through all of that, you could always take it to a midas or similar store and have them do a full steering/suspension inspection (free of charge) and they should tell you anything and everything that should be replaced.

And WELCOME! I'm an Engineer as well and I feel your pain. My vehicles get absolutely babied and things get replaced as soon as I notice anything abnormal and diagnose it.

 

Hey thx man. I'mma hop under that thing this weekend and see what I can findout. I forgot to tell ya I have had it into the shop 2 different ones 2 or 3 times all together and they can't find it.. (which doesn't mean $H!T from my past experience) but I was kinda hoping that it might have been the first shop's alignment machine out of calibration or something I have seen that happen before...:\ and from what I can see someone has replace quit a bit of stuff under that frontend already I know the lower ball joints are still new I don't think they did the uppers though... now one thing I've read on my alldata diagnosis is it says this.....(below in the pic files) see the last symptom says something about the valve in the steering gear and I'm assuming it's #250 in that breakdown, but I like what you told me first...LMAO as compared to just goin' out and replacing that gear...:/




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GOTTA LOVE ALLDATA....

thx again man, and I'll let ya know how I make out on it...