Roadcrazy Truck

[Bro. Noble]

Our Chevy C-70 never has been famous for holding the road well,  but the last few loads it's hauled has cause my son to really complain. 

I called a few truck driving friends and asked them who to take it to to get it figgered out.  They all suggested one place so I took the truck there.  He made a few minor adjustments in the alignment,  checked the tires for balance,  and checked the steering parts and undercarriage for any looseness without finding any.  The truck has well under 100,000 miles on it and is seemingly in good shape.

After returning from hauling a load this morning,  my son says he isn't driving the stupid thing again till it's fixed.

Any ideas what could be causing the DanG thing to wander all over the road?

[Rockn H]

Is the truck a single drive axle or a tandem?  Did he check the rear suspension or just the steer axle?  Have you checked the steering column and sector for any slack?  Are you running bias ply or steel belted?  I Strongly dislike a truck that don't want to go where I do.

[Bro. Noble]

The tires are radial,  there's minimal slack in the steering gear and linkage,  the rear alignment was perfect.  It's a single axel.

[Tom]

Br'er Noble,
Do you think that it might me road oriented?

I have a 1993 C-60 with a configuration like yours except I use Bias 900/20's   The only time mine wanders or pulls is when the road has ruts or a high crown.

[Fla._Deadheader]

Road worn out would be my bet. We run I-95 a lot, along with regular roads. Since we got the Dually, we have places where the truck will take off, on it's own. Loaded and pulling a trailer, really gets your attention.

  Might want to pay attention to where it gets crazy. Could be rutted roads from BIG truck traffic.

[J_T]

Do you got about 95 or 100 psi in them tires ??? Can you load it a tad heavery on the steer axle  ??? Had a Ford that liked to chase chickens still parked. :D :D

[D._Frederick]

Are the spindles of the front axial loose, this will cause wandering.

[Furby]

I don't know anything about this..............so I should stay quiet, but..............
Does it only do it with a load?
It sounds a lot like load placement problems.

[Bro. Noble]

While the roads here are mostly pretty rough,  some are pretty good.  He hauls on some new 4 lane that 'Hillbilly' just built.  We have an old 63 Chev C-60  that handles just fine on the same roads.

The tire pressure is checked often.

When he starts out he is often loaded too heavy on the rear,  but ties are deliverd about 35 miles from home and mostly come off of the back of the truck,  then another 15 miles to where the grade lumber is unloaded.  Then it's empty coming the 50 miles or so home.  Road crazy under every circumstance  >:(

D. Frederick,
I am thinking that you might be in the right area.  The King pins are not a bit loose,  but they might be too tight.  I have always known that dry king pins will cause a truck to be road crazy,  but hadn't considered this since they have been greased regurarly.  A friend just told me he always jacks his up to grease the king pins and has someone turn the wheels back and forth as he greases them.  Gonna try that first thing in the morning.

[UNCLEBUCK]

I have heard alot of truckers yackin at night about new king pins being installed because of lane drifting and owners of trucks jacking up the front end just enough to get the weight off for greasing too.  I hope you find your troubles

[Haytrader]

 :

I think the kid is just useing reverse phycology on the old man.
He just wants a newer truck and so far hasn't gotten ol "tightwad" Noble to cut loose with some of that old moldy cash he has hidden in a jar down by the creek.
smile_banjoman

[SwampDonkey]

The topic reminded me of a movie I seen last night, 'Duel'. Had Dennis Weaver and it was about a guy in a car (Weaver) and a guy driving a tanker truck on the highway in Arizona (I think), lotsa sand-might even be Nevada. But anyway, the truck driver was harrassing the car driver by passing him and slowing down and swurving all over the road, and trying to run him down.

Anyone remember that movie???, it's a Speilberg film.

[Quartlow]

Don't count out the steer  tires either, I drove a pete once that the owner put a new set of michlens on the steer, after about 60,000 miles it got to wondering, by 70,000 miles it was all over the place. Everything checked out king pins suspension all of it  >:(  I managed to cut one of them unloading at a construction site trying to get wiggled under the crane. Put a new set on and my wondering went away.

Yep I watched duel last night, cool flick

[twoodward15]

How about putting wider wheels and tires on the front.  You ever see the dumptrucks with the wide tires up front?  Might help if you have access to a set.  maybe to try out first or something.

[Grawulf]

Swamp Donkey,
Oh yea.......... made you grip your chair just to help Dennis through the turns.
I forget how that one ended but if I remember right, the good guy finishes first. 8)

[Percy]

The topic reminded me of a movie I seen last night, 'Duel'. Had Dennis Weaver and it was about a guy in a car (Weaver) and a guy driving a tanker truck on the highway in Arizona (I think), lotsa sand-might even be Nevada. But anyway, the truck driver was harrassing the car driver by passing him and slowing down and swurving all over the road, and trying to run him down.

Anyone remember that movie???, it's a Speilberg film.

Seen it years ago S.D. Was a palm sweater yesssir. KInda puts truckers in a bad light but very entertaining. ;D ;D

[Paschale]

That's a great movie--you never see the face of the trucker, if I remember right, so the truck becomes more like the antagonist...just some beast out to get you.  Definitely suspenseful, and worth a rent.

[leweee]

Back to that road crazy truck....check the splines on steering box to pivot arm....sometimes look good on the out side but are striped. ;D

[wiam]

Could be what leweee said.  I have had the bolt holding the  drag link to the splined shaft loosen and the drag link would slip on the shaft.  I put a scribe mark on the shaft/draglink and had someone wiggle the steering wheel.

Will

[EZ]

I know this might sound weird but, I had a 81 chevy 4x4 PU. About 70,000 it started doing the wandering thing and I did everything to it, new everything. I was about to sell it and a guy told me to replace the cab mounts and it did the trick.
EZ

[Minnesota_boy]

I'm sure this has nothing to do with Noble's truck but the only time my truck wanders is when there's a loose nut holding the steering wheel.  ;D

[Timburr]

I am not familiar with your truck, 'cos i'm British, but if it has leaf springs the peg which locates the axle to the spring may have sheared effectively giving you rear wheel steering ???

[Bro. Noble]

We jacked the thing up and greased the king pins this morning.  They seemed to take grease well and I don't think that was the problem.  Will check out some of the stuff you gellows have suggested.  Unless we find something (I think we've already checked the spring hangers and splined steering box shaft,  but will recheck) Tom plans to haul a light load next trip and if it doesn't handle better   he'll put new tires on the front.  They were new when we bought the truck and have a lot of wear left but maybe we can trade them or use them on the back.

I appreciate all the helpful suggestions

[RMay]

Noble dose it have bud or spoke wheels . We had the same problem with bud wheels on some of the state Chev. plow trucks. The bud wheels was bent a little bit  :

[pigman]

Comming home last week in my one ton I could hardly keep the thing in the road. :( Just as I was almost home some one flagged me down. He said my back wheels were flopping and about to come off. Shore nuff, all but two lugs were broken and the last two nuts were almost off. : He asked me if I noticed the wheels flopping and I said of course not, I was too busy trying to keep the truck in the road. smiley_big_grin3
It was my wife's fault. She should of been there watching  for things like that instead of earning a living at her job. ;)