How did you overcome the issue? I contacted CPP also to get some Spares for the box, retaining nuts etc. I was told they don’t stock them. The thread sizes are uncommon and difficult, for me at least, to find. I went on a popular buyer/seller online platform and ordered different shapes and widths eventually finding one from a Ford that I figured might safely do the job. Not good really.
Thank you for your reply. Later trucks had independent suspension C10s I think from the 60s onwards. These task force trucks 55-59 had two parallel leaf springs on a solid front axle. Adjustment is different to the suspension you describe. Same effect I guess different technique.
This may be of absolutely no use for your problem, all I can do is share my experience from over sixty years ago. Dad bought new an early 55 Chevy pickup and it steered like crap from the day it was new. We lived on 8 miles of gravel to get to a hard surface road and it seemed like it was always hunting. After I rolled it (I was being a total dumb ass dad put new tires on the front. From that day forward that truck went straight down the road. I don't think he had the front end adjusted....and I can't ask him. Just a thought.
Yes ! Thank you very helpful advice I’ll go see if I can find out who stocks shims and what size will give you what degree of adjustment
Wow thanks that’s so interesting. So the tires alone improved it right? You obviously survived the roll! Well done
I had the same experience as vtx1800.. My car's suspension was as per specs, and all joints were good.. I had fitted new wheels and tires (to my profile photo car) and it handled like a pig, when driving it, you had to correct it all the time, and was scary at higher speeds. I bought two new (different breed tires) fitted them, and it was a totally different vehicle..
I had a farmwife tell me once that old Internationals handle better on gravel at 70mph than at lower speeds. I'm not sure if she was right or not, given the number of people who roll their vehicles driving at high speed on gravel.
I'm a bit late to party on this one but I'd go with having the caster checked / set along with the toe in. First get under it and have a helper slightly rock the steering wheel back and forth while you look at each connection in the steering for looseness. That is mainly the tie rod ends in this case. Then lift the tires off the surface and check the king pins for looseness. That's grab the tire at the top and bottom and try to rock it top to bottom. If it moves excessively have a helper do the moving while you slide under the truck (safely supported) and watch to see if it is the wheel and hub moving on the spindle or the spindle is moving on the axle. Those are simple tests that most of us perform ourselves with I beam rigs while we are just checking it over. While the book calls for 1 degree positive caster I would suggest between 2-1/2 to 3 degrees positive caster with the power steering. Set the toe in at 1/8 in. Camber normally doesn't ever have to be adjusted and then it takes that heavy truck shop to do it. Check each spring bushing for wear and leaf spring bushings are leaf spring bushings as far inspection methods go. That truck shop knows leaf spring suspensions or should at least. On the US spec bolts be they SAE = fine thread or USS = course threads. If there is a Caterpiller equipment dealer (big yellow equipment) they should have a supply of Grade 8 and probably grade 5 "American" bolts. Their Grade 8 will be black oxide and have a Cat head on the head.
I overcame the issue by purchasing a 2nd, new CPP steering box . They had me over a barrel at that point since my entire set-up was based on their box.
Some CPP steering box upgrades have specific requirements for caster. Being that yours is a straight axle, I'm not sure whether it would. It should say in the kit instructions if it does. Have you lowered or otherwise changed the stance of the truck? Obviously that could impact your caster relative to the road if the rake of the truck has changed. Is the steering box intended for the pressure of the stock 292 pump? A pump with pressure too high can make things twitchy, especially at highway speeds. I had problems with wrong parts in a CPP brake kit last year. I found their tech support mostly useless until I found the right guy to talk to. As was mentioned, are your tires and wheels adding to the wander? As was also mentioned, is the steering box wearing out? Just some ideas. Good luck.
Ok, I’m gonna offer some different advice (and it may not apply) form my experience. I have a 51 Chevy truck that I got as a stalled project. 235 inline engine, T5 5-speed and a Chevy 10 bolt rear. I put it together, sorted it out and drove the shit out of it. It was a great fun until about 60 plus mph, the. It would wander all over and was just loose. I went through the front end, kingpin bushings, all of it. Still loose at 60 plus. I then, by chance, discovered it was a torque tube vehicle from the factory. So, I figured maybe it was the rear dancing around. To solve it, I added a Panhard bar to the 10 bolt and Viola! Fixed! Run perfect, until I decided to airbag it and get rid of the leaf springs entirely. I’m not sure if your later truck is enclosed driveline or not, but if it was, and the torque tube has been eliminated, I would advise you to consider a Panhard bar for the rear end. I hope that helps. I have gotten so much from this site, that I wish I had more to offer in return. Good luck!
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