Steering Wheel cocked. I fixed it!!

[jackie]

Last year, my wife and two friends took a trip out west in our Monaco Diplomat DP. The Power Steering Head went out in Utah.

She found a truck repair shop that could order a rebuilt unit and install it. She rented a car for the week.

When she finally got home, she said the Coach drove fine, but the steering wheel was now off center a lot. More of an annoyance than anything.

But last Sunday I decided to fix it. I read up on it, and came to the conclusion that the shop that replaced the head should have adjusted the Drag Link. Heck, I could do that.

I took the Coach to my shop, (I own a Machine Shop), and removed the big drag link ball joint from the Pitman Arm. I loosened the clamp that locks the ball joint thread, and tried to screw it in. It would not budge.

I removed the other ball joint from the driver's side steering arm, and removed the whole drag link so I could secure it in a large vice. Even after applying heat and liquid wrench, it still would not turn. I figure the threads was galled.

This is why the shop in Utah did not adjust the length of link.

Rather than just putting it back together, I decided to fix it by making the drag link adjustable in place.

I took a piece of 4140 steel bar stock, cut it about 7 1/2 inches long, and threaded one end for 1 1/4 12 TPI right hand, and the other end for 1 1/4 12 TPI left hand thread. I also had to make two jam nuts.

I then cut a 4 inch section out of the drag link at a appropriate spot. I drilled and tapped each end with the same 1 1/4 12 TPI, one left hand, one right.

I then assembled the drag link with the "turnbuckle" in place, and remounted the link from the pitman arm to the steering arm. I shortened it about what I thought it needed.

Did a test drive, I had to adjust it a tad more, and now the steering wheel is dead straight when going down the freeway.

I would post a picture of the fix, but I see there is no provision, such as a "manage attachments", for doing such.



By the way. I am 72 years old, and getting to old to be climbing around under a motor home. But my wife is happy.

[jackie]

RLS7201 wrote:

JRscooby wrote:

RLS7201 wrote:

JRscooby wrote:
On a RV you will never have a issue. But a truck, that found on a roadside safety check the vehicle would be impounded, not allowed to move until replaced.

Tell us more. Why would the truck be impounded? Nothing is loose.

On a CMV, the modification to the steering bars would not be allowed if spotted by the inspector. And some of the city paid inspectors in our area only took the test to inspect CMVs because they no what the truck driver is doing for a living, safer than stopping a car.

How could one not question what you saying when you don't even know the proper name of the component.. It not a steering bar, it's a drag link. Can you quote code or post a link to such restrictions? I question the accuracy of what you're saying.

Richard

The. Majority of the aftermarket drag links have the ball joint screwed into the link with a jam nut. Maybe they have a special license to build these parts.

https://www.ultrarvproducts.com/UT29154-Monaco-Holiday-Rambler-Drag-Link

I don’t doubt that there are DOT regulations against unauthorized parts modifications on commercial vehicles. That’s whole different world.

[RLS7201]

JRscooby wrote:

RLS7201 wrote:

JRscooby wrote:
On a RV you will never have a issue. But a truck, that found on a roadside safety check the vehicle would be impounded, not allowed to move until replaced.

Tell us more. Why would the truck be impounded? Nothing is loose.

On a CMV, the modification to the steering bars would not be allowed if spotted by the inspector. And some of the city paid inspectors in our area only took the test to inspect CMVs because they no what the truck driver is doing for a living, safer than stopping a car.

How could one not question what you saying when you don't even know the proper name of the component.. It not a steering bar, it's a drag link. Can you quote code or post a link to such restrictions? I question the accuracy of what you're saying.

Richard

[Matt_Colie]

Our old GMCs (TZE) have a lot of trouble this way such that we can't trust any alignment shop that does not know about them. We have a special steering box that has an actual interference at straight ahead. If that is not set to be straight ahead, the coach is very difficult to keep in a lane. Most do not have an adjustable drag link. First, you have to set the column and all its pieces to be at dead-ahead with the box actually centered. Then, if when you drive it is not centered, you fix that be trading turns on the tie rods.

If you get it right she will be a dream to drive. If not, you will know.

The real winner this way has to be the old VW Bug. The steering box had two tierods - one to each front wheel and only one was adjustable. The MM actually said to remove and recenter the steering wheel to get straight ahead at the wheel.

Matt

[JRscooby]

RLS7201 wrote:

JRscooby wrote:
On a RV you will never have a issue. But a truck, that found on a roadside safety check the vehicle would be impounded, not allowed to move until replaced.

Tell us more. Why would the truck be impounded? Nothing is loose.

On a CMV, the modification to the steering bars would not be allowed if spotted by the inspector. And some of the city paid inspectors in our area only took the test to inspect CMVs because they no what the truck driver is doing for a living, safer than stopping a car.

[dodge_guy]

Bruce Brown wrote:
^^^ It couldn't.

About the thing I could see maybe happening is your turning radius might be a few inches bigger in one direction vs the other - and I'm not sure about that either.

I think your fix would have been a fun project. Removing and reinstalling the wheel would have been faster, but not nearly as much fun! :B

That's the F53 fix! On older chassis's you would remove the steering wheel and center it. On newer ones you pull the steering shaft off and recenter it! They do make an adjustable link but I have heard failure stories of them. I set the toe on mine and then centered the wheel when I was done. Drives great and the wheel is centered.

[Bruce_Brown]

^^^ It couldn't.

About the thing I could see maybe happening is your turning radius might be a few inches bigger in one direction vs the other - and I'm not sure about that either.

I think your fix would have been a fun project. Removing and reinstalling the wheel would have been faster, but not nearly as much fun! :B

[jackie]

rgatijnet1 wrote:
I'd be concerned that the adjustments you made affected the alignment.

I know quite a bit about suspension. The Roadmaster Front Suspension is really simple. The actual steering parts consist of a drag link that connects the steering box to the driver's side hub steering arm, and then a tie rod that transfers this steering motion from the driver's side hub to the passenger side hub. This tie rod also adjust the toe in or out of the front wheels.

“Alignment” is done at the axel, which is a I-Beam with a Panard Bar. It features a Panard Bar because instead of leaf springs, there is a link Suspension supported by air bags.

So, that being said, how could what I did, (making the Drag Link adjustable in place), affect the “alignment”.

[rgatijnet1]

On my RV, I can take the steering wheel bolt out, pull the steering wheel off and turn the wheel to the correct position and put it back on the splined shaft and reinstall it. I'd be concerned that the adjustments you made affected the alignment.

[RLS7201]

JRscooby wrote:
On a RV you will never have a issue. But a truck, that found on a roadside safety check the vehicle would be impounded, not allowed to move until replaced.

Tell us more. Why would the truck be impounded? Nothing is loose.

[Ivylog]

“ Are you sure you did not change the toe-in?”
Changing the length of the drag link does not change the toe in...it moves the left tire. You change the length of the tie rod (ties the two tires together) to adjust the toe in.

[JRscooby]

jackie wrote:


I would never do this for anyone else. I consider it a viable, and completely safe fix, but for my use only.

I agree, it is likely safe. Viable, not sure. The problem was installed at the same time as a part. Most of my life, that was a indication of a mistake in the installation, or less likely, the part.
Are you sure you did not change the toe-in?

[Ivylog]

Guess you should have searched a little more as all that’s necessary to center is to remove the steering wheel shaft from the U joint at the base of the steering column (inside the MH)...takes all of 6-8 minutes. It’s a 10mm bolt holding the shaft in.

[jackie]

JRscooby wrote:
On a RV you will never have a issue. But a truck, that found on a roadside safety check the vehicle would be impounded, not allowed to move until replaced.

I would never do this for anyone else. I consider it a viable, and completely safe fix, but for my use only.

My primary hobby is Benchrest Shooting. I shoot NBRSA Competition, both Score and Group. Since I own a machine shop, I am able to build my own Rifles that I use in Matches.

While I get inquiries all of the time, I cannot build Rifles for other shooters, including my friends.

Far too much liability.

[JRscooby]

On a RV you will never have a issue. But a truck, that found on a roadside safety check the vehicle would be impounded, not allowed to move until replaced.