Heavy steering after body lift removal.

volcano

volcano

New Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2021
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Location
Hawaii
Aloha everyone,
I recently removed a 3" body lift and installed a new set of stock body mounts. Also removed a radiator drop, 4W shifter drop kit, and fuel filler tubes shortened back to the stock length. As I lowered the body onto the stock mounts I did not notice much change in the steering shaft or u-joints. However, now I have very heavy steering but can't find where binding may occur. Can the length of the steering shaft be shortened and perhaps I missed that part? I seemed to have missed something when the body was lowered back into the stock position but for the life of me I can't figure it out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Mahalo, plenty.
 
Sometimes there is a steering joint lift installed with a body lift (IIRC) and may be the cause of the binding. Even if yours dosen't have one, your problem should be between the steering wheel and the steering box. On the driver side along the bottom of the inner fender and the top of the frame.
 
Goatman is correct. There is typically riser block at the steering shaft support bushing for a body lift of that size. Change in the shaft /joint angle can cause a whole host of symptoms including binding and dead spots. Check this first it's easy to see through the drivers wheel well.
 
Goatman said:
Sometimes there is a steering joint lift installed with a body lift (IIRC) and may be the cause of the binding. Even if yours dosen't have one, your problem should be between the steering wheel and the steering box. On the driver side along the bottom of the inner fender and the top of the frame.
Click to expand...
Is this what we're talking about, the steering shaft bracket?

steering.jpg
 
That's the one. Look for something resembling roughly 1" rectangular block, tube or additional bracket between the bushing mount bracket and the frame.
 
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