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"Gritty" Feeling in gas pedal when turning

motley1987

Well-Known Member
Messages
102
Location
Delaware
Whenever I turn the steering wheel even as little as a half an inch, I get a gritty kind of feeling in the gas or brake pedal. I notice it especially when I'm on the highway and turn the wheel a little to go around bends in the highway. I've had new shocks, brakes, calipers and rotors installed within the last 2 months and have also replaced the upper and lower steering shafts hoping that was the cause but it wasn't. The power steering fluid is full so that's not it. Any idea what can be causing this feeling? It's annoying as hell getting that kind of metal on metal feeling. Any tips on where I should look would be great. Thanks.

Ben
 

alrock

El Diablo
Staff member
Messages
10,677
Location
Scottsdale
The steering rack mount could be worn out, allowing the rack to move. The issue sometimes gets compounded by having an alignment performed when the rack is out of alignment, meaning you'll spend more time screwed up than set up properly. A good fix is using the PreferredChassisFab (member here, PM him or look in his area in the sponsor section) steering rack bracket. If your rack is moving then your wheels and tires are not moving properly when you turn the wheel.

Other issues could be worn ball joints. When turning, if the ball joints are worn the wheels again move out of alignment. Upper ball joints must be replaced as part of the upper control arm. Lower ball joints can be replaced independently, like with this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007QBVKXW/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Less likely is worn bushings on either the upper or lower control arms. Again, the uppers must be replaced as a unit but the lower bushings can be replaced independently.

I noticed in your signature that you are using the 1" TD bumpstops - is that correct, you're not using the 1/2" ones? If so, that suggests your front end is cranked really high, maybe 24" or more from center of the wheel hub to the bottom of the fender lip. If so (and I'm speaking from expensive experience) you're creating a lot of wear and tear on your front end from the steering rack (bushings, inner tie rods, outer tie rod ends), ball joints, CV joints. Most members here use the 1/2" bump stops and keep the truck at 23.5" or below.

Thinking about it, you should check your CVs as well and, at a minimum, make sure the boots are not torn and grease isn't flung out.
 

motley1987

Well-Known Member
Messages
102
Location
Delaware
Thanks for all the info Alrock! I looked under there last night and all the bushings looked pretty worn out. I've replaced all of the sway bar end links since they had ridiculous play to them so I'm sure everything else is pretty beat. I'll check the measurements on my t bar lift but I'm pretty sure I was around 23 1/2 inches. On my 08 H3 I still had a good amount of front end dip with the 1/2 inch bump stops so I went with the 1 inch this time around. The rough feeling I get happens even at the slightest movement of the steering wheel. I paid attention to it this morning and it takes maybe 1/4 of an inch either way to get the feeling, maybe less. It seems like that's the feeling that should have happened with my rusted out steering shafts since those bushings were almost all gone but since the shafts are new, I know that's not it. I'll look into some of the other areas you mentioned. I'm not sure where the steering rack mount is so that'll take a little longer. Worst case, I was going to have a garage see if they can diagnose it then I'll do the work if I can. Thanks again for the help!

Ben
 

motley1987

Well-Known Member
Messages
102
Location
Delaware
When I was under the car over the weekend I noticed that there was a leak in one area that I had no clue what it was called. I got a pic of it today so here it is. It's on the drivers side leading to the front diff. I don't see any drops of anything on the ground but there's a good amount of grease around it. If someone can let me know what it's called and if that could be my issue, that should help me get a little closer to a solution. Thanks.
 

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motley1987

Well-Known Member
Messages
102
Location
Delaware
Cool, thanks. I looked under tonight and the upper and lower ball joints don't seem to have anything in them anymore. No leaks, just really easy to squeeze without any give like there's still a good amount of grease in them. I also re-measured the height and I might be over 23 1/2. I thought in the past someone said to measure from the middle of the "H" in the word hummer on the center cap cover so that's what I did. The measurement is a lot different if I take the center cap off and measure from the center of the hub. I'll have to look for a really flat parking lot tomorrow an measure again. Then my TD bumpstops might be too long and need to be swapped out. I still need to look for the steering rack mount to see how that looks. Thanks again Alrock.
 

alrock

El Diablo
Staff member
Messages
10,677
Location
Scottsdale
The way to test the ball joints is to lift the front end off of the ground and grab the top and the bottom of the wheel and rock it back and forth. If there's any play then you have worn ball joints

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 

alrock

El Diablo
Staff member
Messages
10,677
Location
Scottsdale
I measure from the center of the H as well. If you measure from the hub be sure your tape is straight and not bent around the tire

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 

motley1987

Well-Known Member
Messages
102
Location
Delaware
I can't remember why I did it, but I think I did that ball joint check a couple months ago and there wasn't much play, but I'll try it again. I also found a good level spot in the parking lot at work to measure the front height. I'm going to do it with and without the center caps on. Hopefully no one else who works in the area sees me and wonders what the lunatic with the tape measure is doing in the rain!
 

amrg

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,317
Location
Qatar
How much play is acceptable for the upper ball joint? I went for an alignment the other day and there was minimal play in both upper ones. Offcourse the play in the UCA bushings is unbelievable (both UCAs have been replaced couple of months back due to worn bushings)
 

motley1987

Well-Known Member
Messages
102
Location
Delaware
I checked the height of the front a few times and I'm at about 23 3/4. I also check the bump stops and I'm able to move one a little but the drivers side is wedged in so I'm going to order the 1/2 inch stops, drop the front down a little then check the ball joints while it's in the air.
 

motley1987

Well-Known Member
Messages
102
Location
Delaware
So I took out the 1 inch bumpstops and turned the torsion bars down one and a half turns and the gritty feeling is pretty much gone. Not sure if it was because the front was too high or that the bumpstops were riding on the control arm but either way I'm glad. I also checked the play in both wheels for the ball joints and both sides were tight. Now I just need to order the 1/2 bumpstops from trail duty.
 

Bigunit

Hammer Down!
Staff member
Messages
6,561
Location
Arizona
Motley,
Check the "Swap Meet" section of the forum. o6h3 had a set of the 1/2" TD bumpstops for sale and I don't think he has yet sold them

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapataint
 
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