need help! k-10 with issues

[sicarius682]

hey guys.i have a 1983 chevy k-10 with a 350 and a th-350 trans. every now and then it will start violently shaking as i'm going down the road. almost feels like it's trying to engage into 4WD. but if i pull over and stop it will quit and i can resume driving. it was like every couple of months and only when i hit a large bump but now it's becoming more and more frequent to where i can't drive it. i've replaced the u-joints on the drive shafts, the manual lockout hubs, wheel bearing etc. i had decided it had to be the transfer case but my gut keeps saying it's the ball joints even though they feel good when you check them. any advice? want my truck back.

[DeltaP]

How are you checking those ball joints?

[tempfixit]

Does it have leaf or coil springs?? If leaf springs check for any movemnt of the axle at the springs.

[Schurkey]

Wild-ass wheel shimmy?

Check the ball joints, tie-rod ends, idler arm, center link, and steering gear for looseness. For that matter, verify there's no excessive wear from steering wheel to front road wheels, including the joints on the steering column.

Wouldn't hurt to balance the wheels/tires.

Something is not right, and it's going to kill you if it isn't found and corrected.

[sicarius682]

the only way i know how to really check the ball joints is jack the truck up and yank on the wheel. there was no rocking or side to side motion and i put all of my 280 lbs into it. the boot of the passenger side lower ball joint does have a small leak in it but nothing major. and the steering components seem to be in perfect shape unless i'm missing something. none of the other mounts or anything under there seem bad either, i'd like to upgrade to the poly bushings all around but none of the OE ones are shot or anything

[777stickman]

This '83 K -10 4WD should have a solid front axle. I very much doubt that the t-case or drive line has any thing to do with this, JMHO. So here's some more stuff to check/replace.

1. Motor and tranny mounts.
2. Steering stabilizer mounted on the drivers side of the front axle.

[Schurkey]

Engine OFF, vehicle on the ground as normal. Roll driver's window down, stand outside with your hand on the steering wheel. WATCH the left front tire CAREFULLY.

How far can you turn the steering wheel before the tire steers? Better be "none". The tire/wheel should turn as soon as you turn the steering wheel, with no free-play in the steering column, gearbox, or steering linkage. I've seen vehicles where the steering wheel turns nearly half-a-turn before the tire moves. My own truck has a worn-out gearbox so the steering wheel rim moves about three inches before the road wheels turn.

Alternatively, find someone you trust to turn the steering wheel back and forth, while you get on the ground and watch the steering linkage for any movement, including up-down play at the idler arm.

Did you ever have the wheel balance checked and corrected? Are there enormous clods of dirt on the inside of the wheel? Remove the dirt! I would want the wheels spun with the existing weights in place to see how far out of balance they are, BEFORE yanking the weights off and balancing them properly.




King pins and ball joints are not the same. Older vehicles used king pins, and maybe even today heavy trucks might still have kingpins. An '80's K10 is going to have ball joints; even the solid-front-axle units.

For example, Lower ball joint for '61 to '86 K10 p/n NCP 2601342: About $40 from NAPA.

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Bu...Number=2601342



Good call on the steering stabilizer, though. If it has one at all, I bet it's completely wiped-out.

[sicarius682]

hey, so new upper and lower passenger front ball joints, new drag link, and a steering stabilizer for fun seemed to fix the death wobble. no more earthquakes at 50mph!~ thanks again for all your help