Turning Radius

[sactosupersport]

Hello all,

 

I read the great post by MisterP after he painstakenly read thru all threads to come up with a cliff's notes version of lowering. Two questions remain for me that were briefly mentioned...

 

Have been running my McGaughy's kit for about 8 months with little to complain about except:

 

1. My turning radius sucks, but I don't remember what it was like pre-install. I think McGaughy's re-engineered the spindle to solve this problem, anyone think they will send me new ones or are there any suggestions on how I can fix this?

 

2. I get the vibration in the steering column at higher speeds, 70-ish, but not all the time. I did have a very thorough alignment done and pinion angle appears to be within spec. Am I in need of the shims?

 

Thanks all, I appreciate any input.

[r8rs4lf]

1. My turning radius sucks, but I don't remember what it was like pre-install. I think McGaughy's re-engineered the spindle to solve this problem, anyone think they will send me new ones or are there any suggestions on how I can fix this?

 

2. I get the vibration in the steering column at higher speeds, 70-ish, but not all the time. I did have a very thorough alignment done and pinion angle appears to be within spec. Am I in need of the shims?

 

Thanks all, I appreciate any input.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

My turning radius sucks as well and I doubt it has much to do with the spindles. It's the AWD that does it. I remeber when I had my K-5 Blazer, when I had it in high 4X4, it would act the same way my SSS does with the AWD. As for them sending you different spindles, why not call them and ask?

 

The vibration you are getting in your column should not be from the drop installed. I have the same vibration, but it is not in the column, more in the gas pedal which is probably due to the pinion angle. From what I hear, 2* shims should solve your problem unless you have something else going on in your column like a bad intermediate shaft which is very, very common.

 

Late- Alex

[sactosupersport]

That makes me feel better, I had always passed the turning radius off as a byproduct of AWD from experience with past 4x4's as you say.

 

I did have the Intermediate steering shaft replaced a while back and that certainly helped. I may try the shims now to see what kind of help that gets me. Thanks Alex.

[PladdPezzPunk]

Hello all,

 

I read the great post by MisterP after he painstakenly read thru all threads to come up with a cliff's notes version of lowering. Two questions remain for me that were briefly mentioned...

 

Have been running my McGaughy's kit for about 8 months with little to complain about except:

 

1. My turning radius sucks, but I don't remember what it was like pre-install. I think McGaughy's re-engineered the spindle to solve this problem, anyone think they will send me new ones or are there any suggestions on how I can fix this?

 

2. I get the vibration in the steering column at higher speeds, 70-ish, but not all the time. I did have a very thorough alignment done and pinion angle appears to be within spec. Am I in need of the shims?

 

Thanks all, I appreciate any input.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'de check the tire balance, pinion angle is not changed in the front with any drop on our trucks. Realize a tire out of balance can cause a vibe at one speed only if it is a dynamic imbalance. Laymens terms this means the wheel could be shaken out of your hand at 72mph and be fine at 75 or 70. keep in mind it is verry tough to balance 20 inch tires correctly. Many shops compound weights to make it happen which is no good. it takes me about an hour to balance all four tires correctly on my truck. Find someone with a roadhandler balancer, these are fool proof it they follow the screen. this will eliminate the use of extra weight cause it tells you where to align the tire on the rim and also will allow for weight only to be added at dynamic points and with road pressure.

[Jonmalibuss]

Hello all,

 

I read the great post by MisterP after he painstakenly read thru all threads to come up with a cliff's notes version of lowering. Two questions remain for me that were briefly mentioned...

 

Have been running my McGaughy's kit for about 8 months with little to complain about except:

 

1. My turning radius sucks, but I don't remember what it was like pre-install. I think McGaughy's re-engineered the spindle to solve this problem, anyone think they will send me new ones or are there any suggestions on how I can fix this?

 

2. I get the vibration in the steering column at higher speeds, 70-ish, but not all the time. I did have a very thorough alignment done and pinion angle appears to be within spec. Am I in need of the shims?

 

Thanks all, I appreciate any input.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The lack of turning radius is due to McGaughys poorly designed spindles! I noticed this as soon as I put a set on my truck that actually fit. Then I went to Belltech spindles and gained turning radius over stock.

[r8rs4lf]

Hello all,

 

I read the great post by MisterP after he painstakenly read thru all threads to come up with a cliff's notes version of lowering. Two questions remain for me that were briefly mentioned...

 

Have been running my McGaughy's kit for about 8 months with little to complain about except:

 

1. My turning radius sucks, but I don't remember what it was like pre-install. I think McGaughy's re-engineered the spindle to solve this problem, anyone think they will send me new ones or are there any suggestions on how I can fix this?

 

2. I get the vibration in the steering column at higher speeds, 70-ish, but not all the time. I did have a very thorough alignment done and pinion angle appears to be within spec. Am I in need of the shims?

 

Thanks all, I appreciate any input.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The lack of turning radius is due to McGaughys poorly designed spindles! I noticed this as soon as I put a set on my truck that actually fit. Then I went to Belltech spindles and gained turning radius over stock.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I would agree that the spindles may have compounded the problem of turning radius, but to put it all on them, I disagree. It's not the turning radius that's the problem. It's the fact that the front wheels are turned and driving at the same time which makes the tires hard to bite the road surface. Have you ever noticed how the front of our AWD trucks kind of slides into u-turns? That is what I'm talking about. The truck is trying to turn, ,but with the front wheels driving, it makes the truck slide instead of turn. Going slow into u-turns makes it even worse. If you can hold some speed into the u-turn, the tires will bite better.

 

Late- Alex

[misterp]

I'de check the tire balance, pinion angle is not changed in the front with any drop on our trucks.  Realize a tire out of balance can cause a vibe at one speed only if it is a dynamic imbalance.  Laymens terms this means the wheel could be shaken out of your hand at 72mph and be fine at 75 or 70.  keep in mind it is verry tough to balance 20 inch tires correctly.  Many shops compound weights to make it happen which is no good.  it takes me about an hour to balance all four tires correctly on my truck.  Find someone with a roadhandler balancer, these are fool proof it they follow the screen.  this will eliminate the use of extra weight cause it tells you where to align the tire on the rim and also will allow for weight only to be added at dynamic points and with road pressure.

Who makes that road handler balancing machine?

 

Mr. P.

[TBSS]

I noticed the loss of turn radius on my Avalanche as well after my McGaughys spindle install. It is not your imagination. At the time McGaughys was the only vendor of spindles so I had no choice, but if I were doing it now I would definitely check out the Belltech part.

 

Regarding the balancing, different companies have different names for the machine and process. I've heard "road force balancing", "match balancing, and now "roadhandler balancing." I think the process is the same, all you have to do is ensure that wherever you get your tires mounted and balanced, that they have a machine that aligns the tire on the wheel in the absolute best location.

 

The machines are expensive, there is usually only one in the shop, and they require frequent calibration. Another way to know that what you're getting is the read deal is that it usually costs $15-$25 more per tire because of the extra labor involved.

 

The last time I had it done I asked if I could watch the process and they (Discount Tire) said, "Sure." Good outfit. And I was able to take my 6000 lb. tank well past the limits of the speedometer, with zero wobble, and I'm convinced that's because of the special balancing.

 

[PladdPezzPunk]

I'de check the tire balance, pinion angle is not changed in the front with any drop on our trucks.  Realize a tire out of balance can cause a vibe at one speed only if it is a dynamic imbalance.  Laymens terms this means the wheel could be shaken out of your hand at 72mph and be fine at 75 or 70.  keep in mind it is verry tough to balance 20 inch tires correctly.  Many shops compound weights to make it happen which is no good.  it takes me about an hour to balance all four tires correctly on my truck.  Find someone with a roadhandler balancer, these are fool proof it they follow the screen.  this will eliminate the use of extra weight cause it tells you where to align the tire on the rim and also will allow for weight only to be added at dynamic points and with road pressure.

Who makes that road handler balancing machine?

 

Mr. P.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

hunter makes one, coats makes one, and i'm sure many other company's. I don't have one at my shop and don't even balance my own tires with one, the only reason i recomended it is because of the ease of use and that fact that whoever is doing the balancing can't f it up if they follow the step by step directions that the computer tells you. otherwise you'll need a large handfull of stickey weights cause i've never seen anybody balance 4 20's on the first shot. human eyes and hands are too inaccurate. naked av is absolutly right though.