Sensitive steering on highway

[redfusion]

Got a 2012 Tahoe LT w/105k miles. New suspension, steering rack and heavy duty steel sway bars. Michelin LTX freshly aligned. Truck is straight as an arrow in town and handles great. On the highway it is a different story. If the road is not perfectly smooth road the steering is too sensitive and I can't trust driving it with one hand like I do my other cars Driving it at 80/85 and the steering is just too sensitive so have to counter it most of the time.

I'm not sure if this is just how the tahoe steering is or if it can be fixed. Anything advise to firming up the steering?

 

[OR VietVet]

Check tire air pressures. Post pic of before and after alignment numbers. Was the new suspension, the steering rack and sway bars or was there more?

Should take back to alignment shop and have them road test.

 

[redfusion]

Thanks. Tires are good at 32. Alignment was all green but I can post the details. Its straight as can be road testing it. Issue is only on highway uneven roads. Not sure what you are asking about suspension.

 

[Marky Dissod]

Last two times a vehicle I owned exhibited this behavior, I rotated my tires in an 'X' - DF to PR and vice versa, DR to PF & vice versa.
Problem went away on 1st car. 2nd car needed an alignment.

Your alignment specs should be as follows:
*MAX Caster.
*No +Camber, slight -Camber.
*No Toe OUT, slight Toe IN.

 

[OR VietVet]

Should be a slight caster lead on the passenger side. Don't care if in green. I have seen alignment techs see a camber spec and it will say (plus or minus 2 degrees). They would see 2 degrees negative of spec on one side and 2 degrees positive of spec on the other and let it go and ship the vehicle. I want to see the before and after.

You said "new suspension". There are tie rod ends, unless they came with the steering rack. Ball joints, control arms and bushings, track bar?, struts and springs....etc.

Plus, like @Marky Dissod said, could be a tire problem. What is the max tire pressure on the tire sidewall?

 

[j91z28d1]

how long have you had the truck? there's been a few threads asking about this type of thing. either you add caster to the alignment to help with self center, or you just kinda get used to the light steering.

in the end, I truly believe gm knew these trucks were going to be about 80% soccer mom minivans. they turn shaper than most small cars in the parking lot and have a touch over assisted steering by 2025 standards. but it's not as bad as it seems once you drive for a few months.

 

[redfusion]

 

[redfusion]

Should be a slight caster lead on the passenger side. Don't care if in green. I have seen alignment techs see a camber spec and it will say (plus or minus 2 degrees). They would see 2 degrees negative of spec on one side and 2 degrees positive of spec on the other and let it go and ship the vehicle. I want to see the before and after.

You said "new suspension". There are tie rod ends, unless they came with the steering rack. Ball joints, control arms and bushings, track bar?, struts and springs....etc.

Plus, like @Marky Dissod said, could be a tire problem. What is the max tire pressure on the tire sidewall?

in addition to suspension + steering rack, most of the front end is new with TTX tie rod ends + lower ball joints. New CV axels too. Michelin LTX Defenders are less than 10k miles and rotated rebalanced recently in X pattern. This Tahoe gets a lot of love

 

[OR VietVet]

Slight left positive camber and has a 1/4 degree negative right camber. Both cambers should be adjusted at -.10 or -.05 and the caster should be +3.8 on the right.

This is a classic "set the toe and let it go" alignment. Only adjusted the toe and left the camber/caster alone. May or may not fix the problem but at least will be a better alignment and protect the tires better.

Reman steering rack or new?

Why was all that work done in the first place?

 

[Charlie207]

how long have you had the truck? there's been a few threads asking about this type of thing. either you add caster to the alignment to help with self center, or you just kinda get used to the light steering.

in the end, I truly believe gm knew these trucks were going to be about 80% soccer mom minivans. they turn shaper than most small cars in the parking lot and have a touch over assisted steering by 2025 standards. but it's not as bad as it seems once you drive for a few months.

I asked for "optimal" alignment settings a little while ago, and got crickets.

 

[Scrappycrow]

I'd check the condition of the rear suspension bushings. A static alignment wouldn't necessarily catch wear that allows movement under dynamic conditions.