Too Light Steering

[rv8pilot]

Hey Chris, don't feel bad, I appreciate your efforts and I think a bunch of us have learned something from this. I had no idea I even had a steering wheel position sensor let alone what it did. Here in So. Florida we don't have anything resembling a friendly local dealership. I have a buddy who is a good mechanic and has access to the databases but I hate to bother him as much as I do. These things are so damn complex, even the old toads like mine, that an old time shade-tree mech like me is really stumbling around most of the time. I appreciate all the advice an ideas that folks on this and other sites are willing to take the time to share with the rest of us.

I am leaning toward trying to get my front end set up with zero camber and whatever maximum caster I can get without some sort of kit, eccentric bushings, etc., and eliminating any cross-caster. Our roads are quite flat and cross-caster correction is not necessary unless you are driving a lot on crowned roads. If I can get a few more degrees of caster it has to improve the self-centering of the steering and hopefully stiffen it up a bit.

 

[clandr1]

Well, whatever solution you find please come back and update the thread as I'm very curious, and the information would be great to have for posterity.

 

[rv8pilot]

Absolutely.

 

[mattbta]

I've been watching this thread as I'm suffering from light steering and wandering as well in my 2004 'hoe. I have new GM upper/lower ISS and steering bearing ready to go in. When I got under the dash today, I noticed I apparently have the sensor as part of my assembly. I am not finding much information on what part # I need to buy other than the review on the dorman say stay away and go genuine for it. I decided to pull the connection and obviously have the "service stability" message but want to see if some of the highway wandering goes away. Regardless, while I've got everything apart it makes sense to replace it but I don't know what part I need.

The one you listed does indeed cross-reference on gmpartsdirect to 2002 year but I have an 04.

I'm also going to have to figure out how to remove my adjustable gas pedal but mine looks different than all the pictures/guides I've seen.

Here's a pic of the disconnected sensor still in the bearing:

 

[rv8pilot]

Hey Matt, I was just curious if you have the wiring diagrams for your '04 and if they show the steering sensor? Mine do not.

 

[mattbta]

I don't have any wiring diagrams and am having a heck of a time tracking down the right part number for replacement. Made a thread over here: http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/steering-position-sensor-part-number.81878/

If I don't find anything definitive in the next few days, I'm going to go ahead and order the first one mentioned there.

 

[rndsommer]

My Tahoe has very light steering also. No drifting or swaying though. Found it very noticeable when I first started driving it after giving my nissan frontier to my son. Hated that truck! I think it was just a comparison issue and wasn't used to it. Don't even notice it now. As long as it rides straight, not bumpy and no strange tire wear all is probably good. The tahoe is way more nimble and can make tighter turns than most of the tiny suvs. The easy light steering might be the trade off.

 

[rv8pilot]

Ralph, to me the issue is partly the sensitivity and mostly a lack of what I would call "feel or feedback" for lack of better terms, meaning that the wheel does not transmit information to the driver if the vehicle departs from the straight and narrow or there is a pavement irregularity that deflects the tires. This is a problem with power steering in general and these rigs seem to have taken it to the extreme. I don't suppose there are too many cars built today that don't have PS but back in the day, nothing did. I cut my teeth on sports cars in the late '50s and '60s and all had what I would call responsive steering with great feedback in that you could feel the grip/slip of the tires and variations in the road surface. Now, all of these cars were pretty light by today's standards (my Alfa GTA coupe weighed 1640 lbs) and had light steering. Big heavy cars were hard to steer at parking speeds and required a lot of muscle so PS is not a bad thing necessarily. I think I read recently that Indy cars have power steering and if they can get that right they should be able to get these things right, you would think. Ok, that's enough, off the soapbox for now.

 

[subieworx]

I have gone through the same thing on my 03 Denali. I removed the autoride when I got it about 30k miles and one year ago. I do a lot of towing with this vehicle and as such spend quite a lot of time on the highway and was very annoyed with the on center feel. It is made even worse when towing. I replaced a lot of the joints and links in the front and have my own shop so I have done many alignments on it trying different specs. At stock ride height and lifted it didn't matter what I did there was always a dead spot on center on the highway. I recently lowered it and as such was able to get another 1.5* of caster in the front and the steering was noticeably better, but still not as good as I'd like it. I decided to try a steering stabilizer from KYB for the hell of it and I was instantly rewarded with what I was looking for. The steering is tight and feels great on the highway. Finally have steering that feels more like a car than a truck. I love it.

 

[#1taho]

I have gone through the same thing on my 03 Denali. I removed the autoride when I got it about 30k miles and one year ago. I do a lot of towing with this vehicle and as such spend quite a lot of time on the highway and was very annoyed with the on center feel. It is made even worse when towing. I replaced a lot of the joints and links in the front and have my own shop so I have done many alignments on it trying different specs. At stock ride height and lifted it didn't matter what I did there was always a dead spot on center on the highway. I recently lowered it and as such was able to get another 1.5* of caster in the front and the steering was noticeably better, but still not as good as I'd like it. I decided to try a steering stabilizer from KYB for the hell of it and I was instantly rewarded with what I was looking for. The steering is tight and feels great on the highway. Finally have steering that feels more like a car than a truck. I love it.

Any link to the part or part number? Pics also ?

 

[subieworx]

Kyb SS15326

Bought it on Amazon for $50. Took 30 minutes to install.

 

[Rocket Man]

I also installed the KYB stabilizer and it definitely helped. I'm pretty happy with how mine feels now. I'm running 26's and rebuilt the entire front end and after that I felt like it could be a little better thus the stabilizer.

 

[rv8pilot]

Guys, thanks for the info on the KYB stabilizer, I just placed an order for one. I had thought of trying this but wasn't sure it would work. I'll post the results.

 

[rv8pilot]

Finally got around to installing the KYB stabilizer this AM and I'm not convinced it did much. I noted the shock itself was not very stiff compared to others and after installation there seemed to be a slightly different feel but I really did not notice any great improvement on the highway at 70. There nay be some improvement but its slight. My rig is bone stock and there may be more of an effect if your suspension is modified. I'm still leaning to trying to get more caster at this point. Can anyone tell me the adjustment limits of the stock suspension? I am not keen on replacing the bushings at this point (too damn hot for one thing) but I may be calling on Mr. Moog eventually.

 

[subieworx]

Caster will definitely help. I have 5* FL and 5.8*FR and am very happy over the 3* I had at stock height. I doubt you will get much more than 3 or 4 at stock ride height. You could do some offset SPC control arm bushings though to get more caster.

 

[VikingTrad3r]

isnt there a screw/bolt on the steering box where you can make very slight adjustments (tightening) and it fixes the slop?

 

[rv8pilot]

Raar, In my humble opinion its not slop, in my case at least, or if it is I can't find it hear or feel it when moving the steering wheel or the steering components underneath. Everything seems solid in the linkage.

Tony, thanks for your input on caster, I realize I may have to go to offset control arm bushings to get enough caster. One suspension guru I read recommended as much as 6 or 7 deg. Since we have over-boosted power steering a lot of caster is not an issue as far as effort in concerned, and it just makes sense to me that more caster is what is needed here.

 

[yamano]

I've been watching this thread as I'm suffering from light steering and wandering as well in my 2004 'hoe. I have new GM upper/lower ISS and steering bearing ready to go in. When I got under the dash today, I noticed I apparently have the sensor as part of my assembly. I am not finding much information on what part # I need to buy other than the review on the dorman say stay away and go genuine for it. I decided to pull the connection and obviously have the "service stability" message but want to see if some of the highway wandering goes away. Regardless, while I've got everything apart it makes sense to replace it but I don't know what part I need.

The one you listed does indeed cross-reference on gmpartsdirect to 2002 year but I have an 04.

I'm also going to have to figure out how to remove my adjustable gas pedal but mine looks different than all the pictures/guides I've seen.

Here's a pic of the disconnected sensor still in the bearing:

Hey mattbta, even though this issue was awhile back, I noticed you were dealing with loose/wandering steering at higher speeds and were going to replace the steering position sensor when you did the steering bearing. Just wondering what your result was and if replacing the sensor made your steering firmer at higher speeds or whether it was an improvement since it controls amount of power steering to the vehicle based on speed. I’ve had some suspension work on my 04 Yukon XL but still suffer from really light steering and now considering the steering position sensor and bearing. Thanks!

 

[retiredsparky]

I don't believe that the older tahoes and yukons have variable assist power steering. The steering wheel position sensor is only used to detect under/over steer and to engage the traction control system. So I don't think replacing the sensor will eliminate the wandering/lack of center road feel.

Part of the problem is the short wheelbase and tall profile combined with wide tires and a less than sophisticated design. I think that the quick turning radius probably causes problems too.

I wonder if installing a restricting orifice in the power steering circuit would improve handling.

I've often thought about whether a variable assist system from another vehicle could be retrofitted into the vehicle.

 

[corvette744]

Can i see some pics of how you guys mounted the steering stabilzer.