Steering issues

ROD A

MEMBER
1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE
5.7L
V8
4WD
AUTOMATIC
230,000 MILES

When making a turn the front end feels like it's fine until all of a sudden "falls off" is the way I would describe it. Turn the wheel and once the turn gets to a particular spot it feels like the wheels cause the steering wheel to turn. The steering is so easy that this makes you feel like you have lost control. Wife was driving one day and got pulled over for suspected driving under the influence and she was not. This vehicle now takes all of your concentration to keep it in the lane. It just kind of floats down the road left to right and top to bottom too.

2 Replies

KASEKENNY

MECHANIC
18,907 POSTS

This sounds like you have one of two issues. First there is something seriously loose in the front end. Have you inspected the suspension and steering joints for being loose? If not, just lay on the ground and check the joints like the tie rods and steering gear arms when you turn the wheel back and forth and just make sure they are tight.

If this checks out then the other most likely cause is the steering gear itself is failing. I attached the process below on how to replace the gear. However, I also circled all the joints that you need to inspect for being loose.

Let's run through this and go from there. Thanks

Images (Click to make bigger)