98 D1 steering drifts to the right

[DougG]

Lately, my 98 D1 has been drifting to the right. It does not pull to the right like when braking, but if I'm driving in a straight line with the steering wheel straight and let go of the steering wheel, the truck drifts to the right. It also shimmies a little side to side.


The ball joints for the drag link had some play in them, so I replaced those yesterday, and it still drifted to the right.


Today, I swapped the front wheels, and now the truck drifts to the left. The tires show wear on the inside tread. Also, there is some dampness on the bottom of the steering box, and pitman arm.


Is it safe to assume with todays test of tire swap that the tires are the culprit? They are the original Michelins.


Thanks

 

[discostew]

If it shimmies a little bit it could be tires. Lift the front wheels and shake down the front wheel bearings and steering linkage. It could be something loose in your trailing arms in the rear also. o check that suff with a prybar looking for loose bushings. Spinn the front wheels while looking for a belt seperation in the front tires. Then while you have the front wheels off the ground swap the front tires side to side and see if it drifts the other way.

 

[DougG]

I did swap the wheels from side to side like I said in my original post. It did change the direction of the drift.
Thanks.

 

[Tugela]

If you're still running the original Michelin XPC tires on an 18-year old truck

a) congratulations on getting that much life out of them, and
b) replacing them is probably a good idea regardless. The tires might not be the ultimate source of your problem, but new ones are probably part of a solution.

The good news is that there are a million threads here that discuss tire replacement. The bad news is that there are a million threads here that discuss tire replacement.

 

[DougG]

If you're still running the original Michelin XPC tires on an 18-year old truck

a) congratulations on getting that much life out of them, and
b) replacing them is probably a good idea regardless. The tires might not be the ultimate source of your problem, but new ones are probably part of a solution.

The good news is that there are a million threads here that discuss tire replacement. The bad news is that there are a million threads here that discuss tire replacement.

Well my Discovery only has 60,000 original miles on it.
Not trying to start yet another tire thread, but I think I have my mind set on Cooper Discoverer ATWs. 245/75

 

[Flyfish]

I did swap the wheels from side to side like I said in my original post. It did change the direction of the drift.
Thanks.

You just answered your own question. Treadwear and or tire pressure could definitely cause that.

 

[DougG]

New tires fixed my problem.

 

[Drillbit]

Get a skinnier girlfriend?

 

[DougG]

Get a skinnier girlfriend?

I don't think my wife would appreciate that.