Power Steering - Decrease Assist? Change Ratio?

[nate]

Hey gang. There are a couple of things about the AV's steering I don't particularly care for. I wondering if any of you that eat/drink/breathe GM would know from previous GM ownership experiences if there are mods you can do to change this. Specifically:

1. The power steering is over boosted. loosey-goosey. Something about being able to "throw" the steering wheel in loops with one finger on a vehicle weighing nearly 3 tons is just wrong. The boost/assist is too much for my liking. I can't get a feel for what the tires are doing. Anything I can do to stiffen this up a bit?

2. Steering ratio too small. Having to turn the steering wheel 3/4 of a full turn to make a right angle turn is too much. Can the gearing where the steering arm meets the rack be changed to tighten this up?

3. Very little "on center" feel. Maybe the over boost/assist addresses this, but coming out of turn, the steering wheel doesn't drop back to center very easily/quickly. You almost need to "steer back" to center rather than let the wheels steer back to center for you. Also, when going down the highway I'm constantly making small adjustments (both left and right - so I don't think it needs an alignment) to keep it going straight.

I realize I can't make a european-feeling sports car out of my truck, (and I'm not trying too), but I'd like to get more feedback from the front end if at all possible. Anybody have knowledge on this topic?

Thanks.
Nate

 

[gandolphxx]

The "center dead spot" is common to GM trucks, so they say.

If you switch to 8" wheels you will definetly get a different front end feel - probably will wish you had more assist.

 

[Butch]

Putting a little more Caster into the front end alinement will Help what Your saying nate... I put a Halh a Degree more into Mine., when I alined it at My Friends Garage when I Cranked the Torsion Bars a little.., It Helps alot... Butch.

 

[Chief]

Ahhhh, the GM dead center float. Yup, it is one of my gritches about GM in general. Have to admit that almost all General Motors products drive like cars in the movies. If you tipped the steering wheel back and forth like they do in a movie shot in most cars you'd be all over the road - not in a GM though. It has taken a lot of getting use to. When ever I drive my wifes T-Bird with it's very heavy speed sensitive steering it feels like there is something wrong due to the amount of steering effort. It is kind of odd to be able to whip that wheel around on the Avalanche and need both hands on the Ford!

 

[metalguru]

Pardon my ignorance Butch, but how did you manage to change the caster angle?

Isn't that fixed by the lengths of the suspension arms?

I would have expected to only be able to do that by changing the spindles or having adjustable A-arms.

Maybe it's done by adding \ removing spacers at the chassis ends of the A-arms?

Most interested!!!