Ok, this truck has had a few steering issue's for a while now, but it is starting to drive me up the wall. Cognito 7-9 with 37x14 terra grapplers, and in 4wd the thing toe's in bad, i am talking negative toe out the ass. Cant steer it, cant do nothing. My question, is do i need sleeve's for the tie rods, and a centerlink, or can the tie rod sleeve's suffice? I dont race alot, but being able to pull out of my driveway in 4wd and make a turn would be nice. thanks

Are you running the 37" Nitto Mud Grapplers?


Nor-Cal Nick

no, terra grapplers:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/bigwhitehd/Truck/P1010288.jpg

i have the pitman and idler supports, so do you think sleeve's would fix the problem, or do you still think i need the centerlink?

i would go with the cognito tie rod kit i think that would be a better bet

i have the pitman and idler supports, so do you think sleeve's would fix the problem, or do you still think i need the centerlink?

I would get the SuperDiesel sleeves. I think that might help your issues.

Are you running the 37" Nitto Mud Grapplers?


Nor-Cal Nick

Cognito 7-9 with 37x14 terra grapplers;)

Cognito 7-9 with 37x14 terra grapplers;)


Thanks....:thumb:

bigwhitehd,
Have you checked to see if any of the steering parts are loose. Maybe the steering box. If the truck toe's in real bad while in 4wd you might have something loose/sloppy at a moving joint. Jack your front end off the ground and grab your tire and see if there is play. Have a friend help...might see better.


Nor-Cal Nick

bigwhitehd,
Have you checked to see if any of the steering parts are loose. Maybe the steering box. If the truck toe's in real bad while in 4wd you might have something loose/sloppy at a moving joint. Jack your front end off the ground and grab your tire and see if there is play. Have a friend help...might see better.


Nor-Cal Nick


Couldn't be the box. Both tires toe in severely, then when i let off the throttle the tires go back to normal. I guess it could be both tre's, but they don't have that much slack in them.

How much play is in the steering wheel just curious?

The toe in only appears when you are in 4wd right? It may just be good old fasioned centerlink roll. Even when my truck has all new and all good steering stuff I still see roll to a certain degree.

Check and see if your centerlink is bent. I would also test as Nick mentioned to see how much play you have. I would recommend starting with the driver side. Lift the truck by the bottom of the a-arm and then grab the wheel and simulate a turn. This should help you identify where the roll is. On my truck there has been play in so many places at times it's hard to identify what is toast and what isn't. The first time i went through my truck it was the balljoints and idler and pitman and a broken tie rod. Most recently it was a bad pitman and steering box and centerlink. I now have some strange clunking in the steering box region and i am seeing quite a bit of play so im sure it will be another $400-$800 bill in parts alone. I am missing a couple other broken parts but....I dont want to put everyone to sleep.

If i would have just gone SFA in the beginning then I would have already been at 60-70% of the cost by now on all these stupid POS pitman arms, idler arms, steering boxes and centerlinks.

I hate to say this, but there is so much left to be desired with the steering on our (lifted) trucks that a certain degree of slop in the steering seems just may have to be accepted. I wish someone could tell me otherwise but I think it's real hard to argue when everyone is getting 20k miles on average out of their pitman and idler arms. :)

I noticed NORCALTRUCK asked if they were mud grapplers, I wanted to get the same set up as with guy but with mud grapplers, is there something bad about that set-up that I should know about?

Ok, i got under it today, wow...first thing i see is a broke pitman arm support, which tells me that the centerlink is moving.....pictures soon.

I noticed NORCALTRUCK asked if they were mud grapplers, I wanted to get the same set up as with guy but with mud grapplers, is there something bad about that set-up that I should know about?

Well I am not a big fan of the Nitto Mud's myself. Great looking tire but the way the feather makes for a very bad ride and adds stress to the steering. I try to not use them on my builds. Just me....


Ok, i got under it today, wow...first thing i see is a broke pitman arm support, which tells me that the centerlink is moving.....pictures soon.


How old is your kit and did you have many miles on your Pitman arm when you added the braces? Cognito braces will help with the life of the pitman & idler arms but if they are already sloppy you can run the risk of cracking them.


Nor-Cal Nick

Thats really why I wanted them because I think they are the best looking tires out there but if thats the case I guess I should stay away from them, what tires have you had the best experiences with. I currently have 35 pro comp at's there ok, they ride really nice but they just dont stick out and when I go to 37's I want them to stick out and be different

Thats really why I wanted them because I think they are the best looking tires out there but if thats the case I guess I should stay away from them, what tires have you had the best experiences with. I currently have 35 pro comp at's there ok, they ride really nice but they just dont stick out and when I go to 37's I want them to stick out and be different


Toyo M/T 110%

Toyo A/T
Nitto A/T
ProComp X-at
M/T atz & mtz


Nor-Cal Nick

ok, next thing, are you guys getting a significant toe change when you jack up one side. As the tire droops, the tire goes negative toe bad. Camber doesn't change much, but the toe is drastic. Like the tre wont allow it to pivot anymore?? I think this has a lot to do with my 4wd problems too. Man this sucks.

Well I am not a big fan of the Nitto Mud's myself. Great looking tire but the way the feather makes for a very bad ride and adds stress to the steering. I try to not use them on my builds. Just me....





How old is your kit and did you have many miles on your Pitman arm when you added the braces? Cognito braces will help with the life of the pitman & idler arms but if they are already sloppy you can run the risk of cracking them.


Nor-Cal Nick


and when i change tie rods or whatever else i plan to do new pitman, idler arms.

Pics?