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tire wear is a method of diagnosing an alignment problem
abnormal wear on the insides or out sides of the tread indicates a problem with toe in/out and or camber settings
wheel wobble at speed ( 20 mph up ) indicates castor setting problems
steering wheel not self centering after turns indicates castor settings
steering wandering on the road indicates worn steering /ball joints and or alignment settings out
car running sideways ( crabbing)on the road indicates worn rear suspension parts , broken center bolts on leaf springs ,and rear alignment problems which will affect front end alignment
this is indicated by the steering wheel position off center when driving straight ahead
This is a very typical issue on lifted vehicles being driven on the street. It is important to know that when a vehicle is lifted, the steering and suspension geometry change and characteristics will change as well.
My first concern would be with front wheel alignment. If front caster angles are too severe, the will fight each other over rough surfaces and cause the truck to wander or feel like a shake.
Also, front toe angles are crucial for proper tire wear and stability.
Have the front end aligned and checked. If there are no alignment issues, focus on the shocks and that steering stabilizer. Was the problem there before you installed the stabilizer? If not, check it for proper oil/ gas charge.
Weak or worn shocks will cause the tires to bounce and leave the road over bumps. Since the truck and been lifted, make sure the shocks are the proper length. If they are too short (even by as little as 20mm), they cause rebound problems and make the opposing side overcompensate with a bouncing effect.
Some chevys have a sensor on the powersteering pump which can cause erratic steering..Not sure about your model..Look on the pump and see if you have a wire connector..
when the steering wheel is centred, the front wheels should both point slightly inwards. after the amount of parts changed, i would recommend that you get the tracking checked at a garage using the proper, calibrated measuring systems, to make sure that the steering is set up properly and safely.
if there was any abnomal wear on old tires then i wood suspect ball jionts, other than that it could be a motor mount or posibly a tranny mount, good luck
If professional alignment does not straighten out alignment & tire wear, you can "tinker" with the settings to straighten it out. Caster is pre-set & non adjustable. You did not mention toe-in.(which more often causes wear. If the steering wheel is not horizontal it shows a possible toe-in problem, as can wandering. What condition are the tie rod ends and ball joints? Be sure everything is tight before doing anything else. If you make any changes, make small ones, write everything down and use good reference marks that will not wear off. Once a small change is made, drive for a while & check tire wear often. You are correct in persuing this matter, but If you did not buy the car new, even a minor previous accident could throw the body out of whack enough to give problems like you are having.
What was said about the wear of the front end part when the alignment was given? I could be wrong but, I would say, Not likely for the tie rod ends and definately not the shocks for knocking sounds.. It sounds more like bad ball joints poping, although the idler arm and tye rod ends could be worn also .
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