2013 Tahoe return to center

patooyee · Mar 13, 2016

My wife has a 2013 Chevy Tahoe 2wd. We bought it used but Carfax reported no wrecks. I even followed up about a year after with another Carfax just to make sure. There are no indicators of any wrecks and the car is in pristine condition, fully loaded, 5.3, 6l80, etc. It has never had good return to center though. Especially during sharp turns, if you let the wheel go it pretty much stays turned until you physically turn it back to center. I'm not an alignment tech but I know that caster can affect this. I've had it aligned twice at two different shops and both say that everything is in spec. Do I just need to take it in and tell them to add more caster? Is there anything else I need to check? Tire wear seems to be fine as well. Car has 66,000 miles on it.

ROKTOY829 · Mar 13, 2016

Re:

Does the vehicle pull/drift any? Have you had the tires rotated and did it affect it any. Wondering if the steering has the same number of turns left and right, counting from center each way.

Hucklebuggy · Mar 14, 2016

I heard of someone trying to rebuild their steering box one time, and they ended up with a similar situation. In the process of putting seals in it, they got something out of wack, causing it to completely loose the self-centering they normally have. New steering box fixed the problem. I can't remember what year, but I know it was a GM pickup or SUV.

pholmann · Mar 14, 2016

are those equipped with a steering box or steering rack?

muddinmetal · Mar 14, 2016

pholmann said:
are those equipped with a steering box or steering rack?

rack

patooyee · Mar 14, 2016

It tracks straight. I just put new Michelins on it and this issues has been there through both sets of tires. Rides like a dream.

mr.mindless · Mar 14, 2016

Sounds like a steering rack issue to me, but that's a $$ solution to just throw parts at the problem.

There is probably an inch-pound spec for steering rack input when disconnected, that's probably the best/only diagnostic if it really is a "sticky" rack.

44BRAND · Mar 14, 2016

I say it is a bad steering rack. I have run across this a few times over the years on a couple cars. not in particular a Tahoe, but most all steering racks work the same. If your caster is anywhere near spec. the problem is in the rack.

pholmann · Mar 14, 2016

One of my buddies had to have his rack changed on his 15' Denali HD before it hit 15k miles cause it was binding and popping. I bet it's the rack.

grcthird · Mar 14, 2016

Several newer cars I have driven don't return to center from a full lock turn. My buddy has one that his wife drives, same vehicle 13 Tahoe or Yukon 2wd, and it does not return to center either from a full lock turn. I think it has to do with the amount of friction the tire puts down to the ground that keeps it from returning. If that makes any sense.