Steering Issue After Header Install

Okay, here is the scenario. Imagine you just topped your tank at the gas station and you are sitting there with your turn signal on waiting for traffic to clear but the cars are moving kinda quick and you need to summon the LS1 demons for a little help. Finally a break in traffic! A grin grows on your face as you let off the brake and you get ready to mash the gas and let those longtubes sing!

Now here's the problem...

Whenever I turn the steering wheel under throttle I get a vibration and the wheel eventually "sticks" where it's very difficult to turn when 3 o'clock reaches 12 for a left hand turn and when 9 o'clock reaches 12 for a right hand turn. The more throttle I put into it, the more difficult it is to turn the wheel. But if I turn while coasting there is absolutely no obstruction in steering whatsoever. Also, if I keep pulling the steering wheel and I break through the "stick" point, it turns easily until the wheel is turned back into the "stick" point.

I do have some Y-pipe movement down there but I thought that was pretty common for LTs.

What do you guys think?

Sounds like your steering coupler (set of U-joints that connects the steering column to the rack) is hitting your headers. Your motor mounts allow the engine to shift slightly under acceleration causing the interference.

My headers are very close to the steering so i can see where it can be a problem. I would look at it closely and see if you can get more distance between the two. I assume you need the smallest of adjustments so there is probably a good solution.

If that is the case, that the headers are rubbing against the steering arm under heaving acceleration (torquing the motor over) you could try switching to poly motor mounts and that would probably eliminate the engine movement and remedy your problem? :cool:

Anyone else have any thoughts on that?? :shrug:

I do have some Prothane motor mounts that need to go on. The engine travel under torque sounds like the perfect explanation. Thanks a lot for the help guys, next step is to get the motor mounts on.

I bent the steering coupler "ears" inward towards the shaft to give myself the clearance. I don't think I did any damage to the structural integrity of the shaft by bending the ears, as they are still there.

I would like to grab some poly mounts sometime though.

+1 on the poly mounts, that should make a world of difference compared to the wore out stockers.

I also bent the ears on the steering knuckle... It got rid of that problem completely and I never had an issue with the bent ears...

+2 on the bent ears. Even with my poly-mounts I had sticky moments. Just bend the ears...it won't hurt anything.

yep u might have to bend the ears on the steering

thats what i did cuz they kept hitting my header primary

My poly mounts made it hit the header worse as it raised the motor a hair higher. I ended up having the remove the header and putting a dimple in them with a vice and hammer even after trimming the ears and adjusting the shaft up and down...wouldn't rub at all when cold, but after runnig for a few minutes and expanding it rubbed like hell.