Steering arms hit wiring loom

[Miatch]

Hello, I have a 2002 Suburban 1500.
The steering is limited because the idler and pitman arms hit the loom under the front of the oil pan.
I tried to search to see if anyone else had a similar but I can't find any help.
I'm sure I could treat the symptom and move the looms, but I would rather try and determine the cause.
Anyone have any ideas, I would love to hear them.

 

[Thinkenn]

Greets

So you are saying when you turn the steering wheel from lock to lock, the steering wheel turns further to the right then to the left (turns). And this is due to the idler arm to center link ball socket resting against the wiring loom that goes across the front side of the oilpan.

What is the orientation of the steering wheel while driving?

Considering the power steering system has enough force to make mush of the wiring loom, aluminum oil pan and anything else that's not cast iron. If the steering is limited in one direction and not the other then I would suggest that the steering wheel (pit-man arm) was not returned to the center position before (center link positioning right to left) the tie rod ends were installed/adjusted/aligned resulting in the whole center link being 1 turn out (one turn too far to the left).

Outside of that, there are cast iron limiting stops molded into the lower control arms which at max turn halts the steering knuckle. One may be busted off (rare rare) or the steering knuckle itself might be damaged.

This might be an oddity but if parts were changed the idler arm to frame mounting bolts, orientation of that idler arm. (its location should look mirrored to the pit-man arm/steering box down the center axis of the vehicle).

I really cant think of anything else.. Hope this helps.

 

[Miatch]

Thanks, I never considered the steering wheel orientation might be off but the picture I posted actually shows the interference while making a right hand turn.

To give you an idea of the extent of the problem, turning into a parking spot is at least a three point operation. This weekend I backed up a 1/4 mile because a tight u-turn was never going to happen.

The only thing I have found that might be my problem is these vehicles have a bit of an engineering problem with idler and pitman arms. Cognito sells a brace that is supposed to decrease the rate of wear.
https://youtu.be/JoCTj3BO5wM

I'm going to go underneath and have someone rock the steering wheel and look for arm movement.
I am just so surprised that I haven't found anyone else with this problem.

 

[Thinkenn]

Very interesting indeed.

Question. Have any of the steering components been changed since you have had the truck. I am interested specifically in the length of the idler arm in question.

I own a Silverado 1500..with well.. extensive modification to the suspension and drivetrain.. I have changed allot of components but I was forced to retain the 1500 steering gear due to space constraints between the front of the engine and the leading cross brace/anti sway bar. Between the two gm variants. The idler arm on the 2500 series and up are slightly longer then the 1500 and down. The bolt up is the same however.. and the taper bolt into the centre section is the same size. The 2500's cross brace and anti sway bar are positioned further foreward on the frame rails then the 1500's.

This may be a long shot but I bet you that's the wrong idler in there.

There is no way the engine moved foreward and its very unlikely that the vehicle left the factory with this component. Unless it was the last one on the line friday afternoon. (har har)

I snapped some pictures of mine for reference.

Centre shot.. with the steering wheel centered and the wheels straight ahead.

Turning left one turn on the wheel

Left turn fully on the lock. *note how the idler clears the loom.. close but swings right past.

And finally the length.. the camera kind of skews it a bit.. but from the centre of the grease zerk to the center of the tapered bolt it measures 5 to 5-1/8 inches.