Need help bad on front end issues!!!

[rebelrouzer]

I have a 95 GMC Sierra ext cab 2wd. I have had this problem for a long time and now it is really bad. When it is wet out and I loose traction and the rear tires slide, my steering wheel goes from 12 oclock to 10 oclock. It goes back to normal after I make a 90 degree turn to the right. Now tonight the steering wheel started to "jiggle" back and forth a lot and some how my truck turned into a snake and started "slithering" down the road. Not fishtailing but "slithering". I have also noticed that when cruising the engine would kinda surge a bit and it will shake like heavy rumble but stops as soon as I let off the gas and then its fine again for a bit but a few minutes later it will start again. I doubt the two are connected but tonight I thought I was about to wreck her. Please if anyone has any ideas let me know.
I crawled under it and tried to see if the tierod ends hand any play in them but it dosent seem like it.

 

[98trck]

my '98 had speed sensitive steering when th sencer was going bad. the steering wheel would jump like you said, mine only did it in the middle of a turn and that was scary when it happens on a freeway interchange ramp at high speed. look at your power steering pump is the an electrical wire plug between the pump and the pulley, mine was hard to see, it took some looking to find it.
PETE


i did some ssearching and it looks like speed sensitive steering started in '94
i would un plug the unit and see if it drives differant; BE CAREFUL, i have no idea how that will affect the steering

 

[rebelrouzer]

So i went underneath and tightened everything up, nothing was really loose. I did an alignment (front wheel) and that seemed to help a bit. I did notice that I do have some play in the pitman arm. Could it be possible that when I skid or loose traction that it puts pressure on the pitman arm and causes it to slip or something changing the steering wheel alignment to change? I have not yet located that sensor you are referring to.

 

[98trck]

i got a new truck this past April so i can't go look at it as i would
i seem to remember seeing a wire connection as i explained but i could be worng
i have done more reserch and it looks like all the other GM devisions have it in '94
it wasn't standard on GMC until '97 ??

 

[Molson02536]

I have a 95 GMC Sierra ext cab 2wd. I have had this problem for a long time and now it is really bad. When it is wet out and I loose traction and the rear tires slide, my steering wheel goes from 12 oclock to 10 oclock. It goes back to normal after I make a 90 degree turn to the right. Now tonight the steering wheel started to "jiggle" back and forth a lot and some how my truck turned into a snake and started "slithering" down the road. Not fishtailing but "slithering". I have also noticed that when cruising the engine would kinda surge a bit and it will shake like heavy rumble but stops as soon as I let off the gas and then its fine again for a bit but a few minutes later it will start again. I doubt the two are connected but tonight I thought I was about to wreck her. Please if anyone has any ideas let me know.
I crawled under it and tried to see if the tierod ends hand any play in them but it dosent seem like it.

Inspect your pitman arm and idler arm. If there excessive play, replace them both. As for your vibration, sounds like you could have a a U joint going bad or seized up on your drive shaft or your transmission mounts are worn out and need to be replaced.

Start with these few things and keep us posted, the parts are not that expensive and simple to replace.

Molson02536