2020 AT4 HD Steering Wobble Fix: Installing what GM should have 

did a nice road trip with the 2020 today with the stabilizer in place, and I've gotta say it definitely makes a difference. I don't think its the end all solution, but it helps.

I did this on my 2015 2500 and loved it! I did the Bilstein damper first and that came right back off!! It made the truck always pull to the right like you thought it might. Its a good damper but like you said its not designed to be used solo, its meant for a dual stabilizer set up. I swapped out to the same Rancho damper you installed and loved it. I was running 20s that where a little wider than stock, (about flush with the body) and a little larger that stock (34s) and this for sure stopped the tug and pull in the wheel over small bumps. But honestly even stock my truck did that. I never leveled or lifted my truck, to me these things are already to tall. I did end up having to replace both my idler arm and my pitman arm as well as the idle arm mount around 40k. All these parts had play in them and the steering had gotten very loose at that point. I took the truck in for an alignment and was told all these parts where shot. I tried to add a brace kit to the new parts made by Kryptonite but it smashed in to the steering damper when mounted. So I had to pick one or the other. So I dropped the upgraded brace kit for the pitman arm and idler arm and kept the steering damper. I still have these parts as they would not take them back since I did try installing them. If you would like to make a video on this and why they dont work let me know. I can send them to you. Ill be doing the damper kit right away on my new 22 if it ever get s built!

Thank you for welding it, even my OCD started kicking in when I initially saw you installing the two piece bracket!

That twitch you can feel in the steering wheel on straight roads sounds exactly like the feeling I'd get in my 2012 chevy cruze electric steering. GM had a software update to fix this on that car.

I installed one on my 2019 after I put larger tires on my stock 20s. Love it. Installed at 45k and I now have 100k on the truck no issues.

Can confirm the Bilstein causes a slight pull in the steering in a 2012 Denali HD so good choice going with a non-pressurized unit instead.

I've had the Bilstein on my 2016 2500 along with the SuspensionMAXX bracket for nearly 4 years and it is does NOT cause a pull. The stabilizer helped eliminate the constant fine adjustments at highway speeds.

LT, I found out similarly on the Bilstein 5100 stabilizer. I was just fortunate in the fact that I called he guys at Bilstein and they told me about that issue and that it would have the result you talked about. Definitely an annoyance over time driving.

LT I installed a Rancho steering stabilizer on my 03 Avalanche 2500 8.1L 4WD that is stock height and has stock size A/T tires. Installation was a breeze, the bracket was already there from the factory but none of the 2500 Avalanches were equipped with the stabilizer. The reason I'm commenting is that the Rancho part worked great, for about 15K, mostly street-driven miles and then the steering seemed noticeably more sloppy. I checked everything out and narrowed it down to the stabilzer so I replaced it with the Bilstein 5100 part and it was now tighter than ever. Maybe I got a flawed part, but I would go the Bilstein route again. Good luck, love the channel and the projects, keep up the excellent work!

Chevrolet probably saved a bit of money by deleting that stabilizer.😂😂

I think the stabilizer is a necessity with larger wheels and tires, the factory setup was only intended for OEM size tires. The extra rotating mass and increased traction cause a substantial increase in feedback and wear on the steering. The stabilized reduces the abuse on the other parts.

Great video! Thank you! Just put Fox 2.0s and upgraded to a 295/60 Ridge Grappler on stock wheels and ride height. Can say I have noticed the wandering myself and this is just what I need to see. As for your steering wheel “clunk”…I had that too, took in and described it. There is TSB out for that and they replace the steering column, no more clunk. Thought I would pass that nugget along!!

I think I'll try that stabilizer on mine. And I'm very interested in the other suspension upgrades you mentioned. Keep the awesome content coming!

Shew, touchy subject with those steering stabilizers.... People will argue about them for days on forums.

Man I got a 2024 2500 and I thought i was the only one that felt like the steering wonders...it's makes me nervous when I'm going highway speeds...I think this kit should work for me too

I went with a Kryptonite ultimate front end kit for my lml and it’s been great with a level and 34” Grabbers. Still looking at dampers for the trails, and I looked at that bilstein. Don’t know it it makes a huge difference, but good to know, thanks!

These do make a difference and this look like an easy straight forward install. Great video and thanks for sharing!! :)

I had noise in my steering column at one point. It would only make noise driving straight and with little to no movement in the steering wheel. After months of fighting with the dealership it was finally resolved, ended up being the wheel position sensor on the column that was squeaking and rubbing. Drove me insane.

So nice. I need a Chevy. And maybe a good mechanic just like you. Looked fun to work on.

If u have a 2011 2500hd is a 6.0 2wd and it wobbles when u brake, fix your center link and get a steering stabilizer! Huge difference!!

Nice work LT, I'm glad you welded that bracket, It needed to be, Just say-n. LOL

I would paint that Rancho silver and put a black boot on it. My OCD would not allow me to have two different "looking" items. Great video, thanks.

I have that 5100 on my LLY - and it drives straight as can be - no push back as your thinking.

A little more negative camber will help also. But wide tires tend to wiggle in the ruts of the road

Don’t feel bad, i had a new 1976 Olds Cutlass Supreme and had the same problem. Monty Carlos had the steering stabilizer. I got one from JC WHITNEY, and it made a huge difference!

I need to add to my 2021!! Stock 20” wheels! I think the stabilizer helps save front end parts!! I think GM. adds and takes stuff away on there trucks just so you will bring them to the dealer!!

I'm running a newer 2500 HD and thought I was going crazy. It feels like a worn out steering at 55-65 on the highway. It's super floaty. I'll be trying this fix soon.

Electronic variable steering assist has been used as long ago as the gmt400s. Many people delete the EVO system.

2024 Denali Ultimate has the same issues, very floaty with 35s and Bilstien 5100s. I thought it was a bad install but it appears to be a GM problem. Little bit upsetting because my F150 drove like a dream and now I have a 8K Floater on the highway.

Sorry for the warranty issues LT. It’s sad that so many industries (like automotive) care more about profits than producing quality and standing behind their products. What’s more it’s now an industry standard to deny/abdicate any issues (that don’t kill people anyways) so no one manufacturer rises above the others…I have a 2021 Ram and I’m terrified for whenever I have my first warranty claim…I can’t afford to pay a dealer repair labor rates When my truck payment as a small mortgage in and of itself…

Looks great! I think it might just be the tires causing the floaty feeling. On my 2018 Crew cab 4x4 1500 Sierra I went from the 275 55 20 to some 275 60 20 cooper tires at3. They are great tires and I've had them on my other truck, 2006 GMC Yukon, but on the Sierra it just feels a little less precise. It could be the slightly thinner contact patch. I can even feel the ass end move around a little more.

Just a suggestion but you could get a black boot and paint the dampener a flat black. Then maybe it wouldn’t bug you🤷‍♂️

I put 35s on my 2020 2500HD and my truck drove a bit loose. Not sure if loose is the right term, but the truck feels a bit more difficult to roll straight on the freeway. Alignment is fine. I have it done when I installed the tires. I put stock tire back on it went away. I will have to try this out. Thanks.

If the two piece washer bothers you, you can always hit it with the tig and solve the problem.

1 time for the algorithm. Keep it up LT! 👍

You should take a look at the kryptonite front end and steering components, I replaced everything on my 17 one ton Duramax and it was money well spent.

The backspacing on your new wheels are probably pushing the king pin centerline and the wheel centerline off. Not sure where the stock intersection of the 2 centerlines is, but pretty sure the new wheel offset is screwing with that.. Offset, and wheel diameter are critical. My 86 stock, 4x4, F250.. if I put it up on ramps.. I'd reach up,

Have you upgraded tie-rods? You should grab a pair of those for peace of mind. I know you don't do a lot of off road stuff. But if you ever do. It'd be nice to not worry.

Rancho makes a 7000 steering stabilizer that has the brushed stainless body and look very similar to the 5100, just don''t put the Rancho sticker on it and you'll never know. That's what I did on both my 2001 ram and 1995 wrangler. Cheers!

Need to POR that Rusting Suspension parts before they get bad! and Tac weld the Split side of the Adapter!

About Da- - time !!!

My 03 1500HD was like that. I noticed my dads duramax had one. I looked under mine & the brackets were there, so I ordered a steering stabilizer for a Duramax & it went right in.

It's the POS Nitto Trail Grapplers. Mine did the same thing, switched to Toyo's, problem solved.

Did you have to dremel out the hole for the sleeve?

Hahaha, I figured you would weld that together.

Do you think the leveling kit caused your idler arm and pitman arm to wear out prematurely? 41K miles isn't alot of miles and I would think the idler and pitman arm should last longer than that. I had a 2015 2500HD with a 7" Rough Country lift. I traded that truck in for my 2021 2500HD and it had 89k miles on it at the time and the steering was still tight with no worn components.

Like all your content even the Ford Like what you do Watch you on TV to We are waiting for IDA to pass

Lawrence - What wheel / tire combo are /were you running?

Dude i have OCD bad and regular shit like this kills me when stuff os differnt im the same i like everything to match

Keep the videos coming thanks

Digital steering assist has been available since 2016.

Look into " cognito pitman idler arm support kit "

I have the same plastic ramps and have been to chicken to pull my diesel up on them even though it says it’s rated for weight.

That bracket would privably be fine with just the one bolt thru it. Don't sweat the two piece washer.

Even in my 1500 suburban with a little bite of an oversized tire my steering does the same just like bounces around ever so much and off road you can feel the tires being pushed side to side by ruts. I know tie rods need changed but i might try this before just to see if it helps the bad tie rods.

Having the same problem with my 1500 2019 new body style, do you think this would work ?

Why didn’t you just get the stabilizer maxx stabilizer to go with the mounting kit and if I’m not mistaken they don’t pressure up like the bilsteins. It’s similar to the rancho

Hey awsome info thanks . Just on the tooic of chevy steering . Just got me thinking if their was a fix for the “ loose steering on the early silverados “

Do you have a part number on that bilstein 5100 stabilzer shock? Great video. About to level my truck with the suspensionmaxx kit

I thought you get the steering staiblizer only with the Z71 PACKAGE Bbut the 4x4 doesn't come with the steering staiblizer

Are you sure it's not something to do with the lane assist? If it even has it.

Thanks for pronouncing Bilstein( Bill Stine) right

Just pick a color and paint the Rancho stabilizer shock it'll be fine only you will know

My 2021 hd has play in the steering and while turning left I feel a knock in the steering wheel. Gm replaced a shaft in the steering column and did not fix it. I just bought it back and they changed the gear box. Gave it back to me with the steering wheel clocked to the right and shaking back and forth. I went back and they kept it for a week rotating the wheels for nothing. Then Gm sent a new software update. It still shakes and now knocks in the steering wheel both left and right. Service has been absolutely shit at this dealership. Now they are ordering a replacement gearbox again. The first one is discontinued but they found it somewhere else. Now I get to drive it for 1 to 2 months while they find out how to get the new one.

I have a bone stock brand new 2023 AT4 2500HD & at 60-73MPH I get a shake/vibration in the steering wheel consistent with an unbalanced wheel that is driving me crazy. GM of course saying nothing is wrong & can’t find anything. Somebody please help!

Can you try the Bilstein stabilizer and see if you can notice any difference?

Just tried installing same on my 2020 and am having trouble getting the shock bolt which is tapered, to fit into the steering arm far enough to get the bolt on the other side. It will start to thread but not far enough to put the cotter pin through the castle but. Suggestions and what did you do at that point?

There's that ocd acting up again. Lol

Does anyone know the rancho part number?

The steering feels different due to the offset of the wheels.

Any plans on replacing that plastic gas door?

Can I do this to my 2018 Silverado 1500 (gasser)?

GM bean-counters probably got promotions for a buck there!

dude you need more Caster

Let the gas out of the Bilstein?

I see is it's your truck makes it better to drive I'm all for that and I'm upgrade better parts

Late model GM trucks need too much work and cost too much money. I've been a GM guy for many years, but they are losing me. The new stuff is crappy quality, inside and out. The AFM lifters are blowing all the time. It's just awful. They took a great line of trucks and made them suck.

your tires will cause a lot of your issues also just fyi

I have a single Bilstein steering stabilizer (and shocks) on my superduty…does not pull on my truck.

Paint the Rancho silver

👍

2YRS old and rancho was already worn out?

U cheaped and use Ranchos garbage? Damm dude you’ll regret that

LOL, This is the last time I do '.......' Till next time...

Does your truck have the 4l80e

Loaded you would feel it more

that rancho is junk, bilstein is better. Not having pressure means cavitation on the inital hit, also both of them will be stiffer in one direction as the shaft will further pressurize the chamber, a thru shaft steering stabalizer is the only way! Look into it... if youre into really accurate steering...

Man I have 37s on my at4 hd and don’t have any of these issues. Guess just lucky

bilstein better..

So basically you're modifying a truck way out off spec and it doesnt do what it should anymore and you're asking GM to fix it? . Ford and dodge both have stablizer because they are still using solid front axle and gm isnt.

Talking to much

👍