Steering Help! Please!! :)

Lifted 1998 Tahoe's steering isn't tight...makes me nervous...
I purchased a 98 Tahoe with a 6" Fabtech lift and 35" tires. I've replaced the front end (upper and lower ball joints, tire rods, brakes, rotors, master cylinder, sway bar end links, steering dampener), lowered the torsion bars, replaced the transfer case, and had an alignment done. The steering wheel clicks once or twice at times during driving/use, and the mechanic said it's the U-joint where the steering column fits into some other thing...I'm not exactly sure. He said it wasn't dangerous. The tires respond well when I turn the wheel, but the truck still drifts, the steering wheel moves and needs constant correction, and the truck pulls to the left slightly when I brake. I am lost and don't know how to make the steering any tighter. Please help! I love my big ol' truck!!

Do you have the variable speed steering assist, and have you checked it? There's a position sensor on the steering column, wonder if it clicks if it's going out.

Pulling to one side during braking could be one set of shoes/pucks not grabbing enough, or suspension deflection from braking anti-torque, like worn control arm bushings. Maybe these two are related, like one side grabs and deflects more?

I'm going to have to see if it has that assist thingy. Would the 35" tires be a big factor? They do sit out from the truck a little...they're offset, and they're not up under the wheel wells like normal tires. Would that cause the vehicle to walk and drift slightly?

Walk and drift? The tires wouldn't do that if put on a truck in good shape, but with offsets and time, the extra load, moved out from the steering knuckle centerline, would accellerate suspension system wear and rubber bush distortion. With the changed geometry of offsets and larger wheels, the front end alignment numbers would need to be tweaked. Even though it's easy to throw on big wheels and offsets, I'm not sure if folks know to follow-thru on alignment changes. After a while, I'm sure that things get strangely wobbly up there, and the owner sells it.

You may have to replace all A-arm bushings, and find a shop that knows alignment mods for this...

I had an alignment done, and the tires are new...and they said the wear is even and everything looks good. Only one out of the several A-arm bushings looks worn, they told me. I'm wondering if my steering column or steering box needs to be fixed. I also noticed the steering is crappier on certain roads, like on crowned roads or roads with ridges. But sometimes, on straightaways, my truck will drift slightly and I'll have to correct. It just feels like my steering column is loose and could be tighter. It's hard to describe, but does it make sense? My other car is a convertible, and I know the steering on my truck will differ from that car, but it shouldn't have very much play either, right?

Just one worn A-arm bushing is enuff to do this. Could have 2 or 3 hefty guys push/wiggle the front left and right while you closely observe for unwanted deflection in suspension components...

I put poly bushings in my control arms and still had a hard time controlling my steering, replaced alot of crud in front end, went to replace the steering box and found out the rag joint was toast, it is much better now.... very driveable for a $10 part.....

Rag joint, the flex coupler in the steering column. See if this Youtube works:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=84lCWkrSae8