ib516

Hey guys, I have a friend named Gord, who just became a member of the Dodge/Cummins family. He just picked up a used 06 3500 Megacab. He is having some issues with it, and needs some help. He emailed me the following:

"I recently purchased a beautiful 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 4X4 Mega Cab.

Shortly after purchase, my wife notice it wandered alot on the road, steering was very loose.

Since then, it has been in the shop: changed tires, replaced front ball joints,even added a steering stablilizer, to no avail....it is going into a suspension shop next week.

However, my mechanic who is stumped checked the rear springs and thinks that the problem may be in the rear. He saw below the bottom spring there were like three short spacers. He thinks these are not original and confirmed with the dealer. He thinks these spacers are causing the truck to be unstable."



I confirmed with him that my 3500 4x4 has the same spacers under the rear springs, and they are stock. I think it is the track bar or maybe he needs to get a steering stabilizer like the one DSS or BD Power make. Maybe even confirm that both front tires are properly inflated.

What do you guys think?

He's not a member here (yet), but I'm going to send him a link to this thread so he can see your replies.

TAS05CTD610

So it could be a lot of things. If it's low miles the tires should be E rated tires, but if not check. A lesser tire such as a C/D will not hold as much weight/nor air (yes some lower PSI ratings have the same capacity) blah blah blah, but it's the side walls that are not as stiff. A non E tire, as well as a under inflated tire can cause wonder (I'm assuming they checked all of this as well.)

If the ball joints have been replaced the only other areas could be a worn out steering linkage (rod ends) the track bar could be shot, or the steering gear (gear box) could be bad. Those are the three main causes that could cause wonder (as this allows the parts to move, when the wheel isn't) I would have them look at all of this prior to moving to the back. It could be a issue in the back. Has the truck been on an alignment rack? Is the rear straight? Or as the truck hit, and the truck is crabbing (rear axle is side ways, truck actually drives a bit sideways?) This might sound like much but a tiny bit can cause handling issues.

It could also be suspension, if the control arms are worn out, along with other things, that could cause it as well, but at least I would start with the above to check (and most is as easy as telling the wife to rock the truck back and forth while you watch for parts that move when they shouldn't)

Rednecktastic

Get up under there and start shaking stuff, if that doesn't find it then a good shop with 4 wheel alignment. could be crabbin as noted above. Could just need new U-bolts if he bounced off a curb or he could just loosen them and retorque them but that isn't recommended really... replacing them would be the way to go. Also I think the alignment pin is made of rubber might wanna inspect that as well.



Heck I'd get a tape measure and try to square it off. Quick and easy.

rich

their is a recall on some of the trucks about the front end having wrong parts mite check with the dealer got my letter yesterday. also seems that running certain bfg'g cause a problem along with too low of air pressure and not the correct rated tires with a strong enough sidewall for support

Grit Dog

Have heard that BFG AT's just don't work well on the Cummins. Alot of people have attributed their death wobble to the BFG AT KO's.
My truck needed a new steering box at 7k mi, maybe that's it.

Evil Genius

I had some wander and sloppy steering on my '08 at 20K miles or so. The steering gear box was shot.

ib516

I just heard back from my friend. It was the steering box.