jmlcolorado

So i made a drive out to Kansas city a few weeks ago and about half way out there, i noticed a grumbling in the front wheels. I pulled over to find every other tread lug on the inside of the drivers side tire was wearing down.
Once back in town i replaced both front shocks with no change, lugs still wearing.
Monday, i noticed the steering wheel wouldn't return to center after turns, or on the highway. I have to help it the last 1/4 turn back to straight. So today i replaced both drivers side ball joints. The upper was noticeably bad.
Still no change.
I can feel binding at the wheels when i move them left to right from outside the truck with the truck running. Since i felt binding, i removed the linkage to the passenger spindle and that moves absolutely free all directions. The passenger tie rod end feels good and is freshly greased. I jacked the truck up and set the axle on stands and worked the steering wheel left and right slowly to see if i could feel any bind but i cant feel any at all at the wheel.
I disconnected the stabilizer and put it through its working distance and it felt smooth all the way through. I left it unhooked and took the truck for a drive. Still, no return to center.
What could be causing the truck to not return to center with the front end loaded as normal?
I did the passenger side u joints about 20k ago and that side's ball joints feel solid.
All thats left is the joint at the pitman arm and the joint at the other end of the connecting rod.

ltlace1

just a guess but could be your power steering box. they a prone to go out on theses trucks. I have issues with mine and need to replace it at 95,000 miles.

jmlcolorado

I was really hoping someone wouldnt say that

Is there a way to check the steering box? Maybe disconnect the steering linkage and rotate the pitman arm through its rotation to see if i feel bind?

ltlace1

all you have to do is have someone turn the wheel while you watch under the truck and see how much wheel movement there is until it starts to move under the truck. there should be very little slop. a box costs somewhere between $200 and $300.

Spitse

ball joints. even if they are tight they might be binding.

torquefan

I wouldn't eliminate the ball joints as a concern either. It's usually the tight ones that cause the poor return, and the sloppy ones don't always cause steering problems. If any of your replacements are Moog joints, they are pretty well known for binding issues on third gen trucks.

jmlcolorado

I would have figured ball joints too. I feel bind with the whole truck on stands and everything connected. If I push/pull the passenger side tire through the steering range, with everything connected, I feel the bind. But if I unhook just the passenger side linkage, no bind in that wheel at all. There's no weight difference on the ball joints on the passenger side with or without the drag link bolted up.
I figure if I feel bind unweighted, then unhook linkage and no bind is found, I think that rules out passenger side ball joints. Drivers side are brand new.
That makes me think some other joint has a problem.

The steering box looks original to me. All service records from before I bought the truck, the box was never replaced and I have never done it. There is a coating of oil on it and At 185k it wouldn't surprise me to see this box is bad. I'm gonna pull the linkage on the pitman arm and work the box to see if I find bind. I'll work the wheels too. If no bind is found, it has to be the box.

silver_2000_tj

I had the sterring gear box go out on mine and it sounded like I had the same issues you had. The box was not too hard to change out about a 2-3 hours total.