Puke

Is a steering stabilizer bar something they put on 2wd models? I was thinking that was just 4x4 stuff.
I just ordered a new steering box,.. will get it tomorrow. Just an autozone one but it's not like I ever go off road or anything.

KATOOM

A bent steering stabilizer will also cause weird tracking issues.

Busboy

A steering stabilizer bar is bolted between the two frame rails close to the steering box, there is a bearing that slips over the steering box output shaft and when bolted down to the cross bar that stabilizes the steering box to prevent rocking of the steering box. I don't think your problem is anything more than the new tires though. On my 2001 I had 4 new Michelin tires installed, the exact same make and model I had been using for years, the truck was all over the road just like yours, I took them back to Costco and they replaced them no questions asked and the problem was gone.

KATOOM

Steering stabilizers are the horizontal shock absorber mounted to the front steering components, designed to reduce road transmitted shock through large tires back into the steering system.

A steering box brace is the aftermarket bar which mounts between the frame and houses a bracket to hold the steering box sector shaft from deflecting, and the steering box flexing on the frame mount, as the drag link applies lateral pressure against it.

Steering box braces are usually something only helpful when running larger than factory tires. But, they dont hurt to have just because.

Busboy

If you ask DR Google about a Dodge steering stabilizer or a Dodge steering stabilizer bar you get the bar. In the factory manual the shock is called a "damper". I think the extra weight of the diesel engine puts more stress on the steering box and the frame where the box is bolted too. I've seen pics of broken frames where the box attaches.

Dieselbuilder

If it was me the last thing you said things where fine with the old tires and when you installed hew ones the problem showed up i would say you have some problems with the tires you just put on new does not mean their good.

oliver foster

I agree if the problem JUST started when the tires where installed.
It is most likely the tires themselves.

Puke

You are right.
HOLY CRAP! I am using a 48 inch pipe wrench on the puller,... I am really having a hard time lifting the wrench up and getting it on it. I expected it to bust something,..but so far,..it hasn't broke or budged. I may take it off with the pitman arm on it like you did,.. BUT, ..there is not enough clearance for me to unhook the power steering fluid lines from above,..so I was going to drop it down a bit first and then undo them. ONE MORE PROBLEM,.. the steering shaft,..I pulled out the bolt
,..and I can't get it off all the way. It stops at like a half inch out and doesn't want to go any further.. Any ideas please chime in. I took a map gas torch to it but nogo (that usually works for a lot of stuff). I really don't want to get out acetaline. I'm not comfy with all that heat around diesel,...
ok,

Puke

I was thinking of cutting it off,..but a new pitman arm for a diesel is close to 200 bucks at auto zone with tax. Sounds a bit expensive. I tried an air hammer on it for a while. Nothing happenned... It's pretty rare that I get "stuck' on a repair. This one takes the cake... The problem,..I can barely get the 48" pipe wrench to turn the bolt. I expected the puller to break already but it hasn't.

KATOOM

You cant remove the pitman arm from the steering box?

Puke

I got it off.
I had a 48 inch pipe wrench and probably tweeked around 1000 ft.lbs... All the strength i had. Heated it, etc., Gave up,... went in and took a break. Came back outside and decided to give it one last try before giving in for the night.

It had loosened itself a bit while I took that break. Because my last try,..it started coming off.. But not in one big bang like everybody says it will. Just slowly got easier and easier to turn. Yipee.

So...new one is bolted up loosely, new problem. I can't get the steering shaft all the way in,..tried a few times.. thought it wasn't lined up or something. That flat spot pretty much makes it easy to line up. But I can't get it to go on all the way,...only half way (just the opposite of when I took it off...but after I took the bolts out of the old steering box,..the shaft basically just fell off....it leads me to believe that my shaft should be a bit shorter or something.

(I replaced the shaft in my 93 4x4 diesel with that one from summit racing....it was really easy,..I don't know why this is such a bummer.

deere country

If your still trying to remove the pitman arm, I would take a ball pean hammer and using the ball pean end strike the splined end of the arm with it. What you are trying to do with this method is making the splined portion which is perfectly round in shape and distorting its shape of perfectly round to a slight fraction of an egg shape.

This works on many things that are round in shape like ball joint ends, hydraulic hose fittings and many many other things that seat themselves together over time.

Puke

Got the new one on
, Everything back together,
Filled with power steering fluid.

CRAP,..I have no power steering, no power brakes, no nothing???
Did I screw up a vacuum pump??? I don't even know where that thing would be but I'm thinking it's not good

KATOOM

The vacuum pump has nothing to do with it. The brakes and steering are powered by the hydroassist system which is fed by the power steering pump.

Making sure I'm following what happened.....did you replace the steering box? If so then I'm sure you introduced the system full of air. I understand that you can sometimes bleed the air out by jacking the axle off the ground and with the engine running, turn lock to lock a few times. Obviously watching the PS fluid level too.

Puke

Yes, I replaced the steering box. I'm sure I got air in the system.
I've jacked the front of the ground and added more fluid and went lock to lock quite a few times. Went for a ride around the neighborhood. I now have my brakes back. I only have partial power steering though... And it's really noisy (I had a 1 ton dodge 1975...and the power steering sounded like that but if functioned fine) and sketchy.
I checked the reservior,.. it's foaming all over the place..obviously from the air that I should have gotten in there. I doubt this is going to fix itself unless it's self-bleeding (I doubt that)..and I get a lot of different opinions when I do a search. I do have a hand vacuum pump,..but I don't see how that would help if the system is not self bleeding in the first place.