Hello all. New to the site and just looking for some suggestions. 99 Dodge 2500 4x4. 153,000 miles. One owner. Retired mechanic so I did all the work on this truck myself. Until recently. About 4 months ago it started wandering a bit. Felt like play in the steering box. Had a rebuilt Napa box installed in ‘19 and they have a lifetime guarantee so I had him replace the box. No change. Truck has been to 3 alignment shops. All new tie rods, new track bar, new ball joints, new redhead steering box, and they even replaced the tires thinking that might be the problem. Had Cooper ST Max and they replaced them with Cooper AT3s. Still handles very badly. Redhead steering box did take away the play some, but it just wants to dart here and there. Set the alignment specs to Thuren specs which are close to zero toe. I can drive it with both hands on the wheel very carefully. I’ve heard all the comments about theses trucks and their front end problems, but I’ve had it for 24 years now, and never had a problem with handling. Whatever the problem is, it’s still there and no one can locate it. any ideas? Thanks, Keith

 

Have you personally, visually verified that the track bar ends have no play in them when you try to steer on flat ground while not moving.

Maybe it has hogged out the hole on the frame side., The track bar is the first thing I would double check.

 

HD steering, a little toe, and sufficient caster (more than stock spec) is a fairly reliable recipe.

 

Could also simply be the pavement you are driving on?
Heavy trucks form ruts in the asphalt on the highway over time. If you aren't perfect in the ruts it may seem to wander from side to side in the ruts....

After that laundry list of replaced parts, just offering alternative suggestions that may not be the truck's fault....

 

You need to get under there while a friend rocks the steering wheel back and forth and see what is moving abnormally, also aftermarket oversize ball joints ruin the mounting holes allowing the casing to shift about even though the ball and socket are tight...
Control arm bushings may be shot also, but you'd probably feel a clunking when you brake...just my thoughts

Kurt

 

Well, I had a tech from an independent shop take the truck for a ride. He is pretty well known in the area for his years of Chrysler experience and diesel truck experience as well. He characterized it as “memory steer”. Turn to the right, the truck goes to the right. Turn to the left, the truck goes to the left. Will not return to center. He also commented on the moaning sound when you turn the wheel. The last shop that installed the redhead steering box, said he used ATF+4 for the P/S system, and apparently that is incorrect. The older Saginaw system requires P/S fluid and there is a procedure for bleeding the system. You learn something new everyday. The truck is going to the shop on Monday

 

To make a truck want to return to center you need to add more caster.

I do it with my 1st gens by making a longer than stock, rear of the front leaf spring shackle, this slightly rotates the bottom of the axle forward. This makes the steering wheel go back to center better after a turn.

 

My 01 wallows like a bob sled in the shoot. No such thing as a smooth road here in AK. BUT, because of where the puck can is located, I can never get a track bar bushing to last more than a few months due to oil contamination. One of these days, if I ever win the lottery, I will upgrade the track bar and steering link to a later year style. And just for giggles, make sure your rear axle isn't shifting back and forth.

 

Yeah, the hydroboosts like PS fluid, not trans fluid....

Kurt

 

Should be able to find aome kind of poly trac bar bushing so it doesnt melt from oil contamination.