jj3500

I've noticed that its a bit of a chore to keep the truck straight on road. Not like its all over the road, just the fact that you have to really pay attention...constantly correcting. My question is if the steering shock thats mounted horizontally on axle is shot. Could this lead to the constant correcting that I'm talking about. Truck maintains stock tire size and height. Or am I just getting more particular.

Thanks

NMCTD

The steering stabilizer shouldn't have anything to do with wandering, its just to control bump steer ( like when you hit a rock or big pot hole).

Your problem could be one or more of the following. Trackbar, steering gearbox, ball joints, tie rod ends or possibly even alignment. Let us know if you need to know how to check any of these.

TIMMY22

no, that absorbs shock in the steering.

check...


tie rods.

ball joints.

track bar.

kurt eric

Not to "highjack" jj3500's post and it's a good one, NMCTD I'd benefit from any information you or anyone from the forum could give reference checking symptoms on this subject. Thanks in advance.

jj3500

Not sure if these areas might be problems. Truck has low miles...68k. Not used heavy either.

Thanks

NMCTD

No problem Kurt. I've typed this stuff so many times now I think I'm going to save this on my pc so I can just copy and paste it from now on .

1. Ball joints: Jack truck up to get front tires off the ground, grab the tire on the top and bottom by hand and push and pull (do it hard enough to where the tire flexes a little). If you can feel any movement in the ball joints they are bad, you'll know when you feel it. For replacement get good quality (moog or similar). If your good at keeping up on lubing zerks then get greasable ones if not get sealed they will last longer if your bad a remembering to grease them.

2. Tie rods: While the front is jacked get inside the truck and lock the steering column, then get back out and grab the tire on the front and back (3:00 / 9:00 positions), push and pull here just enough so that if the steering wasn't locked you would be turning the tires. If you can feel any "play" (again you'll know it when you find it) then a tie rod end is bad, keep doing this while a helper looks at all the tie rod joints to see which ones have the "play" in them. For replacments on these just get good quality ones (moog or similar)

3. Track bar: Set the truck back on the ground and have your helper get in the truck and turn the key on, but don't start the truck. Have them move the steering wheel side to side from where the wheel gets stiff one way to where it get stiff the other way (enough to almost start turning the tires). While they are doing this crawl under the truck and look at the upper track bar joint where it bolts to the frame. If you can see the joint move (look close it will only be about 1/8th to a 1/4 inch) if the ball socket it self moves at all, right where it bolts to the frame it is bad. Fixes for this include, http://www.lukeslink.com/ , http://www.bellefourche.com/lindstad/ , http://solidsteel.biz/tbk.htm , http://www.thurenfabrication.com/products.html , http://www.dtprofab.com , or a factory type replacement. I highly recomend staying away from the last one though because it will just keep wearing out every 10k-20k miles.

4. Steering gearbox: Have helper continue to "saw" the steering wheel. Lay down under the front bumper and look at the front of the steering gearbox, watch closely at the sector shaft and pitman arm (sector shaft is the splined shaft that goes vertically up into the gearbox and is what the pitman arm connects to). what your looking for is the sector shaft to "rock" side to side within the gearbox. If any movement is found then the sector shaft bearings are worn. If the box is not leaking it might be able to be saved for awhile with a DSS http://solidsteel.biz/dss.htm , as for replacments my first choice is http://www.pscpowersteer.com, next would be http://www.agrperformance.com/ , and last would be a reman from an auto parts store.

5. Steering column: reach under the hool and grab the lower steering column (where the long black sring is) Push and pull (sideways in relation to the column), if any play is found the lower column bushins is bad. Only way to fix this is to replace the column with a new junk dodge one or to buy or make one of these http://rocksolidramtrucksteering.com/

6. Intermediat shaft: (shaft from the column to steering gearbox) Grab on to the shaft at the slip joint and push and pull (just like the column test) any play and its bad also watch the u-joint on this shaft for play while testing. For this there is several option, stock dodge replacment, borgesson shaft, flaming river replacement, or a stainless one from PSC http://www.pscpowersteer.com/

7. Alignment: If everything above is good, steering is tight and a truck still wanders, then its probably in need of a "good" alignment because the caster is pulling one way while the camber is pulling the other way. Here is a link to some info on aligning the dodge ram http://dodgeram.org/tech/specs/00_steer_specs.html . Print it out and take it with you anytime you get an alignment, have them set it to those specs and ask for a print out after they are done so you know they did it correct.


Well there you have it NMCTD's "official steering repair post" . I tried to cover all possible places for play and wander in the steering of the 4x4 ram trucks. Also most of this stuff applies to "death wobble" problems to. If you guys have any questions on any of that feel free to ask or even PM me.

TTYL......Josh

NMCTD

Well I would check it all out. My truck shortly after I bought it at 70k miles had a couple bad tie rod ends, was on its 3rd track bar, and the steering gear was worn and started leaking shortly after that.

CORed

Same here... in 32K the dealer replaced the trackbar AND intermediate shaft as both were out of spec... and that's the dealer's spec so you know it must have been bad.

Now with 66K, I've replaced the trackbar as it was bad the past 10-12K with a Thuren... wow... much better.

I put on the DSS steering stabilizer for the sector shaft around 25K as preventative maintenance.

But my ball joints and tie rods are OK so far.

And I wouldn't consider my 66K to be that difficult of use either.

Most all my bombing $$$ went to improving the crappy products the Dodge boys put on the truck. I think I can now spend some money on fun stuff.

NMCTD

Same here, got most of it taken care of (a few little things left), but now with 147k on the stock clutch, I need to replace that before I can finally start putting some money to power goodies.

capt.Ron

I have some play in mine but it doesn't seem to be in the u-joints but rather where it attaches at the steering box. Would replacing the steering shaft fix this?

Mechanos

There is also a TSB that address the problem of steering wander.... or at least what appears to be steering wander. I've had this issue since I bought my truck 4 years ago. I just got used to it and "drove around" the problem. I found and read the TSB dealing with excessive play in the steering box and the procedure for adjusting the overcenter screw on the steering box. Took me all of 15 minutes to make the adjustment and now I have no slop in the steering box anymore. It's taking me a little to get used to driving the truck with tight steering now...

capt.Ron

I just followed the TSB instructions I went 1/8 turn twice and I have my wander down to a minimum. Since there is slack in the pitman arm I'm going to wait until I replace the pitman arm to see if that reduces the wander any further. If I need to I'll make another adjustment. I'll get the front end aligned next.

Fishbait

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS NMCTD!!!!!

This is what I was looking for! Wooo-Hooo!!!

lews930

I hate to chime in but I need help too. It might be a stretch to diagnose a problem over the computer but here goes. I replaced everything up front last fall(ball joints,tie rodsa nd ends, steering stabilizer, shocks, control arm bushings, lukes link for the track bar. had a align,emt done and steering was great. now I'm getting feedback through the steering wheel. hit a bump and it feels like something is loose up front. I jacked it up and checked hubs, joints track bar etc and found nothing. also the truck has started to wander again. I see no play in the sector shaft. i do have bad bushings in the top of the steering shaft at the steering wheel or nereby.

thanks

lewis