when i first bought my truck 2 years ago the previous owner had a couple steering components replaced...it was initially very stiff and tough to steer i didnt mind that it loosened up in about 3 weeks and was awesome...lil by lil its gotten too loose for my liking the steering wheel is like a gasser...i mean im going straight and i can wiggle the wheel while driving straight...i want it stiff again!!! what to do


Andrew

 

It is usually the steering box$$$. These dodges are notorius for that. Atleast that is what was wrong with every one I have ever seen with the problem you are describing.

 

First you have to find out where it's loose at. In my case I had my daughter turn the steering wheel back and fourth while I looked around under the truck. My steering gear pitman shaft was moving all over. I replaced with a carquest reman box out of ignorance and it was loose right out of the box. Now I have a psc box on order and my steering gear troubles will soon be over.

 

stearing box with dollar signs to it huh ...what kinda figure am i looking at? (if worst comes to worst)

 

Steering box.. I'd go with AGR.. I think they run about $350 or so. I have one on my truck.

As far as the pitman arm goes that rockwithjason posted about.. That sounds more like a thing that could be fixed by the DSS stabilizer.

 

I just bought a 3500 4x4 dually and I am having the same steering problem. My truck has 164,000 miles on it. I had my nephew rock the steering wheel back and forth. All of the loose movement I seen in mine was in the steering box. I guess I'll try adjusting it but I'm not sure it will take that much play out of my steering as I have alot.

Brian

 

Here is what I have done to GREATLY improve my steering:
I installed a:
Warranty Replacement AGR steering box
Lukes Link Kit
Borgeson Steering shaft
DSS Stabilizer

The steering is awesome now!

 

So when you're testing the steering, and having someone else turn the wheel... do you have the engine running?

Pete

 

It doesn't really matter.. Its easier to talk back and forth without the engine on.. And you can detect the play either way.

 

sounds great...so there is room for some sort of adjustability with the steering box ? i havent looked at it yet....its not a serious problem just more of a preference

 

Chances are you have a track bar end going bad...

Watch under the truck where the track bar connects to the frame while someone turns the wheel back & forth.. chances are you'll see the end connected to the frame moving.

Any idea exactly what he replaced?

The steering box can be adjusted a bit.. loosen the jam nut on top of the box, then crank the allen screw only an 1/8 or 1/4 turn at a time. I doubt thats the problem though.

 

AGR boxes are junk.....do a search on AGR on pavementsucks.com and see how many of them are being warranteed. Plenty of reading. Heard their customer service sucks too.

I got a box from PSC for around $300 shipped. Tom, the guy that runs PSC actually started AGR (so I've been told). After he was bought out by a bigger outfit he started another shop. AGR's quality has gone down ever since.

I chased the same problem for two years, threw TRE's, ball joints and track bars at it and never fixed it until I went with my current setup. 8-9K miles and it still feels tight and tracks straight.....tires have never been rotated and they're wearing dead even front to back.

PM me if you need more info......

 

What cowhand said... AGR is crap. USED to be a great company in the day, but has gone to poop.

I second PSC.. Will be running their stuff on my crawler, and on the Ram if I can come off the 3 bills...

 

I'd go with track bar or tie rod ends. thats what was wrong on mine and i had excess play in steering

 

thanx guys i'll start with the tie rods....we'll go from there might just be a small adjustment