Beer Barrel

Great! Keep posting, I'm really enjoying this thread!

m-o-p-a-r

Okay. I am a little disappointed.
I busted my *** on this terd all weekend.
Couple small hiccups. But everything went well for the most part.
Until the last step. Steering box/pump won't bleed.

A re-cap:
Install leveling kit. With new control-arms.
And, install new heavy-duty steering box, and new updated "T" style steering parts.

After buttoning everything up, I spent an hour trying to get the steering bled.
It just ain't happening. I have never had one act like this before.

Any tips?

Jhenderson0524

Raise the front off the ground and turn the wheels lock to lock slowly about a dozen times with the engine off. Repeat with the engine running. Slowly, with repeated checks for fluid. On the last cycle, hold the steering wheel against the end of travel when you shut down. Walk away for 30 minutes and it should be fine. It's worked for me more than once.l

m-o-p-a-r

Thanks, I will give that routine a shot when I get home tonight.

m-o-p-a-r

Well, as it turns out, the hydraulics just needed a rest LOL.
When I got home, all I did was top up the fluid, and it seems to be fine.
I have the toe at 1/8" in, and the castor is almost max positive. It actually tracks pretty darn straight now!
Really happy with the steering upgrade.
The wheel may be a little stiff. Going to look in to flow requirements for this box.
Maybe a pump upgrade is in order? But, as of now it is drivable, and worlds better than it was!
I even managed to get the steering wheel centered. BONUS!

But, all is not roses!
It is shifting itself in to 4x4 again.
I am very upset over this.
I mean like: extremely disgusted to the point of running this thing over with a D11 CAT.
The reason it upsets me so:
There are so many things it could be! And, nobody knows how to trouble-shoot it.
If I take it to the dealer, they are just going to throw parts at it. At the expense of my wallet.
If I take it to a shop, how long are they going to have it before they actually figure it out? Again, at the expense of my wallet.
I can read all the threads, and try all the known common causes. at both the expense of my wallet, and frustration!

I have said it 1000 times, electrical gremlins will end my relationship with this truck.


At this point, I almost don't care what the problem is.
I am going to research performing an electric-shift-ectomy.
If I can find that there are no ill side-effects of just un-plugging the shift motor:
My floor is going to grow a lever. The way it should be in the first place!

m-o-p-a-r

Made it all the way to the shop this morning, without a single self-shifting event.
Sure steers nice!
Pump is still growling at me a little bit when turning right abruptly.
Left feels like new.
I am sure it will work itself out before I get home tonight.

Only other thing I have noticed different is that the "air-bag" light is stuck on in the cluster. Gonna hafta look in to that as well.

m-o-p-a-r

Just went to the bank in Baby-poop.

Steering hydros are acting up again. Sounds feels like low on fluid, but it is sitting right between the lines.

Shifted in to 4x4 3 times in 6 miles (once on the way there, twice on the way back).

It sure runs nice though, and goes down the road straight.

The hydros I can fix. There is air/cavitation somewhere. I will figure that out.

The ghost shifting? I don't believe in ghosts. It is going to grow a lever!

Jhenderson0524

If it's growling I'd bet on the pump. Remans are a crap shoot. New from Dodge cost me about $600 with bracket and reservoir, but it's quiet and it works. Good luck.

m-o-p-a-r

I did not replace the pump, and it was fine before I swapped the new steering box on. I understand that doesn't mean It is still good though.

m-o-p-a-r

I am thinking the box still had air trapped somehow.
Before I left the shop tonight, I popped the cap to check the fluid level.
It was quite low. I topped it up again for the 4th or 5th time.
And all the way home it seemed fine.
I have never seen a power-steering box take over 100 miles to bleed itself. Weird!

Before I left I also unplugged the T-case shift servo motor.
Now I have a lovely "SERV 4WD" message staring me in the face,
But at least it stayed in 2 wheel drive all the way home.

So, I stopped at a convenient store on my way. And when I pulled up to the curb, there in the reflection in the glass, one of my fog-lamps is out!
Seriously?! Now I feel like I am being toyed with!

m-o-p-a-r

And I want to add:
If anybody is considering the heavy-duty steering box upgrade, DO-IT!

The pump is now quiet, and has smooth power from lock to lock. It must have just been air trapped.
So, I guess it can take some special attention to bleed the system. Other than that the install was simple.
I also upgraded the steering linkage at the same time to the newer "Tee-style".

I got on the freeway this morning, and took the long way to the shop (about 40miles).
This truck drives flawlessly now!
To preface: before it wandered terribly. Required a firm grip and total focus to not loo like a DUI candidate.

The steps I took before I made the investment in the upgrade included:
Inspect everything of-course. The steering linkages were the original "Wye-style". And fairly new MOOG parts that were perfectly tight.
The steering-damper is a fairly new Bilstien unit (i re-used it with the new parts).
Set toe @ 1/8" in.
Adjust the lash out of the steering box (this eliminated the play at the wheel, but did not affect the handling at all).
Adjust a few degrees of positive castor in (this was the only thing that made a small difference).
Installed a steering box brace (this was a huge waste of time and money).

All to no avail. The truck just wandered all over the place.

Install the upgraded parts: NEW TRUCK!!!!!

I am very happy with these parts, and highly recommend them!
Not cheap, but I feel, worth every penny.
And, with any "normal" sized tires, I can't fathom the need for one of those sector-shaft supports (steering box brace).
As a matter of fact, the more I think about those things, the less I like them.

m-o-p-a-r

And for anybody wondering what this "upgraded" Mopar steering box is all about, here are a couple pics of the original box next to the big-bertha box:





Pay particular attention to the massive sector shaft in the new box. Good stuff!

I want to love this truck. I really do.
It now runs beautifully.
And it now steers precisely, and tracks straight.
The brakes have been awesome from day one.
Its comfortable, and the interior isn't falling apart.
And it is now a pleasure to drive.

I sure hope I am able to corner all these electrical gremlins, and squash them.

I have all but made up my mind that I am going to install a manual shift T-case. The hole is in the floor already. It has a block-off plate screwed to it from the factory. So, the screws are even there. I have already compiled the parts list for the shifter, bezel, boot, and rod. Its all available, and the prices aren't even that bad. I just need to find a T-case. And figure out if it is possible to get the messages in the cluster working properly (which is actually the least of my worries).

correngcon

m-o-p-a-r, what is the latest on this? I ask because I am having a hell of a time with my 03 Ram troubleshooting electrical issues and all signs point to either the FCM, ECM, or bad grounding.

m-o-p-a-r

The latest is: it is a freaking nightmare.
This truck has so many electrical problems it is pathetic.
Had I not spent close to $6k above and beyond the purchase price of the truck already it would not belong to me by now.
The new IPM seems to have fixed the lights permanently. And, it runs really well now.
But, I can not track down the cause of the T-case self-shifting.
I took it to the dealer so they could look for all the proper signals, in all the proper places (on their fancy pants diagnostic tool that only they have). Guess what?! They could not communicate with half the truck. Told me the ECM was bad (truck ran beautiful on the drive in). Tried to force me to purchase new ECM saying truck did not run. I came un-glued on the service manager over the fact that I drove it in, and then, they said it wouldn't run. Then, after I got upset, they somehow miraculously got it to start. Then, I came even more unglued over their unethical business scruples (they flat lied to me). Then they refused to work on it unless I bought an ECM. Needless to say, I drove it out of there, and wont be going back.

So, I am currently looking for an honest dealer to take it to, as the one local to me is not.
I need to get the computers flashed, or programmed, or whatever it is they do to get everything communicating properly.

But, yea, it will still shift itself if I plug the shift-motor back in.
The air-bag light in the cluster is stuck on.
The SERV 4WD light in the cluster is stuck on (because I have the motor unplugged).
Every now and then it honks the horn by itself for no reason.
And a slew of other things I don't even remember right now.

I thought maybe the horn, and air-bag light, were clock-spring related. NOPE! Replaced the clock-spring, no change.

Ohh, and, it gets terrible mileage! And I mean terrible. 12.7 consistently. Figured long-hand over the last 4 fill-ups. And the odometer is just about right on the money according to the mile markers on the freeway. Over 10miles, it is off less than 1/10th of a mile. I have checked that several times. It is very consistent. With 3.73's and E-rated 285's @ 75lbs, this truck should get better than 12.7mpg.

I drive it every day though.
It runs beautiful. Smooth as glass.
It is a pleasure to drive. The ride is great. Its quiet. And just a nice truck to drive.

But, if somebody offered me a clean first-gen 4x4 5-sp for trade? I would do it in a heart-beat.

I hate-hate-hate-hate-hate-hate the electronics of this truck. I want my VE back. I want my manual tranny back. I want my simple 12v electrical system back.
The comfort (and power, lots of it) is not worth the trade-off in reliability to me.

m-o-p-a-r

I scored a great condition, correct colors, Transfer-case shifter assembly, off ebay last week for $14.00! That made my week.
And, I picked up a used manual-shift NP271 off craigslist today for $400.
Going to order a master-rebuild kit and new chain tonight.
Rebuild and install next weekend!


Electric shift transfer case issues FIXED!


I can live with the "SERV 4WD" message on the dash.
I can not deal with the insecurity of electric shift, or fighting the gremlins.