110k miles on a 2006 3500 two wheel drive.

like when I go to back out of a spot, you can feel "resistance" like it is bucking a bit. fluid level is fine.
maybe it does it more when cold, dunno, just notice every few days or so, when turning wheels & setting still, mostly.


the 4x2 has a rack & pinion,
and my old rack is leaking out both ends, oh so slightly...


https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...light=steering

this seems to ring a bell, i think it had pressure in it last time.

before I read about the cap blowing the fluid out, I was figuring to replace the rack, tie rod ends, and the Power steering pump.

anyone found a good price on those?

all the threads I found on here are 4x4 related.
i have a set of wide tires on it, so that could be exacerbating the problem.
(always wanted to sneak that $4 word into a DTR discussion)

it pulls to the right after it's last alignment (year ago)

was gonna just go thru the front end, then have it aligned again.
should a 4x2 need balljoints?

I tow heavy a few times a year, but never carry anything in the bed

 

Mine was showing a very slight leak seal at 120k. I used some http:/Auto-Rx according to instructions, had system drained and no problems the last 50k +. (I've used it in numerous other vehicles with good results; does what it says).

 

I took it in for an alignment, and they called me back with a $1500 estimate.

i have the non-venting Power steering reservoir cap, and it is pushing fluid out the rack ends, so they wanted to put on a new pump, new hoses, and new Rack.
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...p-t206837.html


i told the service writer about the Cap, and the post, and the updated caps.
he swore up and down and pretty much got mad at me, telling me the new cap DID NOT apply to my truck.

i asked....did you take the cap off and it went WHOOOOSH...that means.....pressure is building up in there...

he told me did not have to take the cap off to know, my truck does NOT have this problem because his paperwork says it don't

so anyways they put on new tie rod ends, and lower ball joints, and did the alignment.

and now, it steers like crap...it's heavy, thick, doesn't return to center, hard to steer around corners. just dead & hard to turn the wheel.

got 115k miles on it, so pretty familiar with how it drove before.

what could they have done to make it steer so heavy?
it's not the alignment, because it does it setting still, going straight, corners.

i pumped the reservoir empty, put in new fluid, cranked it,
then pumped it empty again, and put in more new fluid.


could it be the new ball joints binding up:
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...light=steering

or other random parts:
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...light=steering

it's really not worth driving it now, so annoying.
put about ~1000 miles on it last week or so, still same. was hoping it would break in.

 

Why didn't you just go to the parts dept and get a cap? They are less than 15 bucks.

My steering cylinder was leaking slightly and the cap fixed it.

See this post: https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...11&postcount=6

 

Find out which brand ball joints were installed. If it is Moog that maybe your problem. Been many similar complaints when these ball joints were installed.

 

wife picked it up, and i try not to go to the dealership

that's why i drilled the hole in it, got so mad, i wanted to see if that would fix it.

I would suppose the dealer would use OEM stuff?
i will call & see if they used MOOG.

it seems a little bit more bearable after the 1000 miles.