last weekend noticed a pretty good pull to the right when braking. Took it to my buddy's shop....right caliper was a little rusted with a bunch of other crap jammed in there...right brake pade was almost gone. (38k miles) He tore it all apart, cleaned it up, and put in new brake pads on both sides. OK, solved but truck doesn't drive firm at all...it wobbles side to side at the smallest of bumps....i had noticed this before but not as bad...i was stumped but kept driving.

OK...no pulling to the right just loose steering i guess is what you call it. tonight its pulling to the right again....


5k miles ago is when i first noticed the truck not driving straight at hwy speeds. took it to a shop to be aligned...was told the ball joints were going out..too much play in the joints. took it to dealer (33k)....they say you MUST have atleast 1/4 inch play in the joint...so its normal. took it to another shop...they aligned and said the alignment was off some...didnt notice anything in the ball joints.

OK...driving straight again although you can wiggle the wheel at hwy speeds and feel the truck wobble a little bit....This "wobbling" was horrible when i had 285 load range D mudders installed at 28k but i gave the credit to the tires for that one. 265 toyo load range E's installed now...still a slight wobble. kept on driving past 36k and then developed the pulling to the right...

I am thinking i have bad ball joints....anyone agree?

I had it at the dealer for this problem BEFORE 36k...i have no proof that i was there that day for that problem....what do i do? I'm going to the dealer first thing in the morning to talk about whats goin on. we'll see.

thinking back on it now...this problem was worse with 285 mudders with softer rubber because the tire was taller and would thus sway more....back to 265 E's and the truck won't sway as much because of a shorter, more firm tire.

 

got another opinion.....upper ball joints. guy said the newer ford and dodge diesels that offroad alot are having upper ball joint failure. anyone heard of or experienced this?


84 views and no one has a suggestion?

 

I had to change mine at 14K but I offroad everyday at work. Right now my steering box is toasted. It has quite a bit of slop in the shaft.
I don't know if it matters have you ruled out a blown front shock or steering dampner? In the past I have blown a shock & get the death wobble because of it.

 

Gig'em!

I'm experiencing the same thing... Truck was pulling to the right at highway speeds. So I took it to get it aligned. The guys aligning it said that everything looked ok but it had a lot of toe. They fixed the alignment and gave me the sheet. Everything seemed within reason to me.

Got it back on the highway and it still pulls to the right! Note: Tire pressures are equal.

Also.. When I'm off the pavement going pretty slow over bumps I hear a rattling in the right suspension area....

I'll be taking it to the dealer first chance I get... I'm almost to 36k!

 

i've done alignment too....no help.

I do off road alot...well used to. all hwy these days.

jtnm- sounds like what i was told...off-road the ball joints go. I do'nt believe it to be steering stabilizer related...it would act up at lower speeds too i would think. shock is an idea to look into.

Aggie98- GIG 'EM!! no rattling in suspension area that i know of. i will be back in bcs come august...might just have to talk trucks sometime.

i'll find out more tommorrow. taking truck to a shop first thing in the morning. thanks for the replies.

 

I'll be taking mine in tomorrow... I'll post what the dealer says.

973604x4 - Any time... When you get back and settled in, let me know.

 

If you have big tires expect your uppers to last no longer than about 30k.
I had one about to fall out (upper pass side) at 22k.

 

sounds right pourin diesel. i had 285 mudders on when i first noticed the problem.

i was at the dealer for this issue at 33k and was told that the ball joints were fine. I have no paper work for this issue because i was at the dealer for other stuff already....that stuff is on paper. i got back on the road and now i'm at 38k and the dealer already said it Would Not be covered under warranty. guess i may have to try to find an honest soul at the dealer that remembered me being there. I know the guys by name so maybe it won't be too hard.

 

I had to replace both front wheel bearings and all 4 ball joints @35k. Then after they did an alligment it pulled to the right. Made the dealer do another allignment and now it drives perfect. The dealer showed me before the second allignment was adjusted that the first was in spec to prove his point.

 

aggie 98- sry i looked over your post earlier...but will do. sounds like you got an awful nice truck.

looks like i am gonna have a dealer battle. I WAS in before 36k for this issue it just wasn't as bad then...

 

Looks like mine will have a weekend retreat at the dealer... Hopefully they'll replace some stuff! If not, I'll definitely get written documentation!

 

Lower ball joints are toast, It will run you about $800 to have all of them replaced, oh yeah youu need to align it agoin afterwards. Not covered by warrenty becasue your is past 36K unless you bought an extended on like I did. It only cost me $50 thanks to the extended DC warranty.

 

ball joints are OK...3 places said that including the dealer...one place said i needed new ones. can't figure this mess out. we're trying shocks first since shocks are supposedly only rated for 40k anyway. going Bilstein. should get the truck back tommorrow. we'll see....wanted to go Bilstein anyway so why not....might work. I can't let the truck sit anymore. Gettin too far behind with work and weekend adventures.

(BDDL and Autometer gauges on the pillar...install Monday!)

 

The gauge pod will be sweet!

Do you have any kind of lift?

 

i am excited about the gauges...its all gonna be very nicely wired....installing a new seperate fuse box to run the gauges and have spots for new accessories in the future. there will also be a custom dimmer with the gauges....so i can dim them however i want in the dark....they will be closer to my face so i may not want them as bright as the dash lights.

the Bullydog should put me in the mid to upper 13's in the quarter mile too.

nope no lift and Thank God....won't clear Texas A&M parking garages. its scary close already.