ever since I got my balljoints, ujoints and everything related replaced this summer, I have had really loose steering. they made a note on the work order that when it was in for allignment, they noticed some slop in the steering linkage, but it was fine before I took it in (it drove perfect at least). now its like if I touch it, it will steer one way, and when I go to correct it it lurches back to the other side. my wife was driving it, and almost lost control because it was like driving a boat, you had to think ahead about where you were steering.

is this all steering linkage? I dont see how it could be because like I said, it drove fine before they replaced everything. maybe its the steering stabalizer going bad? should I get a stiffer one on there?

if I recall, the items replaced were, ball joints, ujoints, outer tie rod end and a hub bearing.

any thoughts?

 

Sounds like they adjusted the steering gear box and if adjusted too tight will cause your steering problem you noted. Common complaint if steering gear is adjusted wrong. Check the track bar also for play. Not noted on your list of parts replaced. If it has excessive play it will give you lots of free play in steering.

 

I thought the track bar was replaced, but its not noted on the invoice.

I am assuming adjusting the steering gear is something I would need special tools for?

 

Possable alignment prolem. To much toe is a possability.

 

ian515 I'm having the same problem but except with a new vibration that has come up between 68-72 mph. I had both drive shafts rebuilt and balanced which helped a great deal but the loose steering and small annoying vibration still exists. It started around 159000 miles. It's driving me nuts and the shop I trusted the most is telling me they can't find anything wrong. I came here to do a search and this is the first one I found. Good luck with your steering, I heard there is a pitman arm bushing or something that could be the problem?

 

I was hoping it wasnt an allignment issue, as it started after being alligned, and the people who do the work have never done it wrong before, but there is always a first time I guess.

I need to crawl under the truck and start digging, I dont have any vibrations, and it drives perfectly straight, it just steers terribly. kinda scary when I get a car on either side of me, I can see a horrible pinball effect happenning someday if I dont get if fixed.

 

I just got new tires and now the truck wonders all over the place. Let us know what you find.

 

climb under there while it's running and have somebody turn your steering wheel back and forth. While they are doing that look at all your tie-rod connections throughout your linkage. You'll notice the wheel doesn't move right when the steering wheel is turned, it will move after the tie rod moves about 1/4" or so. If that's the case, you need some new tie rod ends.

 

and while yout under there doing that watch where the pitman arm attatches to the sector shaft on the steering gear. These gear boxes can develope side to side play in the sector shaft that can translate to loose steering. I caught mine before it was too bad and doctored it up with a DSS brace and now all is tight again and i didn't have to replace the $$steering gear. If it is tie rods get the new 08´ steering setup (lots of recent posts on this). Good luck!

Just had another thought since you said it was fine before the work, if its not the steering gear adjustment mentioned above. When doing ball joints there are several opportunities to damage tie rod ends. If they used a picklefork instead of puller to remove tie rod ends from knuckle and or didn't support linkage while it was disconnected from knuckle they could have damaged your tie rod ends......

 

its probably the tie rod end they DIDNT replace. I will crawl under it tomorrow. I would like to have it fixed before the roads get TOO icy, and the over correcting problem I have causes an accident.