Hey guys I have diesel 04.5 2500 4 by 4 . I replaced the front U joints in the 4wheel drive and new pads all around. I used the power steering method to push the bearings out. Now saying that ever since then (2 weeks) from a starting from a stopped position a hard right or left every 2 out of ten times a get a slight shimmy for 1 to 2'seconds . But under load (hauling trailer ) it does this 8 out 10 it does this. But if already in motion there is shimmy only from stopped it does this.I'm thinking maybe I pushed the front end out of alinement by using the power steering to push the wheelbearing out. Any thoughts would be great .

 

Shimmy in the steering wheel, or under your seat?

 

I guess it's more of a vibration than a shimmy, speedy.


Just got home from getting a wheel alignment .
The guy first told me that the the axle tube was bent on the driver side by -O.5 (the short axle side)is this common on the short side? Then tell's me that that my transfer case is shot!as I had asked him to look into my shimmy problem . He couldnt find the problem in two wheel drive so he tryed it in four- by four and only at full right and left turn from a stop with load on it . The steering wheel and the truck jarred and bounced around . And could hear slight noise down from the transfercase. there is only _68000 km on the truck! And never off road .I know four wheel drive grabs and pulls alittle bit on pavement . Does this sound like he is right ? Now I am thinking maybe what I did didn't have anything to do with it. Maybe by correcting the universal joint on the driver side just brought out the problem of the vibration when I make a hard turn to the left of right from a dead stop. Does anyone know is a half degree out would cause this problem?
Any advise would big time help.



2004.5 2500 edge attitude with juice cts. Banks cold air and monster dual exaust system

 

find another alignment shop!!!

remove the front driveshaft for starters and drive it and see if the vibration is still there to begin idolating the problem

 

If he did it on dry pavement in 4x4, it will hop going around the corner that is why you should not use 4x4 on dry pavement.

 

The fronts on our Dodge trucks are either locked or limited slips. You don't want to be driving them in 4WD on the hard.

My bet is that your shop didn't put your wheel hubs back on right after replacing your U-joints. Find another shop, unless you're related to them.

 

If you haven't checked you ball joints, I would. Using the power steering to push the hubs out puts a lot of force on the ball joints. If it was a good alignment shop he would have done this before he did anything. As far as the axle tube being bent I don't think that you could have done that with the bearing removal. It was most likely that it was there from the factory. AAM axles in my opinion are JUNK! But even then, if it is bent from top to bottom you can get a set of adjustable ball joints and correct it. The front axles can deal with a little more misalignment than the rear, the u-joint should take up most of it. If it was a rear axle with a tube bent you will break axle shafts all the time.

 

Is that -0.5 inches or degrees? In what plane, caster or camber (toe-in doesn't matter because that is adjusted by the tie-rods)? If it is inches, then the truck has been wrecked and the axle was damaged. If it is degrees, then I wouldn't sweat it. It was probably welded like that at the factory and that is probably more common than any of us would like to admit. You can still adjust the caster so it is within spec for both sides, since stock specs for caster range over more than a full degree.

I have seen some posts on this forum where folks talk about setting their caster to different settings on the right and left to adjust for road crown. I've got news for them. You can't do that with a 4WD solid front end unless you have adjustable ball joints. If you don't have adjustable (or worn) ball joints, any variation in the camber or caster settings from right to left will be because it was welded like that at the factory.