Pulling out of the driveway this morning I noticed a wobbling of the steering wheel when turning left or right past center. Going straight I don't notice anything unusual but when I turn either way (more noticeable when turning right) the steering wheel moves back and forth a little, like something is out of round or kind of like 4wd is engaged. I have the manual engagement lever and moving it to 4wd and back to 2wd didn't help.

Any thoughts???

 

Front u-joint most likely. Similar to what mine felt like.

 

u-joint,second that...since they turn ALL THE TIME it would NOT matter what your trans case is in...

 

u-joint makes sense. How difficult is it to change myself? Do I need any special tools? Should I take it in???

 

Could it be a loose track bar?

 

Not real likely. Since they changed the design there haven't been near as many problems.

 

How has the design changed? I thought all 03-up trucks had the same track bar?

 

check your steering stabilizer, might have a busted seal. mine did the same exact thing (only55k mi on trk) replaced it and it cleared right up. you could see that the seal was out it had oil marks on it.

 

I'd look at the steering stabalizer and the U-joint first. The track bars are bolted in pretty securely, not to say it might not be a problem, but the less likely of the 3. You can put a wrench/socket to the track bar to see if the bolts are tight, easily accomplished and easy elimination.

Years ago I had that wobble feeling in my steering, mostly when turning left, and after looking at it very closely and eliminating the U-joint as the culpret, it was a wheel bearing on the drivers side, actually the retaining nut had backed off a little allowing play, and ultimately caused the bearing problem. This was on a truck with manual hubs, but full-time hubs can have similar problems. Steering stabalizers did not play a role in steering like they do today in most cases they were aftermarket add-ons then.

Also, aren't our steering gearboxes adjustable? Maybe you need an adjustment. Somewhere in all the posts here I recall someone discussing some steering wobble and they fixed it with an adjustment I believe? The steering shafts have u-joints also, so you can also get a wobble feeling when they have a problem.

I hope it is the easiest of fixes and you don't have to get into all the other more complicated stuff.

CD

 

Thanks. I'll take a look at it tonight. They changed the left u-joint before but now maybe the right one died. It also feels worse when turning right.

Is there an easy tell if it's the u-joint? Should I be able to see play in it, etc.?

 

When I mentioned design change, I was meaning to reference the change from 2nd to 3rd gens. sorry. 2nd gens had a ton of trouble!

 

Have any of you changed your own front u-joints? How difficult is it?

 

Read this post. Very good how to!


https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=151463

or

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ight=front+hub

 

Jack up the front wheel on the side you are suspecting. With the wheels in the straight-ahead position, spin (by hand) the wheel that is jacked up. It should spin smoothly with no binding. Now turn the steering wheel all the way to lock, one way or the other. Spin the jacked up wheel now, if the u-joint is seized, the wheel will turn a little, then bind.

 

Well, I took it in to the *********** and here is what they found:

The right u-joint was bad and the left one was leaking. I told them to change both. He indicated that they might also have to replace the hubs if they broke them while removing them. The total worst case estimate was $1600. Crap!

I told him to go ahead. They called this afternoon and said that they didn't have to replace the hubs and the total charge was $751. Of the $751 about $510 was labor, the rest was parts and tax.

This makes the second driver u-joint I've put in (last one was 50,000 miles ago).

Should I expect to change u-joints every 50,000?