Does anybody have any experience with the steering box stabilizer brackets that are for sale out there? BD makes one and Im sure there are others. They go for a little over $200 on Geno's.

My trucks steering is numb, to say the least. It wanders from side to side on the highway. It takes alot of steering input from me to keep it going straight. Its VERY annoying. I have not been to the dealer yet for this issue(for various reasons) and would like to get some input from others on here who have that steering box stabilizer. They say it can be installed in less than 15 mins. Any input would be appreciated.

 

that box wont fix your problem. if you have bad steering components they will still be bad. if you turn the wheel and the steering shaft turns but your steering gear box doesnt than you need a box and it cant be fixed with the steering brace.

 

Different yrs have different issues , not sure about the 07 , how many miles on it how hard has it been worked ?
Has it been like that since new ?
Seems early for any parts to be worn , from what I have read / heard this style suspension systems are problematic and factory specs not as good as could be .
I would say at least get them to give there opinion , then find an independent shop with a good rep. then give more info .
It could be they did not tighten something .
As for the brace , I have one , I would say at least on the older trucks , it a preventive [ weak frame ] issue , to much weight [ Cummins ] , they will not fix anything that is broken .

 

The truck has 30K on it and it has not been abused. It pulls various sized trailers from 6k-11k daily from April to November. I can move the steering wheel approx 2"-2 1/2" in either direction before the wheels start to move. What should I do or look at under the truck to narrow down the cause?

 

You guys are right about it not fixing the steering box, but it can make it substantially better, which will buy you some time. When you do replace the box, the SBS will help it live longer.

 

best $30.00 I have ever spent

 

with truck running have someone turn steering wheel while you watch underneath. Look for side to side play in the sector shaft coming out of the bottom of the gear box, that is what the brace will help. Then look at track bar bushings for slop and or loose mounting bolts. Also look for unwanted play in tie rod ends. Then do a cold steer with truck off to see if shaft from the steering wheel turns without the sector shaft/pitman arm, is so box is probably toast as said earlier (call red-head steering gear). Then grab intermediate shaft from steering wheel to gear box and turn while watching steering wheel to make sure they turn at the same time. That should narrow it down

 

Now there is enough info to make some guess's , enough mile & use to have some ware .
When look a someone truck / car for ware , I look at every part , easy way to do is have 2 people , one turn the steering wheel , there is parts right in the steering column to start , but they ware with many more miles , then out under hood , the shaft going to steering box has a joint that can ware , then one at a time go to all moving part in the front steering suspension , as wheel is being turned [ just enough to take up the slack you mentioned ] sometimes placing hand on one pivot part at a time , sometimes its easier to feel small ware , then see , all this on ground with weight on wheels , then off ground , last is using pry bar on ball joints , u-joints to look for slack .

 

Thanks for the info guys, Im off tomorrow so Ill get out and check everything out then.

Rpainter, where did you get one for $30.....???

 

i will bet it is the steering shaft, genos has the borgoson unit for under 300.00. i bought the steering brace and it did not fix the steering problem i was haveing. it is my shaft, just as soon as i can afford it i am going to install...

 

I still have approx. 6k miles left on the warranty...maybe I'll just take it in and see what they say...

 

Look in to this tsb#22-005-06. This is the tsb about death wobble and I believe will get updated steering components.

 

made it Rob

 

I am going to disagree with makeing it substantially better. the steering brace only helps prevent sector shaft deflection. if you turn the steering wheel and the shaft turns but the pitman arm doesnt turn than the steering brace wont make it better at all. if the tie rods are shot or the ball joints or the trac bar the brace wont do a thing.

 

well i got the BD steering brace, thuren trac bar and thuren steering stabilizer.feels great now, and death wobble at the track is gone.