my 2009 3/4 has 30300 miles (still in warranty) wanders , my last visit to dealers about this problem was dismissed as tire wear. I have the tires rotated with every oil change. Any thoughts on this??

 

Do you still have factory tires? Tires with less than E rating will do this. What's the road conditions? Is it everywhere or just certain streets?

 

Welcome to the forum. Please fill out your signature so we know more about the truck, such as 2 or 4 wheel drive, what kind of tires, any mods, etc. Lots of good information here. Should be required reading for our so called "service" departments.

 

Yes still factory tires and while driving on dry roads. tires are LT265/70r117E/ on/off

 

fully inflated? 80 psi?

 

no , empty I have rear at 70 psi and front at 65psi

 

How about putting the steering stabilizer unit on it.It holds the steering box rock solid ,prevents steering box shaft wear,oil leakage and steering wander

 

If your driving empty most of the time I would try airing down the rear tires to 65 and if not happy you can go to 60 then 55 PSI, keep the front in the 65-70 range.

 

My 2WD SRW is 50-psi FF & RR when solo acccording to Owners Manual and door sticker with the OEM Michelin tires.

Check the recommendations. While steering wander can have a lot of causes, overinflation makes a bad thing worse.

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No way on gods green earth would I run 50 PSI in my front tires.

 

This truck got 120k miles out of the first set and ran factory numbers. Get a certified weight scale reading, and compare the numbers to a Load & Pressure Table if you want. Second set is now almost half-worn with 77k miles on them, most of the time (except loaded/towing) at that number.

 

I would definitely install a steering brace stabilizer on it... IMHO, EVERY new Dodge/Ram should come from the dealership with one already installed. This is money well spent.

 

I had one on my last truck and agree. Look for slop from the steer shaft all the way out to the wheels. Any one component may not be "worn out" but wear in all of them sort of adds up to the same thing.

Tires should also be match-balanced, and high speed balancing done on a HUNTER GSP-9700 machine.

 

I know 30k is a low number but check ball joints. I have 80k an on 3rd set. There won't be slop in them but very tight so most will say good, but the tightness will not allow the truck to center and you will have bad wondering, like driving in bad crosswind gusts or lawn mower on pavement wide open. My factory and moog replacements both had bad flat spots when removed.
Sucks to have a $1500 wear item.

 

Wandering is often caused by two things: Incorrect alignment, and incorrect tire pressure.

The alignment is difficult for the average guy to check. You need a level surface and special tools. Go to a good alignment shop and have them put it on the machine.

Proper air pressure varies with loads, temps, and tire types/brands. Proper inflation is whatever pressure it takes to make a flat contact patch.

Too much pressure and the tread will bulge outward, and will ride up on the center of the tire. You end up with rapid tire wear, harsh ride, and poor handeling - especially in transient manouvers when you need it most. This is a huge cause of wandering.

If they'r underinflated, the center will bow inward, and you'll be riding on the outside edges. If the alignment is correct, most wear will be on the inside edge, then the outside edge, and minimal wear in the center.

For example, I have Michelin LTX M/S all around, load range E. Empty, I get best temps at 55 front, 45 rear. I own a tire pyrometer, so it's easy to get good temps.