I had the same problems with my 2001 dodge. It drove as if i was drunk. I have a good friend at a dealership here where i brought it into to get fixed.He took me aside and told me it is a design flaw that dodge is aware of and is not about to do anything to solve the problem.(cost too much).The problem steering boxes were in 2000 and 2001 models, the problem was rectified in 2002.

PS they did tighten my wormdrive, which made it better but not good

 

update..I took my truck to the dealer and had a tech test drive it with me. His response was that on a scale of 1-10 my trucks steering issue would be a 1. He was honest and stated that he did not believe that there was much that could be done without spending alot of money on replacing componets. One recommendation is that he was going to measure how stiff the upper / lower joints were. If this looked ok then he was also willing to swap the front wheels and tires with a truck on their lot and see if the problem is tire related.

 

Does anyone know where other than the dealer I could buy a 3500 version steering box? Any ideas on the cost? Is this a bolt on change?

 

I just had the dealer check out my front end with a side to side pull test. And swap on a different set of tires...No change in the steering with the tires and the side pull test(not sure of the real technical name) checked out OK.

I am thinking about doing another shotgun fix by repalcing the steering box with a 3500 version. The dealer wants $790 for the parts and $100 to install. The dealer says they can not say either way if this will or will not fix my problem...

Any recommendations out there?

 

Ok, did you say you bought new tires and this started? If so, that's probably your problem right there. New tires take about a month or two to get "broken in" from my experience. When I got new tires on the dump truck I drive it too felt like it was all over the road. Give it a few weeks and hopefully it should be good. Just my humble oppinion.

 

Spitzair..Thanks for the advice...the problem is I put new tires on the truck within a week of buying it. So I think that my problem started with the new tires. Yes I know what you mean about the behavior of new treads.

The dealer said that they swapped tires and wheels and the trucks steering was the same. I notice on my car if I steer to the right or left the vehicle by vertue of tracking will center itself out. My truck does not behave like that..it wants to keep going in the direction that it was intinally steered in...even though I am no longer turning the steering in that direction....I am really thinking about replacing the steering box with a new 3500 type steering box. The Tech at the dealership said that it is a completely different design...no hydraulic value adjuster.

The problem is $790 for the box and $100 to install and the possiblity that this will not help..

Any thoughts out there??

Thanks

 

Wade,

Have you perused any wrecking yards to find a 3500 that has been smacked hard in the hiney??? You might get lucky enough to find one in good shape. They may even take yours on a swap plus a small amount of green. If the ones you try don't have a 3500, have them broadscatter a request on the parts line. Maybe you will get lucky... Thumbs up and good luck!!!

 

I have a 3500 and it does the same thing. I also just installed new front tires and was hoping it would take care of the problem. No such luck. I was thinking about installing the "Solid Steel Steering Brace" to tighten up any movement of the output shaft. http://www.solidsteel.ca/products.htm I am hoping to hear from more people who have installed this brace before ordering it.

 

Jdeereboy,
I installed this product and it did not correct or improve my problem. I ordered 1 of these braces and somehow received 2. I called Darin and asked if he wanted me to return the second one and he said no just keep it.... So I have a brand new brace still in the box never opened. Are you interested in buying it? They sell for $177.00 I will sell for $100.00. Anyways there is another thread on this site where someone said that they were having a stiff steering problem...that the steering wheel would not return to center. He corrected the problem by adjusting the hydralic valve on the steering box. Note this was on a 2500.

I was going to replace my steering box with one from a 3500 because I was told that it operates differently than the box which on the 2500's. Now since I read that you are having the same problem I am really confused..

Does any body out there know what the differences are between the steering box on the 2500 vs 3500 is? Is there a difference?

Thanks

 

This is all too familiar. When I bought my truck, about 3 months ago the steering seemed loose but I did not know about the Rams reputation. I had play in the track bar and the steering box. I got the Solid Steel brace from Darin and it did help the play in the steering box shaft as it is designed to do. I then replaced my track bar, it lasted all of 3000 miles. It was a lot better so I figured I should have the alignment checked ( it had new tires on it when I bought it and did not want to ruin them) and have he tires rotated. What a mistake. The truck not only drove worse than it ever did, it shook like it was falling apart. Took it back and they tried three, yes three, sets of that same tire and it never got better. I upgraded to Toyos and the shake went away. It still did not steer right and would not return to center. Then I found the alignment specs that had been posted here and had it re-done. It still has some play, and I think it is in the track bar again but it drives so much better now.

I have never had a vehicle that drove fine before an alignment and rotation and then drive anywhere near this bad after.

 

This might be stretching it but, If it is a design flaw, where does it lie? is the caster/camber out, if that is the one im thinking? the upper/lower axis points are set for steering. Does the same occur on rigs of the same vintage with a lift kit where the lower and, or, upper arm are replaced as similar to the jeep cherokees. did this correct the problem? or is it in the box??
Just a thought, Apache.