2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Click / Snap noise in steering

[SnoKing]

This is driving me nuts. I have the click snap sound when turn the wheels back and forth. With the front wheels off the ground it is gone or with one front wheel off the ground it is gone. My BIL and I just spent and hour, and we could not locate the source. There is a slight amount of play in the tie rod end at the pitman arm and I ordered a replacement. However the sound does not seem to be from that.

Truck has Darin's steer box brace, his 3rd gen track bar mount and an OEM 3 gen track bar. Also has a home make receive that ties the two front frame rails together at the tow hook mounts. Will see it this link works. The little clicks are from that tie rod end. The louder ones somewhere else.

Front below the sound seems higher in the truck and from above it seem lower. SNOKING

http://vid269.photobucket.com/albums/jj53/snoking1127/VID_20150429_103944729_zpslovnmzr7.mp4

 

[AEdelheit]

I would check the TB conversion bracket.

 

[JR]

Does it sound like it could be at the wheels (ball joints) or inboard from there?
I have heard dry ball joints make all kind of interesting noises when turning the wheel or driving over rough/uneven ground (causing the bj's to pivot and creak and pop).

How about the steering shaft?

 

[SnoKing]

Holding onto the steering shaft kind of indicates that it is not that. Could be something in the steering box, as the noise seems to be in the whole front frame area and not in the axle area.

TB conversion bracket seems tight, but I will put a wrench to it. The main bolt in the old mount gets tighten to 250 ft lbs or something like that.

SNOKING

 

[JR]

Stethoscope to the gear box while an assistant turns it? I would think you could feel it by hand as loud as it sounds but a stethoscope should really amplify it.

 

[JMcCoy]

Is the pitman arm hitting anything. When I did the 3rd generation trac bar, I could no longer use a Lukes link at the pitman, because it hit. Napa joint is still very close.

 

[SnoKing]

No clearance issues. Steering box brace and 3 rd gen track bar have been on the truck for 10 years. SNOKING

 

[jkalchik]

This is a bit of a long shot...... take the steering stabilizer shock absorber off.

 

[SnoKing]

This is a bit of a long shot...... take the steering stabilizer shock absorber off.

No noise with front wheels off the ground. Snoking

 

[Slow Six]

axle u joints?

 

[SnoKing]

axle u joints?

Again, No noise with front wheels off the ground. Snoking

 

[SnoKing]

Could it be the end of a upper or lower control arm? Snoking

 

[Hoefler]

In my 2010, I would hear a pop/click/tick/what ever you want to call it, turned out to be a bad bearing in the column.

 

[BarryG]

I remember there being quite a bit of buzz years ago about the steering column bushing(perhaps what hoefler is referring to but unsure) making noise. There was a company that made a replacement bushing. I also recall that there were some issues with it not that it didn't work but that if you put it on too tight the steering wheel was stiff. A search here for steering column bushing may yield some results. I just did a quick search on the web and I think I found the company that made the replacement bushing but without digging too deep into their website it doesn't say much
http://www.rocksolidramtrucksteering.com/

I just did a quick search here on "rock solid ram steering" and a lot of threads came up. May or may not be your issue but might be worth the search to read a few of the threads and to see if the issues coincide with your symptoms.

 

[JMcCoy]

I installed the rocksolid steering to mine. I installed it too tight. After a few weeks, it still hadn't loosened up. I had to remove it (not easy) sand to fit, then reinstall. Works great now. I don't know if it made a big difference, because I also installed a new Borgeonson steering box and shaft at the same time.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Ya know a new truck will resolve all those problems.

 

[JMcCoy]

Wow, that's super nice of you to offer to give him your new truck. That's one of the things I love about the TDR; the generosity of the members.

 

[Cummins12V98]

He needs something to push him over the edge. He has been drooling over new trucks for months!

 

[petersonj]

This is driving me nuts. I have the click snap sound when turn the wheels back and forth. With the front wheels off the ground it is gone or with one front wheel off the ground it is gone. My BIL and I just spent and hour, and we could not locate the source. There is a slight amount of play in the tie rod end at the pitman arm and I ordered a replacement. However the sound does not seem to be from that.

Truck has Darin's steer box brace, his 3rd gen track bar mount and an OEM 3 gen track bar. Also has a home make receive that ties the two front frame rails together at the tow hook mounts. Will see it this link works. The little clicks are from that tie rod end. The louder ones somewhere else.

Front below the sound seems higher in the truck and from above it seem lower. SNOKING

http://vid269.photobucket.com/albums/jj53/snoking1127/VID_20150429_103944729_zpslovnmzr7.mp4

I have a similar noise (a click) in the steering wheel in my 2002 2500 4x4 when I am driving slow (5 mph) especially turning to the right over uneven ground. It never happens going straight ahead and sometimes it is barely discernible when turning to the left.

The truck has 225,000 miles on the odometer and I did major replacement of suspension and steering parts at 215,000 miles - not because things were worn out, but for better performance for the second life of the truck. I replaced upper and lower ball joints, track bar, steering box (Borgeson), steering shaft (Borgeson), and installed a steering box stabilizer. The click noise appeared sometime after this work, but not right away. I have spent a lot of time trying to figure it out, but so far no luck.

Did you ever resolve your steering noise problem and if you did what was the cause? Appreciate any help.

Thanks, John

 

[SnoKing]

No, I try to ignore it. Will take it to a front shop after summer. Not driving it much right now. Snoking