2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission 2wd Loose steering

[KPerson]

Got the truck back from the garage. Got new pitman, idler & upper/lower ball joints and an alignment. The truck still seems to wonder on the road. What's left to replace, steering box? Is this box adjustable. Getting frustrated and broke trying to tighten this truck up. It's not as loose but it still dosent feel tight.

 

[mikel]

I've played this exact game with three of the four 2wd dodge trucks that I have owned to one extent or another. Most of the steering boxes are crap on these trucks. ALL of the ones that I have looked at have too much side to side slop in the box. I have run the DSS bracket on the last three of my trucks and it has helped alot, but on my current truck there is still something wrong on the inside of the box I think. I still have too much free play in the steering, even with the DSS installed and I have done all the "Overcenter adjustment" and "Preload adjustment" stuff several times.



In this thread



Satmike talks about getting a box from Steer & Gear out of columbus that he says has been bored out and a bronze bushing put in to fix the stock box factory defect of being bored to big to begin with. This is the proper way to fix the slop that is built into these boxes from the factory and it is what I will be doing to try and get my truck fixed. The numbers he gave for Steer and Gear are (614)231-4064 (800)253-4327.



Good luck,

Mike

 

[FourBarR]

my truck has 332000 km. has never had a steering , or wandering problem. have you checked the tie rod ends?lay under the truck , and have someone slowly move the steering wheel back and forth. you should be able to see or feel where the slack is coming from. hope this helps.

 

[WestTN]

If you don't have excessive play at the steering wheel, then search for 'caster'. There is a problem with the stock settings being less than ideal. If you do have excessive play, the check the steering box adjustments and the shaft coupling under the hood.