2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission 94-01 Steering Wandering Count!!

[MBreyer]

2001

New 5100 Bilsteins seem to be helping.

Will look at replacement steering box next.



Still love the truck though! LOL



~Matt

 

[JHutson]

01 2500 new ball joints and now new track bar only 44000 miles

 

[JHutson]

01 2500 new ball joints and now new track bar only 44000 miles

seem to be more noticable after putting on a new set of 285"s other then that love the truck!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dsldoug]

02 2500 4x4

 

[JeffWhite]

02 3500 2WD

It has always been twitchy and over-sensitive to bumps and cross-winds.

Checked alignment at about 500 miles and moved toe-in a little, maybe

helped a bit, seems like taking spacer blocks out of rear spring pack

helped a lot - my imagination? WISH it had about another turn lock-to-lock

and about a 3" bigger diameter steering wheel! It steers great for a Corvette

but sucks for a ton truck, in my opinion. My old Chevy 3/4 with 211,000

on it was MUCH more stable and took NO herding. I'm gonna get around

to putting a steering stabilizer on it one of these days, I think that will

help a lot. I don't like the way the wheel jostles going over bumps now.

 

[ETomasic]

01 2500 4x4 Sucked when NEW! Installed Rancho shocks, Lukes Links, DSS stabilizer, and 2 different sets of tires. STILL SUCKS! Now I need a steering box. Will not compare to my GMC with 220,000 miles. Very disappointed!

 

[MDale]

2001 2500 4x4 steering sucks. Replaced steering box, pitman arm, track bar, TRE, and alinged 30,000mi ago. Still wandered. Added DSS, still wanders, and getting ready to convert to T setup steering. I hope this works.

 

[BDanner]

I have replaced and installed everything you have mentioned. Did not see ball joints in your list. Mine were worn at 45,000 along with the tie rod ends. Those are what drove me to the T-conversion. If you are as committed as you sound replace as much as you can while your down there! The front axle bearings are not cheap, they add $750 in parts to the ball joint job if they break apart during the hub removal. Take it to a heavy truck spring and chassis shop for a real alignment, not to the dealer as most do not have alignment equiptment for trucks. I found this out after $75 X3 and a couple of sets of tires (dually) that they just use a tape line!! This was a 5 Star dealer in Virginia that explained the equiptment cost was not worth the investment. Have never been back to the dealers since.



Good luck! Hope you get it going straight.



___________________________________________

'01 3500 4x4 with alot of new parts and toys!

 

[JFaughn]

12/94 2500 4x4

 

[LOtero]

01 4x4 2500 loose steering tightened steering box helped a lot but still got a little looseness and wander

 

[Double J]

Still wanders as far as I'm concerned but getting out of my Honda Accord everything does.

I think that may be my biggest mistake too. I get out of the wifes CRV an into the Dodge and expect it to steer like hers. :{



I just installed the PSC gear box today and although it may have helped slightly, I don't think my stock box was to far off of the steering play the PSC has. I'll get it aligned tomorrow before I pass my final judgement though... . gut feeling is I could have saved $380.

 

[GMincher]

98. 5, was terrible, I've got it down graded to drivable.

 

[Murphy67]

1994 bought at 108k, Wandered when I got it. First Dodge diesel and it has been alot of sweat and $ but it is much better. The post is supposed to be short, so I guess I can't list all I have done. LOL



This thing still makes my 84 Turismo w/ 192K feel like "performance".

 

[Nyoest]

Wow, 20 pages of problems. Glad it's not just me

 

[MaryZ]

2003 - 2500

 

[AlSmith]

96 Quad Cab 4x2 bought new and still having steering problems. Waiting for someone to come up with a permanent solution.

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

I use to "herd" my 98 down the road. Lucky I got a couple of Border Collies if need be. :-laf



My 02 was much better. I kinda of attributed this to a longer wheel base too.



My 04 was good. But 2 u-joints kaput. in 48K. Ball joints at border line spec. A friend had his ball joints replaced and said it was like the truck was brand new, steering wise.



Honest to God, I was thinking as I drove from Billings to Bozeman today how the 97 tracks down the road the best, i. e. lest steering correction. However, it has a new stock track bar on it and so I also thought "I wander ( :-laf he. . he. . get it) how long this will last before it back to herding?".



I also have started wondering if about if some of the vendors could/have/should put together a kit to retro fit the 3G steering box, track bars, and such to 2Gs. This was partly a thought based on the article in the last TDR #49 about the Steel Industries ??? bracket that requires a 3G track bar with the kit. Bottom line is the steering ratios on the 3G are also much nicer.



Blah, blah, blah, neh?

 

[Goddard]

2001 3500 4x4... ..... everything replaced atleast once some more than. 6 alignments and 8 sets of steering tires in 96000 miles. if it were not for cummins dodge could not sell a truck.

 

[BRI7070]

01 2500 Qc Lb 4x4

 

[Regcabguy]

I've done all the aforementioned "improvements" and still have a degree of wander. When I drive our Honda Pilot I initially overcorrect due to such a tight steering setup. I've never driven a V-8 version of our trucks but it must be better due to less weight. I wish a 265-85-16 e-rated tire was on the market. A tallish thin tire might minimize the wanderlust these things exhibit.