Another pulling to the right . . .

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Just dropped $30. 00 to find the front end is in specs yet the steering pulls hard enough to the right to scare the hell out of ya on the highway!!

This pull developed very quickly and is noticable only at higher speeds(+40). Braking is OK - no pull when stopping. Pressure is good - rotated tires for the hell of it - Front end well within specs - 20k on the truck.

I'ld rather drive a Chevy with an Isuzu Diesel than have to deal with the Dodge Dealer. Has anyone had anything other than the box replaced to fix this problem?? - my search kept coming up with this as DC's answer.

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'99 3500 4X4, Quad Cab Red w/Tinted Windows,
Automatic - 3. 54's, Stainless Ultra Boards
4" Exhaust, DD Stage I Inectors K&N Filter,Lost Silencer Ring, Pillar Mount Boost/Pyro Gauges, Cubby Mount Trans Temp

 

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I had the box replaced as per my dealer's expert advice. It still pulls to the right. (And it took me 1. 5 hours after they returned my truck to me to clean it up... . oily hand prints all over it, grime on the leather seats, steering oil dripping on my driveway and all underneath the truck, etc... . ).

I was hoping to find a reply to your thread with the answer to your (and my) question!


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'01 2500 SLT+, QC, LWB, 4X4, 3. 54s, AT, SPA guages, Alpha Liner, Stolen Silencer ring, every option but running lights! To come: DD Stage II's PE or DD Boost Module, Exhaust brake, 4" turbo to tail, etc...

'98 DUCATI ST2 "Bombed" 944CC with Ducati Performance Carbon Fiber Exhaust, F. I. M. Chip, K&N and "modified" air box.

 

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Check very carefully to see if everything in the rear is ok. If the rear axle gets out of line, closer to one side, or loose it can cause that regardless of frontend alignment. Another thing to check for is a belt coming loose on a tire. Put the truck on axle stands so that tires are close to the floor and rotate them to look for a long lump. What this causes is a push condition so that the truck is pushed to the oposite side that the larger tire (loose belt) is on.

I dunno why anybody puts up with a lousy dealer. When I had the blower/ignition switch recall done I needed the service manual and the recall instructions to see where they had worked. It was washed before it was returned to me. No dirt or grease or what have you inside. I managed to bust an outside mirror on my wife's new LHS. They replaced it quickly and no dirt or evidence they were inside. Again, the car was washed before it was returned. I would throw a screaming fit if there was any grease or hand prints in either vehicle. My wife would cause a worse scene than that!

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Joe George
Eureka, CA

'95 2500 CC auto 4X4,Combo EGT/boost guage,custom switch panel,PacBrake,TST #5,BD valve body,Automatic motorhome steps on both sides,Foldacover hard bed cover,Cummins chrome kit,Black steel grill guard,Front hitch receiver

 

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hey gang your problem was i believe in the TSB (technical service bullitin) on brake pull- check fritz dodgeram.com site-- you can link to it through the tdr links. from my experiance the dc service writers #ad
couldn't find their **s hole with a map- #ad
Mine had a pull under braking but the tsb to fix it was a chassis dynamics issue-the had to rack it and reshim as nec. But the only way to get dc to do anything is to go in armed with a copy of the tsb-- also find out if any of the mechanics have had the class for this tsb- beware it's a 27 page bullitin that requires a three day class to learn how to diagnos and cure the problems. And if they still don't believe you have a mechanic go for a test ride and aim for a tree, they'll believe them #ad
been there done this------

Shhh- be verrry quiet i'm hunting dc service writers #ad
#ad
#ad

 

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I have the same pull to the right, too. I took mine to the dealer to have it checked out, because I know the man who does the front end alignments. He told me before he even put it on the machine what was wrong with it. But he put it on the machine for the record. He told me this is a common problem with the newer full size trucks. The problem is there is NO adjustment for the CASTER. This is supposed to make your vehicle drive straight. The problem is that our trucks drive too staight. He said vehicles are supposed to SLIGHTLY pull to the LEFT. This is to allow for the crown in the roads for water run-off, which means the roads are slightly sloped to the right. This will make your vehicle drive right. Therefore a vehicle has to pull slightly left to compensate for this. I kind of found this hard to believe, too. So the mechanic took me on a drive. We went out on the interstate first, where the road is supposed to be crowned. the truck slightly pulled to the right. Then we went onto a newly paved one lane road and drove the same speed, the truck did not pull to the right at all! He made a believer out of me. The bad thing is, there is no adjustment to the caster on these trucks. They can adjust everything but the caster. He said Dodge is working on a solution to the problem and do some changes to the front end. They are SUPPOSED to have a fix by October. I have been watching which roads mine pulls on. And it is always in the same places. So I guess this could be the PULLING PROBLEM!!!

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Y2K 2500 4X4, Quad Cab SLT, SWB, Intense Blue Sport, 3. 55 Axle, LSD, 6-Spd. , Camper & Trailer tow packages, Travel convenience group, Cab lights, Geno's Combo gauges mounted in dash hole, DD I injectors, K&N Replacement Filter,Mopar aluminum tube steps, Mopar bedliner, Aluminum toolbox, Black bed rail caps, GTS Bug guard and fender guards.
Tow 1999 24J Prowler Travel trailer.

 

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I virtually eliminated my hard right pulling with a TSB that I did myself. Took about an hour and removed the slop from my gearbox. TSB 19-10-97. I obtained a copy of it on this website. Fritz might have it also.

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'95 2500 SLT ClubCab, automatic, 3. 54 LSD, Amsoil fluids and bypass filter, K&N, Rancho 9000s. NRA Life Member.

 

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Thanks for the replys. In response to some of the posts;

No slipped belts, this was the first thing I checked, even eliminated this possibility by rotating the tires.

No, it can't be a caliper - no brake pull, just pull to the right going down the road.

No, not the steering box TSB as the steering doesn't bind (lash set to tight) nor does the truck wander (lash set to loose).

Caster is adjustable. There are cams located on the lower suspension arm for this adjustment. Your dealer was feeding you a line.

Service manager drove my truck AFTER we tool a new one for a ride to compare. He agrees there is a problem. (Also wanted to know what I had done to the truck to get it to run and sound as good as it does #ad
)

He has no suggestions. Neither one of us thinks it is the gearbox but he is willing to replace it if I want. He will also set the front end to the suggested specs I've given him. I will post results of these changes.

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'99 3500 4X4, Quad Cab Red w/Tinted Windows,
Automatic - 3. 54's, Stainless Ultra Boards
4" Exhaust, DD Stage I Inectors K&N Filter,Lost Silencer Ring, Pillar Mount Boost/Pyro Gauges, Cubby Mount Trans Temp

 

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Did anyone check the REAR suspension to make sure everything is ok?

 

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See this thread for some information I posted on this problem. The person that original posted this in the alt. autos. dodge. trucks NG seems very up on aligning Dodge trucks. I would read what he had to say and give that a shot.
https://www.turbodieselregister.com/ubb//Forum17/HTML/000267.html

Shelby

 

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Joe:

I have not checked the rear end but I have had front end pulls in other vehicles. (double digit heavy duty suspension 4X4's)

I truly feel the problem is with the camber adjustment. I believe that after several thousand miles the factory settings degress and exhibit the symptoms I am seeing. Even if the settings read within factory specs, a slight camber problem can create just what I am seeing. We used to have the same problem with 3/4 ton 4X4 GM's when I was a line technician for Chevrolet.

Surveyor - Thanks for the link. My previous post was refering to the specs pulled from that same response. It solidified my theory. I will be giving these specs to the dealer.

 

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Left the truck with a Plymouth Dealer today. Thats right - PLYMOUTH. They had a former Dodge technician who went for a ride with me and within the first two blocks identified the problem.

The service manager agreed to do the warranty work and it should be done in the morning.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to tell you what the diagnosis... the tech says the track arm is bad. Ok, but why the pull?? Oh, the ball joints on the passenger side are also to tight. This is usually not noticed until the track bar ball socket wears. The fix is a new track bar and loosening or replacement of the ball joints. He advised that Dodge owners should put the track bar down in their required maintenance every 20k.

I'll know tomorrow if I was fed a line #ad