2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission loose steering

[JMullens]

My truck has 55000 miles on it, recently I travelled to Michigan on a business trip for about three months, while there I drove a rental. On my return home I climbed back in to my very missed diesel and driving it up the road I realized how loose the steering has become over the last year. Is this normal, and what can I do to fix it?

 

[John Berger]

Might be time for a Borgeson shaft. When you say loose, what do you mean? I had to drive my wife's Buick for two weeks when my truck was in the body shop. My truck felt tight after driving the Buick. What are symptons as I'm looking for a reason to start a project :-laf

 

[JMullens]

Hey John, thanks for the reply. The steering seems to have a lot more play in it than when it was new. I guess driving it every day i did'nt really notice as much as when I went away from it for a while and came back, but it seems that the steering is not as quick to respond on tight roads as before, but everything underneath seems to be tight.

 

[Whitmore]

Mullens

also check your track bar too, they have a poor history of premature failure... ... ... . get one that has a grease zert

 

[1tuffram]

Steering gear

Don't forget the steering gear (or steering box). Might try the adjustment (found on Fritz's website). The steering gear has went through several revisions over the years and it seems Dodge has yet to find a fix When I got my 2002 truck in May I made a mental note when driving it home how "tight" the steering was, drove straight when take hands off wheel and the steering wheel was centered when going straight down the road. Now at 1400 miles I notice the steering wheel cocked about a 1/2" to the left when driving straight down the road. This new truck is already starting to show the same problems which plague my '95.

 

[FFutch]

mine too...

I just put B. F. G. -A. T. -285's on mine and noticed that the steering seemed looser than before. I found one bad ball joint and the track bar bad. Got a new Dana ball joint and a Lukes link for the track bar. $57+$6 s&h for the link is alot cheaper than the whole track bar. My truck has 62k... . Doug