More Steering Problems

[RonD]

I had the wandering steering lane to lane on the freeway, came to find out it was a combination of a lot of things, I replaced the steering tie rods etc with the new updated parts, all the ball joints with greaseable ones, added the steering box support, and had the front end aligned. It corrected a lot, but I still have some wandering, you have to really work on driving, so I had the wheels rotated, that helped a little. I have Nitto Terra Grapler 305-70-17 tires about half worn, I am beginning to suspect the tires are the problem, or it may be the Steering Box ?. or the steering shaft, When parked, and running the slop in the steering when moving the steering wheel appears to be tight, it's hard to be sure, any ideas where to go next?, I am sort of getting tired of rebuilding this truck after only 54000 easy miles, I plan on keeping it for 5 more years, it's very doubtfull a new Dodge will be the replacement.

 

[topcat]

Running Nitto 305/70/R17 verus 265/70/R17 E-rated,without streering upgrades cause's these issue's. Are the Nitto's E-rated or are they D-rated,soft side walls contribute's to wondering. Upgrade streering box brace,smart move. Due a search in TDR you will find alot of info to help. Remember the truck was design to run a narrow 9" pattern on the highway,wider increase road feeling in streering. Front axled HD trucks need heavier steering shocks,some times even 2 are needed depending on the lift,wheel/tire combo. This truck if maintain will run over 500,000 miles. Checking steering box play is done by removing the streering box and running down the torque required to turn the shaft,not in the truck,and can tighten up end play. See maintence manual for proper way. Tech's pretty much know if and adjustment or replacement is needed,after it is out of truck. Carli,Kore,Lorenze has steering upgraded steering dampner shocks for this issue. Some Nitrogen adjustable. Ease fix,don't sweat it. Enjoy the greatest diesel on the planet.

 

[RonD]

The Nitto tires are E rated, I run 50 pounds in the front tires

 

[hearingyourlies]

I had the same tires. Never a problem over 40k miles. The wander only appeared for me with the NEW steering set-up. It seems to be HIGHLY sensitive, and as of yet, I have no cure.

 

[RonD]

If the problem appeared after the steering upgrade, what caused it, could the alignment be the problem, tie rod replacement shouldn't cause a problem, steering gear might, I still think my tires are causing the problem, it feels like the front end has a mind of it's own, even on a very slight turn with the front wants to do some minor wandering, that doesn't sound like a steering box.

 

[EDankievitch]

Check that you don't have too much toe in. with the new updated draglink kit it seems to need much less toe in that the old stuff. Also I had found that the steering box while it did not feel loose it was and when I tightened the backlash up it was a diff truck. My rig was pulling to the left and destroying the tires untill I did new balljoints. After the new ball joints it did not pull just wondered allover the place, seemed that a small correction with the wheel did nothing a bit more and the truck would take off across the road kind of like the tail wagging the dog. after going over everything and tightening up the box and re setting the toe in ( I seem to rember it is now set at 1/16" checked at the inside of the rim compared front to back at the same hight on the rim. Just make sure your rims turn true before you check it this way. ) and life is much better. Hope this helps... .

 

[RonD]

I have the printout on the alignment, the toe in is Specified Range of 0. 05 deg to 0. 15 deg, mine is set at 0. 03 deg, so I think it isn't to much. I know the procedure for adjusting the gear box, that is a lot of work removing it, but did you , or can you just tighten it up in the truck ?, if it doesn't work it can be set back to where it was.

 

[topcat]

The maintence manual for MY07 calls out for it to be removed from the truck,therefore no input is present while doing a torque runout. When you increase in tire weight,size,this cause more input to the box. Are you running a stock steering damper,or are you using the Service Bullentin's increased steering damping shock. I still feel you need to run a even bigger steering damper than either one since Dodge engineering is only designing the shock for stock 265 size'd tires,both Goodyear,and Michelins,and snowplow adapters. Most guys here at TDR have already gone to bigger damper's,running bigger tire's needs that type of support. Truck manufacture's are only gonna build a truck to meet there tire sizing,they leave the aftermarket to come up with bigger tire suspension piece's for it's customers. 50 pounds seems low compared to a Michelin E-rated were 70 pounds is max tire fully loaded. Backlash is very repeat very senative just the smallest adjustment on the input shaft has big results,this is why most tech's do not what to remove and install many times to get it right. What year is your truck your signature is not present on your sign in name. Tells us the year,model,and mileage and what mod's that have been done. It seems that EDankievitch adjusted it while in the truck,or was it out of the truck Ed?. Also one thing that is good about taking it out is that you can see if the backlash is out of tolerence,and replacement is warrented. One more thing is this frontend being used for towing,offroading,plowing highway use? Winch up front or not? You might PM Matt400,Bob4x4 and others for we all have been upgrading frontends and have talk with Kore,Carli,Thorsen,Lorenze about these issue's.

 

[foolkiller]

i think your track bar is the next item to check.



i'd bet your front end was hanging on the track bar bushings while all the other work was being performed. more importantly, it hung without the bolts being loosed up first.



could be wrong but, easy to check, easy to fix.



j

 

[RonD]

My truck is a 2005, LWB 4X4

54000 miles

it has the late factory steering damping shock

driving is all on paved roads, both town and open highway

Mod's are, 305-70-17 Nitto tires, and the steering box brace, that is it, no lift kit, all stock, the tires have been on the truck for 19000 miles, this has started being a problem over the last 3000 or so miles, thanks for all the input. I am about ready to have the alignment shop recheck what they did on the alignment, the toe in is not in the factory spece, 0. 03, the specs call for 0. 05-0. 15, maybe it could use a little more toe in, if that checks out I am about ready to try 285-70-17 highway tread tires.

 

[EDankievitch]

Toe in about 0. 0625 should be where you want to be. I adjusted the backlash on the steering box in the truck, yes I know the book says to do it out of the truck and on the bench, but I had a alignment shop show me along time ago how to do it, you just have to make small changes till things start to snug up. It's a feel thing, and too much and the whole thing binds up. but it can be done. I don't know how many miles you have on the new Balljoints but they take time to loosen up I have about 7500 miles on mine and they are just now starting to loosen up to the point that when you make a lane change and release the wheel that it returns to stright ahead. with the grease able joints they take longer to loosen up.

 

[Regcabguy]

My truck is a 2005, LWB 4X4

54000 miles

it has the late factory steering damping shock

driving is all on paved roads, both town and open highway

Mod's are, 305-70-17 Nitto tires, and the steering box brace, that is it, no lift kit, all stock, the tires have been on the truck for 19000 miles, this has started being a problem over the last 3000 or so miles, thanks for all the input. I am about ready to have the alignment shop recheck what they did on the alignment, the toe in is not in the factory spece, 0. 03, the specs call for 0. 05-0. 15, maybe it could use a little more toe in, if that checks out I am about ready to try 285-70-17 highway tread tires.

If you are going to downsize the tires,consider 285-75-17 Toyo or Nitto Dura Grapplers.

 

[topcat]

Ron good idea abvout the tire selection,Michelin LTX A/T2,Toyo AT,American General,and pretty soon a new tire for us will be the Maxxis AT-771 series. The Michelin I feel will give you the best fuel mileage of the bunch. Sidewall strenght par none, except maybe the Toyo. Nitto Dura's are a sweet tire also and have seen this tire up close at a RV show,this is a tire that might give Michelin a run for it's money. Toyo seems to be also a popular tire for a larger pattern on the road. Pricing seems to be around 210-220 for each of these tire's right now. Someone chime in if they are seeing lower price's around the country.

 

[RonD]

I just drove it again on the open road today, and when the road is smooth, and no curves you let go of the steering wheel it goes in a straight line, when you do make a small correction it wants to over correct, it feels like a no turn area in the center turn area, an inch each way, it really is starting to sound like slop in the steering box. So I think I will start with making slight adjustments to the box, noting how much I tightened it and see what happens, it that isn't it I am going to install the spare on the front, and borrow another spare from a friend and see how it is then. If the steering box is no good, any recomendations on replacement boxes, someone has to have one better than Dodge, I have little interest in replacing any Dodge parts on this truck with more Dodge parts, only as a last result , thanks for everyones input, Ron

 

[topcat]

RonD, not aware of upgraded steering box's. Do you have a Vistron,or Delphi S-box,there are some companies that will rebuild them and they are on the web. Type in your year,make,model and google. I just checked and they were around 265. 00 rebuilt. I first would change tire sizes first,then adjust if necessary and I still recommend out of truck for too much could damage gear inside. These are not made by Dodge they are contracted/vendor out to the 2 companies I mention above.

 

[RonD]

I fixed it, I replaced the Track Bar bushings from Geno's Garage, they are way better than the one's that came in the truck, I also tighted up the steering box in the truck a half a turn, it drives better than new, at last.

 

[EDankievitch]

Which did you do first? I just ordered the bushing kit fro Gino's but it's on back order..... My truck snugging up on the steering box back lash has helped. Right after I had done new ball joints the truck was next to impossable to drive till I did the steering box.

 

[JWash1]

You may want to add as much Caster as possible on your alignment. The factory specs are far too conservative.

 

[SShafranko]

I got to this thread too late. My friend had the same problem and replacing the track bar bushings fixed it. He used urethane bushings instead of the factory rubber.

 

[boatpuller]

Which did you do first? I just ordered the bushing kit fro Gino's but it's on back order..... My truck snugging up on the steering box back lash has helped. Right after I had done new ball joints the truck was next to impossable to drive till I did the steering box.

That's strange, I ordered the Lukes Track bar bushings from Geno's for my 03 today and they said that they would ship out tomorrow??