mushy steering

[Red Rocket]

I have had a bad trackbar before, and this is not it, my steering is mushy. With a bad trackbar, at least you could guess how much to compensate, but mine has become altogether unpredictable, and is getting hard to drive. Any ideas before I take it to a dealer?

 

[tobaccogrower]

bad steering shaft?

i too had a similar problem.

my steering shaft had play in it. replaced it with a Borgson shaft. took care of the problems. no more wandering on windy highways ... ... james

 

[Michael Hughes]

How much air are you running in your tires?

 

[Alan Reagan]

If air is not the problem, take a look at this TSB for the bearing preload adjustment (it follows the overcenter adjustment).



http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/tsb/1997/19-10-97/19_10_97.htm



Mine was mushy and wandered. The preload adjustment took care of it. The adjuster was not even finger snug on mine. Just snug it with a hammer and round punch, mark across the adjuster and case, then back off about 3 mm. That should take care of the problem.

 

[Sageair]

Im not sure exactly what symptoms you are describing when you say steering wander but let me relate a problem my 2001 2500 had and maybe they are the same. My truck really didn't wander but it had no on center feel to the steering and after making a correction the truck would continue in that direction until another correction was made back. I took it to Earnhardts Dodge in Mesa AZ while visiting my son there. They found the steering box to have excessive play in it,which by the way was like that from the very beginning. They replaced the steering box and now it drives perfectly. Hope that helps.

 

[rspinks]

Sageair my truck steers like yours used to - poor return to center feeling. Did they try any adjustments on the steering box or did they just replace it with a new one? My 2001 with 6600km steers worse than my '94 with 110,000km.



RS

 

[X-10]

RS, I can't speak for sageair but mine was just like he described and my dealer tried the adjustment twice on mine, then replaced the box. Been good since.

Doug

 

[Sageair]

RSPINKS

No they did not try any adjustments. They took it for a drive and decided that it had to go,changed it out and life is good. Best of luck