Is this the larger steering box from Dodge that is brand new with slop? If so that is pretty disappointing.
It do be the larger box. I had mine replaced this summer, following having the front end rebuilt earlier this year. I have no problem with the way the box works, but do have problems with the way the dealer handled it. I was thinking about doing it myself, but it looked like it was going to be a tight fit and money wasn't a problem so I took it in to the dealer. I took it in during the afternoon on Tuesday so it would be done the next day. Two days later I hadn't heard back so I called them, and was told it was the pump, not just hoses and was going to be done the next day because they had to order the part. The next day (Friday) I called and was told that they couldn't do it that day because the part had been upgraded and now it needed a new reservoir to go with the new pump. So I grumble and wait till the next day (Saturday) and call again. I was told that the diesel mechanic isn't in on Saturday, so it will be Monday before he can get to it. At that point I tell them to cancel the work and I would do it myself. The service rep tells me that the mechanic already has the old one taken off, and that they would put the new one on Monday. I was supposed to be out of town that weekend, and had already postponed the trip until Monday. The old pump was leaking a bit, but it was still drivable so I told him to just have the mechanic put the old one on and I would deal with it myself when I got back. Monday comes and I call about 10:00am about the truck and they told me it was just being finished and sent the courtesy driver out to pick me up. When I got there I was told that there was a problem with the pulley on the new pump in that it had a slight wobble, and that it would be afternoon before a replacement pump arrived. I mentioned that on Saturday I told them to cancel the work, but they reiterated that the old pump was already off on Friday. So then I start raising hell about how this whole thing was handled. They took me back in the shop to see the truck, and sure enough there is my old pump sitting in a drain pan full of power steering fluid. At this point I know something is going on. Either I was lied to about the pump having come off on Friday, or the mechanic is so sloppy that he left a drain pan full of fluid sitting on the shop floor next to my truck with the old pump in it all weekend long. I would think that a professional shop would have had the old pump in a box and ready for core return, and the old fluid taken care of before the mechanic went home for the weekend. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but there was a yellow briefcase-sized battery charger connected to the battery on the drivers side. Afternoon comes and the courtesy driver picks me up at 6:00pm and brings me back to the dealer. I again let them know how unhappy I am about the way this was handled, pay the bill and leave. On the invoice is a notation that they replaced the serpentine belt because the old one didn't work with the new pump style. I was not charged for the new belt. As I was getting on the Interstate I noticed that the alternator was discharging so I call the service department again, but no one answered because it was after closing time. I left a message, called a couple of times in the next few days and left messages, but my calls were never returned. The batteries did charge after a day or two, but I'm guessing the mechanic left the door open on the truck when he went home on Friday and the batteries drained over the weekend. Not surprisingly, I will never use that dealer for anything in the future, which is too bad because for the most part I have been impressed by their service over the last 20 years. But they definitely have a problem with the way their shop is being operated. I was going to have them fix the doors on my HVAC plenum when the air bag recalls are done, but unless someone is holding a gun to my head at the time that ain't going to happen. And there is a good chance it wouldn't happen even with a gun held to my head.
Other than the poor service, I haven't noticed any problems with the pump. The steering is tight, and a definite improvement from the original pump in its final months and combined with the new front end parts my truck handles like it did when it was new. Hindsight is 20/20, but I wish I had done the work myself, as I understand that replacing the pump is pretty much a plug and play operation. One warning though: As per the Dodge Repair Manual for the '03, don't disconnect the high pressure hose from the pump if you believe that it might be easier to connect the other end and reconnect it to the pump. There are parts inside that will spring out and can't be put back in resulting in having to replace the entire pump.
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