Picked up my new truck; now 2 questions

[Warhorse]

I picked up an '07 2500 in Phoenix today, and drove it 400 miles home to L. A. Ran well all the way, but I wonder if anyone can answer these two questions:



1. Rattle felt through steering wheel--not when going straight ahead, but when I turn right or left I can feel a rattle (knew about the problem when I bought the truck--po didn't know what caused it). No wobble or pull while driving, even at 75mph; no slop in the steering. Just a rattle or light clunking feel when I turn the wheel.



2. Tires and wheels--the wheels that came with the truck are 17". The wheels on my old truck ('97 Dodge/Cummins 2500) are 16". Both are 8 lug. My '97 Dodge has 6 month old BF Goodrich All Terrains that I really want to put on my new truck. Is it ok to put the 16" rims and All Terrains on my '07?



Here are the specs on the new truck: 2007 2500, 5. 9 liter CTD, 4x4 Quad cab long bed.



Thanks!

Paul

 

[SVick]

The wheels and tires will not fit the 07, it has bigger brakes. The vibration sounds like a front axle u joint, front driveshaft u joint or a hub bearing.

 

[SVick]

By the way, you have the last and final year of the 5. 9 as I do, we are a small privileged few, the best of the best I call it!

 

[jgillott]

Front axle u-joints may cause a vibration when turning.

 

[jhenderson]

You might also check the steering shaft and u joint at the box.

 

[Flying_gage]

Same exact symptoms were a ball joint for me.

 

[cerberusiam]

the best of the best I call it!

Not hardly, probably #3 on the hit parade. The 05's were tops for dead reliability on engine management, power train reliability, power, and mileage. The 06-07's with the CAN bus systems and TIPM are not as solid as the good old EOBD and the seperate systems. Add to that they definitely cheapened the rest of the parts on the chassis and drive train makes them less desirable than the tried and true that culminated in the 05 trucks.

OP, as was mentioned ball joints on these are problematic and will cause some rattle when turning. The control arms are another problem when they wear. They tend to introduce rattles and clunks that are a pain to track. Track bar also. Good luck with the truck, hope it works to something easy.

 

[Warhorse]

Thanks all--I jacked up the front end today and applied pressure to the underside of the tire using a pry bar--no movement at the ball joint, u-joints are not loose or sloppy. However, I did find that the little u-joint at the steering gear-end of the steering shaft is loose. It rattles around quite a bit, in fact. Hopefully this is the cause.
Paul

 

[Prairie Dog]

When my front axle U-joints went bad they were still tight - too tight. The way to check them is to raise the front end off the ground and spin the wheel by hand at full turn left and right. If you feel it bind in any position, the joint is bad.