stearing shaft or ball joint

[CookD]

Has anyone had to do a new steering shaft on an 04 or later? I have a nock or loose feel when I start to go or some times on bumps. I had my truck in at the tire shop for a rotate and they looked at it and said one of the upper ball joints had just alittle play " not enough to worry about yet" . I would not think I would be even thinking about this yet with only 40,000 miles on the truck, any help with what it would feel like with these parts wearing out would be much appreciated.

 

[rbattelle]

Could be a track bar problem - particularly with the bushings. Could be the tie rod(s). Could also be in the steering gear itself. Or a problem with the steering dampener.

All these items should be checked to diagnose a bump.

Ryan

 

[BDuffy]

check the stabilizer bar links also, they have ball joints which will clank on bumps

 

[ward564]

I would not get your ball joints done. I though they were causing a vibration in my front end, but 500 dollars later it didn't change anything. They say that a little play is not good but they found a little play at about 40,000 miles and the play had not gotten worse when I changed them at 75,000

 

[Bob4x4]

The 3rd gen steering shafts can and do make noises as they bind and free-up.

It is fairly easy to remove both the upper and lower intermediate shafts to ck off the truck. Any number of front end componets can create noise as the suspension cycles or the steering is turned.

 

[CookD]

Thanks guys I will start checking to see what I can find. I was hoping that I didn't have to do ball joints yet, I only like to do things once so I was looking at the carli joints but man$$$. I don't know how to do them myself so $500 plus labor wow!



Thanks again



Dale

 

[CookD]

ward564,

Did you find out yet what the problem was if it wasn't the ball joints?

 

[JMusso]

Noy trying to hijack your thread but I am having a similar noise/clunking feel when turning.



Could it be a u-joint and not a ball joint? How do you check for bad u-joints?

 

[hearingyourlies]

A u joint will feel like it's in 4 wheel drive when it's not. At least mine did.