steering issue

[EdLewis]

I have a 2000 2500 Quad cab long bed w/ 77,000 mi. which i purchased 2 months ago. The steering seems sloppy and i have a tendency to want to steer to the left. I have had the truck aligned and had the track bar replaced due to a loose joint. It seems a bit better but nowhere close to perfect. Is this a steering box issue or something else?

 

[DieselRam30]

I know that some 2nd gen trucks had an issue with the brake caliper sticking on one side. This causes a pull to one side when braking. Obviously, this is a problem that only manifests itself when braking, so if you experience this all the time, that is not your problem.



On the other hand, if you have had your track bar replaced (and then I assumed had your truck aligned), you may not have a problem at all. On sloped pavement, the truck will have a tendency to wander toward the edge of the road. This is not necessarily a problem, just a characteristic of the truck.



That said, this behavior can be improved or eliminated by an aftermarket track bar or track bar improvements. There are a variety methods and manufacturers. Do a search for track bar and I'm sure you'll find plenty of info. Aftermarket steering boxes are also available, but I doubt that will affect your wander much.

 

[JayWm]

Ed, welcome to the TDR...



Is this your first 2nd gen truck? I only ask from the standpoint that these trucks tend to have "loose" feel on center steering compared to other brand trucks. Call it character, a quirck... you pick. Over the years as an alignment tech I dealt with customers unhappy with their trucks and how they drive. In talking to a lot of them it was their first full size truck, first diesel and first 4x4. They expected it to drive like the camry they had before. That said this may be your 10th truck, if so ignore what I said.



Also like Dieselram said, some of the aftermarket trackbars will make it better. What brand did they replace yours with. We have had the best luck with Moog. How tight are the other things like the ball joints, and all the tie rod ends. If these all have a small amount of freeplay it will add up to sloppy steering. With 77,000 you very well could have all these things worn out, or at least pretty well worn depending on how the previous owner used and maintained the truck. Strange that you say it pulls left. These trucks tend to drift right. Try switching the front tires side to side to see if its a tire pull. If the left pull goes away or moves to the right, its a tire pull. If there is no change then it time to start checking other things. Caster settings, camber settings, front end parts. Brakes can cause a pull, including the rear brakes.



Jay

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Ed, welcome to the TDR...



Is this your first 2nd gen truck? I only ask from the standpoint that these trucks tend to have "loose" feel on center steering compared to other brand trucks. Call it character, a quirck... you pick. Over the years as an alignment tech I dealt with customers unhappy with their trucks and how they drive. In talking to a lot of them it was their first full size truck, first diesel and first 4x4. They expected it to drive like the camry they had before. That said this may be your 10th truck, if so ignore what I said.



Also like Dieselram said, some of the aftermarket trackbars will make it better. What brand did they replace yours with. We have had the best luck with Moog. How tight are the other things like the ball joints, and all the tie rod ends. If these all have a small amount of freeplay it will add up to sloppy steering. With 77,000 you very well could have all these things worn out, or at least pretty well worn depending on how the previous owner used and maintained the truck. Strange that you say it pulls left. These trucks tend to drift right. Try switching the front tires side to side to see if its a tire pull. If the left pull goes away or moves to the right, its a tire pull. If there is no change then it time to start checking other things. Caster settings, camber settings, front end parts. Brakes can cause a pull, including the rear brakes.



Jay

These are very good points. I would have referenced trhe same things had I posted first to this.

The 2000 model trucks are subject to the same issues as the 1994 and up models. The only real difference being a redesigned "T" style tie rod assembly. (which your truck already has if its the heavy duty 2500 series. Do a search on steering and you'll find many references to this. There is one I started a few days back if you search my previous posts).

I spent years as a light duty truck alignment tech working specifically on lifted trucks. (I worked for Dick Cepek and Four Wheel Parts Wholesalers doing alignments and Ring and Pinion). The most prevalent issues I would see with most alignment shops the either laziness of the tech to just set the toe and send it out as is, or not know how to properly get the truck to align using the accentrics in the upper ball joints of a straigh axle. make sure you get a computer print out of the truck prior to alignment and after. If the shop does not offer it, go elsewhere, without it, you have no reference to have it realigned for slight correction later. With this in mind, you should be able to get the truck to drive straight provided the parts are not worn, or slightly worn as mentioned above. (alot of times, a combination of minimal wear on all ball joints, tie rods ends etc. is enough to cause it, not that any one part is worn past limits). If you can't get the truck to track straight after a further check on this, start with the steering box and have it adjusted for play, its a relatively easy job. You can do it yourself with very few tools if you have minimal mechanical experience. I was usually able to correct 1/4 turn of the wheel on wander with this alone on most customers trucks.



Good luck with it. It can drive straight, you just need to find a mechanic who is A. worth a darn B. has the proper tools and a alingment machine thats maintained for calibration C. are willing to accept the cost of parts that you'll most likely need to replace to get it corrected. (easily over $1000 in parts alone for an average alignment issue with these trucks).

 

[EdLewis]

Thanks for all the advice. The tie rod ends are fine. I will check the ball joints and search for how to adjust the steering box. I'll be very happy if i can do this without just throwing money at the problem!

 

[Cummins360]

Hi just reading here and I had a brake pull that I fixed with cleaning and lubing the caliper bolts as well as replacing the rubber guides they ride on. My question is do I need to buy new caliper bolts if it happends again or can they just be cleaned and lubed??

Thanks

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Hi just reading here and I had a brake pull that I fixed with cleaning and lubing the caliper bolts as well as replacing the rubber guides they ride on. My question is do I need to buy new caliper bolts if it happends again or can they just be cleaned and lubed??

Thanks

Use a 3M pad, preferably the round ones that fit on a die grinder, to polish them. before reinstalling them, coat them in anti seize. I also pulled the rubbers out and coated them as well, problem solved, no new parts. I do this whenever I have the wheels off. It takes a few minutes and makes a big difference in the calipers dragging which wears the pads down prematurely.

 

[FLynes]

I had the brake pull problem on my 1997 2500 Gasser. I kept taking it to the dealership I bought it from. They checked the track bar, then a bunch of other things (supposedly), before they told me that I needed new brake calipers. Those new calipers lasted 14,000 miles, before the pull started again. I decided to take it to another dealership, where they inspected the brakes and determined that the other dealership had not lubricated the slides, when they installed the new calipers. The new dealership lubricated the slides, turned the rotors, put new pads on and I never had another problem again. Needless to say, the new dealership is now my current dealership and the old dealership will never have my business again.



Frederic

 

[TurboFan]

I have the same problem of sloppy steering (I think that was the main complaint).



On my 1996 2500 8800gvw manual, two shops said that the front end looked okay. That left me thinking steering box, (180,000miles) but poking around onthe web I discovered that there is a company that makes aftermarket steering shafts and they indicate that joints in the factory shafts wear quickly leading to steering slop.



I plan to look into this on my truck, and maybe another place for you to look.



Maybe folks with experience with the Borgeson or other shaft can comment.



Greg

 

[DKarvwnaris]

I have the same problem of sloppy steering (I think that was the main complaint).



On my 1996 2500 8800gvw manual, two shops said that the front end looked okay. That left me thinking steering box, (180,000miles) but poking around onthe web I discovered that there is a company that makes aftermarket steering shafts and they indicate that joints in the factory shafts wear quickly leading to steering slop.



I plan to look into this on my truck, and maybe another place for you to look.



Maybe folks with experience with the Borgeson or other shaft can comment.



Greg

Greg, you have the same GVW truck as mine, same year as well.

I just replaced r/r'ed the steering assembly with all TRW "T" style tie rods and drag link ends. This in addition to adjusting the steering gear box, replacing the steering shaft with a borgeson steering shaft, (shaft was ordered from Summit for $219 delivered two days later, HUGE DIFFERENCE FROM STOCK). I replaced the wheel bearing hubs as well, but that was more for preventative maintenance.



The truck now drives better than I can ever remember. The 8800 lb steering system from the '98 application does not have a steerign stabilizer on it either, no bump steer, no wander, nothing.

Unless the shop you took the truck to is familiar with the dodge trucks in these years, I would not take their word for that the front end is solid. A small amount of wear on each component will cause large levels of wandering. Only after replacing all the parts described above did I remedy the steering wander. It improved with each part I installed, but not enough to specifically notice any item being the only cause.

The steering shaft is a big issue for out trucks, the stock one belongs in a nissan or disposable 14" rimmed min truck, not something like ours.

Part # for Summit's online catalog is BRG-950, it will fit all model (1500,2500,3500) rams of our generation. Hope this helps.

You can order from Borgeson directly, but Summit was faster with their promised delivery date. Go figure.

 

[TurboFan]

Thanks for the info DKarvwnaris.



Good to know ahead of time that it may take more than just a part or two to get the steering tightened up. That will save me some frustration!



Any advise on adjusting the steering box? One shop said they would not even consider it, and thought that it was something to be approached with trepidation. The possibillity of binding gears or something.



I think I will start with the steering shaft as it seems to be a problem spot worth fixing, regardless of weather it completely solves my problem. If things still aren't satisfactory, I will move on to the steering box adjustment, and then incrementally replacing front end parts.



Thanks again,



Greg

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Thanks for the info DKarvwnaris.



Good to know ahead of time that it may take more than just a part or two to get the steering tightened up. That will save me some frustration!



Any advise on adjusting the steering box? One shop said they would not even consider it, and thought that it was something to be approached with trepidation. The possibillity of binding gears or something. In other words, they are incapable of following simple step by step instructions or taking the time to learn their trade adequately. I'd stop taking my truck there if they told me that. Yes you can bind up the steering, but that's how you adjust it, tighten it down gradually till it has resistance and then back it off. Not too hard, if they have ASE techs or signs on the doors, they should have an alignment tech who knows how to do it. I would not let any of my guys touch the alignment machine until they knew the full steering system first. Any monkey wrencher can set caster,camber, toe, but that is only part of being a good alignment mechanic. Too many shops rely on their techs to be juts parts installers. Very dissapointing.



I think I will start with the steering shaft as it seems to be a problem spot worth fixing, regardless of weather it completely solves my problem. If things still aren't satisfactory, I will move on to the steering box adjustment, and then incrementally replacing front end parts.

The steering shaft is a good starting point, it can make a big difference in itself, regardless of the rest of the systems condition. It will help you to eliminate any doubts at least whether the box is loose. It will eliminate problems in the future for you if anything.

Thanks again,



Greg

Glad to help