steering issues

[surfbeetle]

A couple of months ago, I took our '16 2500 into the dealer. It was pulling right and made a clunk noise going over bumps. The right front tire was wearing. They aligned it and tightened up a loose bolt on the steering, I believe it was a drag link bolt but I can't be sure. Last night, my wife came home and said that the wheel was turned 90 degrees to the left for the truck to go straight. I thought she meant that it was pulling again and she had to turn the wheel just to go straight. This was not the case as when I drove it, the steering wheel was in fact rotated 90 degrees counter clockwise and the truck drove straight even with the wheel like this. This morning I took it into the dealer again and they jumped right on it, put it up on the alignment rack and again tightened up whatever bolt was loose. The wheel is good again. It was only 2500 miles since the last visit and I'm hoping this does not become a regular occurrence. Anyone experience something like this? It's our first four wheel drive ram, the other trucks are two wheel drive.

 

[whitexc]

This does not sound normal and I would not drive it any further, in fact recommend a flat bed to a different dealer. There is something very wrong with the steering.

How many miles are on the truck? Original tires? Condition of the other 3? Have we hit anything....potholes?

 

[Jared Herzog]

There is a nut on the steering that could be damaged. It is a threaded sleeve with two capture nuts located on the bar tied to the steering box pitman arm. The name of the bar eludes me. Maybe drag link? Anyway, if the threads are just coming loose it was either not tightened, threads wallowed out, or in need of locktite. This was a common issue a year or so ago. I tried to loosen mine to get my steering wheel straight by a degree or two and it was on so tight it was a no go. Most likely it was not fully tightened when your steering wheel got straightened after the alignment and you caught it early enough to tighten it up and locktite if you wish.

 

[AEdelheit]

When tightening the jamb nut the tech must make sure both tie rod ends are parallel to each other first so the joints have full range of motion, if not and the joints run out of misalignment when needed it will either break a tie rod end or pop a jamb nut loose.

The loose jamb nut on the draglink is a common issue but only if it was not checked, once properly tightened I have not seen them come loose again so it sounds like the tech who worked on it the first time did not know what they were doing. If it was driven with the jamb nut loose long enough it can damage the threads and the draglink would need to be replaced.

 

[surfbeetle]

Thank you all for the replies. I’ll definitely keep an eye on it and it sounds like some blue loctite may be in order. Truck’s mileage is in the low 20k. As for hitting potholes, it’s definitely a possibility since we’re in San Diego Ca and the roads here are atrocious.

 

[Regcabguy]

The roads here are lousy. The legislature's enormous increase in taxation is supposed to alleviate the conditions. We'll see if the generated funds make it to the roads.

 

[6V92TA]

well, about the only way a forermly aligned steering wheel can be off by 90 degrees is if something between the steering wheel and the drag link isn't secure

 

[Bob4x4]

well, about the only way a forermly aligned steering wheel can be off by 90 degrees is if something between the steering wheel and the drag link isn't secure

A loose jam nut on the drag link has been the case many times. Bent drag links happen off roading (mostly Jeeps)

 

[pjorlando]

This happened to me a few times. Even after services. I finally re-aligned the steering wheel myself, use lock tight on the jamb nuts and it has lasted over 15,000 miles no issues.

 

[Dodger2014]

I check the drag link often on mine. Made sure that the alignment guy tightened them. I put match marks on the locking nuts to the collar. If they move I will know it.

 

[TomCseh]

Did they check your front axle disconnect on passenger side?

 

[Flash1034]

Tie rods, not drag links, are what usually get hit and bend.

 

[AEdelheit]

Tie rods, not drag links, are what usually get hit and bend.

It would take an extremely hard hit to bend a tie rod and there would likely be a broken wheel to go with it plus excessive toe in so handling would be very odd. The jamb nuts on the draglink seem prone to coming loose and throwing the steering wheel off center.

 

[Flash1034]

Well, seeing as how the drag link sits above and behind the tie rod, I don’t see how you could bend a drag link without also first hitting and bending the tie rod....?

 

[AEdelheit]

Well, seeing as how the drag link sits above and behind the tie rod, I don’t see how you could bend a drag link without also first hitting and bending the tie rod....?

No one is talking about bending the drag link just the jamb nuts on the turnbuckle coming loose allowing it to get out of adjustment. I agree it would be very difficult to bend the drag link without hitting hitting the tie rod first but doesnt apply to this thread.

 

[Flash1034]

A loose jam nut on the drag link has been the case many times. Bent drag links happen off roading (mostly Jeeps)

Really? I thought we were...