Archived steering lockup problem

[BeauP]

I AM HAVING A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH MY STEERING. FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS WHEN PARKED ON ASPHALT AT WORK WHEN I TRY TO TURN WITHOUT MOVING IT'S LIKE I DON'T HAVE POWER STEERING. THAT WAS A SMALL PROBLEM. TODAY ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCACIONS I WENT TO TURN AT SPEED AND I COULD NOT TURN THE TRUCK AT ALL. THEN ALL OF SUDDEN IT WOULD COME BACK AND WORK FINE. MY BELT IS TIGHT AND IN GOOD SHAPE AND IT IS FULL OF FLUID. TRIED SEARCH FOUND EXACT SAME PROBLEM. BUT NEVER FOUND A SOLID ANSWER. STEERING STABILZER OR STEERING BOX? I NEED TO SWAP SOMETHING FAST.

 

[Hoefler]

Possibly your axle u-joints??

 

[JFaughn]

Check to see if your getting good pressure to the gear box , be carefull .
I've seen some trucks come in with the same complaint and the steering knucle bearings wear seized up , see if you can turn the the wheel by hand with it off the ground .

 

[J.BURCHFIELD]

You could have air in your fluid. Put a jack under and lift both front wheels off the ground. Make sure the power steering fluid is at the proper level and turn your steering wheel until it hits the stops both ways a couple of times and check to see if the fluid level went down. If it did there was air. If not the problem it is elsewhere, check everything or have it checked. There are more knowledgeable people on here than me so wait to hear from them too.

 

[hackengineering]

Funny that this would come up, i was about t post a thread about this myself. I have a 2000 so the power stearing is gear driven off the vacume pump. At low rpm and only spradically mine will make a wining noice almost seems like it is inside the cab, i can feel something catch and seems to keep the pump from working then releases and i have perfect stearing. This only happens during full turns and never on highway. How do you check when the pump is going out. Any other thoughts, this has been going on for about three months.

 

[J.BURCHFIELD]

Only at full turns sounds like something binding or hanging up and letting go. Two of the most serious problems are brakes and steering from a safety standpoint. If you know a good shop that works on Rams regularly I would suggest you take it to them. Just because Dealers sell Rams does not mean they are experienced in working on them. I would start with a good alignment shop. Make sure you are getting someone with experience.

 

[BeauP]

i think the problem in my case was a bad ujoint. left side front axle. i changed it this morning. I also changed the steering stabilizer as it was leaking oil. thanks for the posts maybe i can feel safe again. haven't had a problem today so i think it is fixed.

 

[BeauP]

WELL I SPOKE TO SOON MY PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. ANY MORE INFO WOULD BE HELPFUL. I WILL LET YALL KNOW WHEN I GET IT RIGHT. SOME INFO THAT I FOUND SINCE MY FIRST POST, IT ONLY DOES IT WHEN I TRY AND TURN RIGHT. IF I GIVE IT JUST A LITTLE WOBBLE BACK TO THE LEFT THEN IT TURNS PERFECT.

 

[BeauP]

:d If Anybody Is Still Interested The Problem Was The Power Steering Pump. I Have Been Driving Two Days With No Futher Issues. Thanks For The Post :d

 

[qkoop]

My friend had the same problem with his 03. it would lock solid and you wiggle it then it would turn. It is the steering box ecentric valve sticking. His just went away one day. Maybe a piece of crap stuck in the valve.

 

[J.BURCHFIELD]

Does not take much contamination to wipe out a pump

 

[BeauP]

i am going to try this one more time. i drove over 700 miles to the mountains no issues. next morning it starts again i think gkoop has it right. i drove all the way home with no issues. is this something that can be changed or do you change the gear box

 

[hackengineering]

Beau p have you found a rememdy yet. I have yet to find anything wrong with mine. Usually i have always thought when a pump goes, it will make a whine noice at the pump. Mine does not have that at all. Still sticks mainly when the wheels are not moving and there is more force needed to turn the tires. Reving engine does not seem to increase the power of the pump or help.

Thanks