Steering Pop

[hotram03]

My steering pops when I turn it all the way to the right I believe it is, anyone Have any Ideas what to look for? Mainly when I'm sitting still or barely moving is the only time it does it.

 

[Cummins Thunder]

Check your lower control arms, they may be lose on the axle end.



CJ

 

[Old Smoky]

Mine did that when the king pins were shot.



Mike

 

[JLEONARD]

MIne does that and it is simply the tag end of the coil spring that hits whatever it hits... . I forget now..... I think it's a stop tab in one of the castings down there... anyway I can see the witness marks.

Everything down there is in good shape so it's not because something is worn.

Jay

 

[tugboatphil]

I get that too. But I figured if I ignored it long enough, it would go away.

 

[Greenleaf]

My 92 2WD does that. It did it just after I bought it. I was like, WHAT THE HEY!!!. I had it to an alignement shop and things looked good. I wasn't satisifed so had it to another shop which installed new front springs. It still did it.



I returned it one year later and had all new ball joints installed AND a set of these super duty coils... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..... IT STILL DOES IT!!!



Crack/Pop



Scares me to no end it does.

 

[MMiller]

Inspect the plate that the steering gear box mounts too. I'll betchya a dollar its cracked. Have somebody steer the truck for you, while you look things over.



Michael

 

[AKimmel]

If your trucks a 4x4, it could be the steering box bracket is cracked or the steering box is shifting on the bracket. Mine was shifting on the bracket not long after I finished my truck, paint had clogged the serrations on the back of the 4 steering box bolts not allowing them to bite into the metal. I found this out by leaving the truck running and turning the wheel by grapping the steering shaft through the fender well. I could watch the box move around. Hope this helps.

 

[ARhine]

Check your lower control arms, they may be lose on the axle end.



CJ

I looked under my truck and the control arms are totaly gone :--)



Just some leaf springs in their place. :-laf

sorry couldn't resist.



1st gens have leaf spring front suspension.

 

[WyattEarp]

mine does it to, but i have a bracket to the left of the steering box that is broken/cracked, i found a post the other night by member Formula and he has a picture of his steering job and the first pic shows the bracket that is broken/cracked, it appears to have 3 stamped? pressed? on one end bolts instead of having a nut on the bolts... the heads are a mushroom type head and the other end looks as to been pressed in some kind of steel machine, anybody know what im talking about lol. .

 

[btoscano]

Have you greased the truck lately? There are the upper and lower king pins, the tie rod ends, and the steering arm ends. I found that after I greased mine the ride over rough roads improved very, VERY noticably. I am not sure if newer trucks still get greased so I'd thought I'd mention it.



But what the others said are all good ideas too.

 

[hotram03]

Greasing it was one of the first things I did right after I got it, I've only had the truck 2 months, but I've tried to take care of alot of the issues these 1st gens have, relays,steering shafts problems,etc. I'm afraid to look to hard at the steering bracket, can't seem to get ahead of things where I can just enjoy driving the ole boy. I will look and post after the KDP is taken care of, I'm in the middle of that right now.

 

[MMiller]

If the plate is cracked, it can be welded, or Dodge used to sell them for around $15. You'll get the bugs worked out of it, and then she'll give you many miles of service.



Michael

 

[Paychk]

My 92 2WD does that. It did it just after I bought it. I was like, WHAT THE HEY!!!. I had it to an alignement shop and things looked good. I wasn't satisifed so had it to another shop which installed new front springs. It still did it.



I returned it one year later and had all new ball joints installed AND a set of these super duty coils... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..... IT STILL DOES IT!!!



Crack/Pop



Scares me to no end it does.

Take a look at the ear on strut rod (the control arm end), when the spindle nears the end of its travel it starts to ride up on the taper of the ear. This causes the lower suspension arm to twist. Check the strut rod & lower control arm for cracks, if none are found then try greasing the strut rod ear & spindle where they rub.

 

[Philip]

A few months ago Dodge still had 20K steering box mounting brackets listed in stock.

 

[Cummins Thunder]

I looked under my truck and the control arms are totaly gone :--)



Just some leaf springs in their place. :-laf

sorry couldn't resist.



1st gens have leaf spring front suspension.

I assumed it was his 03



I did a search for new posts and then replied (failed to notice this was posted under 1st gen)



CJ

 

[Paychk]

I looked under my truck and the control arms are totaly gone :--)



Just some leaf springs in their place. :-laf

sorry couldn't resist.



1st gens have leaf spring front suspension.

Some 1st. Gens. have coil springs.

 

[ARhine]

Some 1st. Gens. have coil springs.

I was just feeling arnry that day. No hard feelings I hope.



One other thing to check might be the condition of the rivets in the front spring hangars and crossemember. If they are getting loose (I have cut them out and replaced with grade8 hardware on mine and my dads 1st gens because they were) they will make all kinds of racket and cause sloppy steering.



Andy

 

[LEggers]

I had nice little sound like this and I am glad I looked into it because it was bad real bad.



I had a popping sound and even a little crunch sound. Drove the truck trying to figure it out. Made the sound for a few weeks.

So one weekend I decide I gota find this sound its driving me nuts.



I had just had my front leaf springs done a few months back keep in mind. The truck sat up about 2" taller. I jacked up the front axle and turned the truck left to right and sure enough pop/crunch I herd. Nice were the hell did that come from?

So I do it again and again and again. The last time I did it I invited my wife out to stear the truck.

As she turned it right I here the sound and dam near figured it out. I said to the wife OK again now to the left. Just as its about to hit the spot I got a differant sound pop/thud... . lol My drag link from the steering box to the pittman arm just fell off. . WTF

So now the truck has no steering and its not a big problem sitting in my drive way but dam what if that had happened while I was driving down the road at 60mph.

I have since replaced the drag link from the steering box to the pittman arm and all is good. I even replaced both steering rod ends just to be safe.

Best I can figure was that the high 2" I raised the truck worked the drag link in a differant place and caused it to bind.

I check it with the new one even made sure I get full movment up and down in case it was due to the extra 2" but its OK.



Check the drag link mine was tight and working good at the time but adding the extra 2" made the thing work in a differant posistion then it did before and I am sure its what caused it to fail.

 

[Paychk]

I was just feeling arnry that day. No hard feelings I hope.

None at all.