Steering Wheel Not Returning To Center

[mwilson]

I hate to start another "Steering" thread but do not see a similar issue when I searched it out.

My truck will not return the steering wheel to center by itself. It will come back within a half a turn but that is it. It started handling crappy last summer and now after Ball Joints, Knuckle Joints, Alignment, New Tires, New Inner RH Tie Rod End and Steering Damper it is still having days when it wanders. I can't remember the returning to center issue last year so may be new. I have removed the tie-rod ends and worked the knuckles to make sure that the new parts are not binding and both sides move smooth as silk throughout the range of travel. The track bar bushings appear fine and that doesn't really explain the good day, bad day steering of the truck.

I am thinking steering shaft or steering box. What do you guys think?? I will buy whatever it needs and so far it certainly has needed all that I bought. I know that these are good trucks and once you get a handle on the steering issues it's all good, but what a PIA. I have a worn out Cadillac that I commute with showing 245,000 miles on the clock that handles better than this truck did brand spanking new. Come on Dodge, get this stuff figured out for crying out loud.

 

[LBARTLETT]

do you mean when going straight you steering wheel doesn't sit straight?

 

[mwilson]

No, I did a crappy job of explaining. (Typed it in a hurry at breaktime... )

Two Issues **

1) Wandering down the road, but not all of the time. One day it will handle like a champ, next day same route, same conditions it will wander and it needs constant correction. Driving me nuts.

2) Steering wheel does not return to center. For example I drove it around the parking lot this morning. Turn wheel to full lock, either left or right, let go of the wheel and it does not return to center while moving. It returns to within a half turn of the steering wheel being centered instead of completly centering itself as it should. Truck has had all the work shown above and got a complete alignment from a competent shop here in Bangor. Steering is centered going down the road. Steering wheel will rock back and forth if you center it and let go of it quickly. Almost like something in the box or shaft is binding.

Hoping someone else has had similar issues and found a solution. Hate to just throw money at it until I get lucky.

 

[Matt400]

Insufficient Caster can cause wandering in addition to the steering wheel not returning out of a turn. Should be up around 4. 5 degrees.

A damaged steering damper can also cause this trouble so a couple things to look at.

 

[mwilson]

Thanks for the response, am calling the shop right now to see if they have the records for my alignment on file. I know that he did not touch the camber, spent most of his time getting the toe-in correct and the steering wheel centered. Steering stabilizer was changed recently.

 

[Matt400]

Camber is not adjustable unless a special offset ball joint is used however the alignment would show the Camber & Caster measurements that are useful in evaluation. I am surprised these measurements were not listed on your invoice.

 

[mwilson]

I had it billed through here so did not see the invoice. The specs are as follows**



Toe-in 0. 17



Camber 0. 0 both L and R



Caster Left 4. 5



Caster Right 4. 8

 

[Matt400]

Those measurements are good.

Maybe drive it without the damper just as a test and if thats ok then the steering box is suspect IMO.

 

[mwilson]

Matt, thanks for your response and thoughts. I am trying to get as many opinions as possible before I pull the trigger on any more parts purchases. I too am leaning toward the box as anything underneath would mis-behave all the time, not off and on. I wonder if it could be a pressure problem which could possibly involve the pump as well. Do these Dodges have pressure test ports like the big trucks????

 

[Matt400]

Do these Dodges have pressure test ports like the big trucks????

No test ports. I have never seen a pump cause this.

 

[JBallou]

Most likely your steering box, has it been adjusted? If so That is the culprit. If not it probably still is the box, others have stated and you have confirmed the other parts are ok

 

[DBentley]

I assume you are having the trouble with the 06?
Front axle outer u joints will cause this to happen.
If there good than go to the steering box next.
My 06 just had a box failure at 37k

 

[mwilson]

Yes it is the 06 that is being a pain.

I replaced both axle u-joints when I did ball joints.



Bear with me as I work through this thought *** I had to replace all ball joints and both axle u-joints this spring. What brought it on was the upper right hand ball-joint had frozen solid which made for some interesting handling issues!!! Now is it possible that the strain placed on the steering box due to the frozen ball joint has now caused it to act up??? Is it possible that the steering components of these trucks are operating at the limit from the factory and any extra strain at all creates an overload of the box??? If I stop and think about it the box has suffered the strain of the frozen ball-joint along with the stress of pushing the wheel bearings out as they were both frozen into the knuckles thanks to road salting chemicals here in Maine.



It has got to be something as this truck goes up and down I-95 empty 95% of the time, does not go off-road, does not plow snow. The other 5% of the time it is towing my fifth-wheel camper.

What do you guys think??



DBentley, what is your truck used for??? Do you plow or anything??

 

[DBentley]

Only plow my own driveway.
But the salt is thick here in ma and its tearing the truck up quick. (rust)
The steering box is the same size as the box on our crown vic
In fact the factory box i removed had ford lettering and symbols all over it.
Napa box was only 200. 00 ish and works well so far.

 

[mwilson]

DBentley, If they are using the liquid calcium like Maine is you have my sympathies as that crap just eats up everything it touches!!!!!!!!



Just checked the Napa box out on Pro-Link and looks like a good deal plus limited lifetime warranty which is going to be a big plus on these Dodges!!!

Am going to try doing the steering brace first as I feel that is a mandatory upgrade. It won't help the return to center issue but if it stops the wandering I can live with it for now. If the brace does not stop it, then the box will be changed out pronto. Plus I want to do it one step at a time and see what really fixes what. I could be dealing with two separate issues here.

Thanks all for the responses and will post results as they happen to help all of you with similar steering issues.



NAPA # for steering box to fit 2006 Mega Cab 4x4 is NSP 88278167.

 

[DBentley]

Good luck with the fix and let us know how things work out.

 

[steved]

A steering box will cause the truck not to return to center... as will a binding ujoint on the steering shaft (the shaft between the steering wheel and the gearbox). The only thing you have not listed as replaced is the steering box. If the steering box is adjusted too tightly, it will not allow the steering to return to center.

Ball joints binding will also cause a "no return" to center... there was a TSB for the late 90s because of insufficient grease in the joints.

Have you jacked the front wheels off the ground and tried to narrow the issue? Might start by disconnecting the pitman arm and seeing if there is a binding upstream/downstream of that point... then you would know which area to start looking.

 

[befrazier]

I realize this is an old thread but I seem to have an issue like this. I just returned from a 3000 mile round trip pulling my fifth wheel. About half way through the trip I noticed that my steering was very responsive, meaning that if I was going straight down the highway and moved the steering just a bit the truck would track that way. So I felt like I was really having to drive the truck with two hands on the wheel at all times. I can also turn a corner and the truck will just keep turning, kind of like a boat, if i fell out it would come back to me eventually. The truck acts the same unloaded also.

Any thoughts on what this might be, I have 123,000 miles on it and it has never had to be aligned or needed any parts on the front end. It has new michelins on it also.



Thanks, Brian

 

[jhenderson]

A frozen ball joint will also cause this problem. Best way to check is to raise the front end, disconnect both tie rods at the knuckle, and try toturn the wheel side to side by hand. It's a bit of work, but it beats replacing a good steering box. If you decide to replace the box I had very good luck with Red Head.

 

[TCollier]

I had the exact same thing. Mine started after an hour of maneuvering my 5th wheel in my back yard. I built a swing set playhouse (2 years before owning a 36' 5th wheel) in the absolute worst spot in a fairly big yard. A lot of hard over to hard over, moving 6' at a time with tree roots under one side of the front end. Didn't feel it till I got on the highway the next day to go to the store. Had to leave to go back to work for a month that evening and drove for 4 hours like that. It was exactly what you are explaining. I drove back home a month later and checked everything I possibly could. The wife and kids were ready to hit the road with the new 5er so I had to go to a front end shop. The shop didn't know for sure, they said there was nothing else they could pin it to but the steering box. All 7 parts suppliers I called all had the same box as the shop, a Cardone. Gave them the go ahead and eureka! I feel like it isn't quite as tight as my original box, pre-incident of course. Wished I had the time to go with a Borgeson or a Red Head but it is what it is for now. Hope my worries help shorten yours. Good luck.