barracuda

SO, I just got back from a very long trip this weekend and I was disappointed in the steering as usual, thing is, I dumped some good cash in her before i left..Here's what i did:

1) Brand New (expensive) Michelin LTX 275/65's
2) New shocks all around
3) DSS steering stabilizer
4) New track bar
5) Full alignment/ grease job

......result...Slop, Slop, Slop...nothing like having to stop fast and having to steer the **** truck for dear life (sorry, just a bit upset)..I am thinking of replacing the steering box, guy at the alignment shop said the tie-rod ends were OK (not perfect but OK) got 90k on her now so what do you think? their is a lot of movement from left to right in the box when idiling. Any sugg's appreciated.

HOHN

Is your new track bar a OEM style bar, or an aftermarket conversion?

The best bars on the market eliminate the ball joint at the frame which is the source of most TB problems, as they wear out VERY fast due to a poor design that loads the joint in bending!

Look here for better track bars:
www.dtprofab.com
www.thurenfabrication.com


If you've satisfied yourself that the TB is fine, then you're looking at a steering box.

www.pscpowersteer.com will give you the best box you can find-- extra heavy duty. Their Dodge steering boxes are here


jmo

CORed

Replace your intermediate steering shaft with a Borgeson or similar first. About $225 or so last I heard. Mine was shot (out of factory specs) around 30,000 miles. It was replaced under warranty with another OEM piece of crap, but if yours has not been replaced in 90,000 miles, I'd look into it first before a new steering box.

You can also do a preload adjustment on your existing steering gear and see if that helps too. My dealer did it to mine before 36,000 mile warranty was up because it was wandering. Made me pretty mad too that it steers this crappy at such low mileage. Can't imagine what yours is like at 90,000.

Steve

barracuda

Is their a way I can check to see if it is the intermediate shaft or the actual steering box?

CORed

barracuda,

Not sure what the dealer did to check "spec" on my intermediate SS, but I would guess you could have some one turn the steering wheel in the truck with it off while you watched it under the hood to see how much the top end turned before the bottom end does. If it has ANY slop in it, this is magnified in the steering wheel.

BTW, my dads was bad at around 36,000 on his 2001.5 too. He replaced with a Borgeson.

HOHN

If you're in the market for a steering shaft, I'm pretty sure tha Flaming River is offering a product for us now as well.

Flaming River makes some pretty heavy duty stuff. I hear it tends to rust, to get some paint on it.

RickCJ

......result...Slop, Slop, Slop...nothing like having to stop fast and having to steer the **** truck for dear life (sorry, just a bit upset)..



Just curious but what does slop in the steering have to do with it pulling when you try to stop fast!
Find what is loose in the front end and get it fixed, same with the brakes.

barracuda

If you have slop in your steering and you need to stop quick at highway speeds it is definitely felt in the steering wheel and often causing the driver to "steer" as it stops..my brakes have less than 5k on them all around and they do not pull. As for "what is loose", i found the intermediate shaft to be shot thanks to the members' input, i think this will help cure the problem.

CORed

Let us know how it pans out. I have heard of the flaming river shaft as well and may consider it myself when my second dealer replaced shaft goes out. Thanks for the reminder Justin.