turnerup

Hey guys' would like to know about my '08 2500.Seems that the steering is just a big piece of crap,but i have never owned a solid axle truck before.So what is happened is that the truck just isn't sure footed, it shuffles around on the highway but if the road is of good surface it'll track straight, if the road or highway is grooved it'll jump around! I put a 2" spacer on the springs,new 5100 bilstiens, installed new balljoints(dealer),steering box brace,maxx end links,adjustale trackbar,pretty much everything other than the stabilizer bar which seems very tight.Tires are Toyo 285/70 /17 from 265/70.Now would these tires grab the road,would the toe be out? The dealership did the balljoints and set the toe etc.I also crancked up the caster to positive which made the steering feel a lot solider.I am just worn out with this steering as I can't let my attention off for a second as she'll wonder!CRAZY,might go back to my GM with independant steering.

Shorts

But can your IFS do this?

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...=1#post3216233

Dr.Dizzle

Albeit you have a steering box brace, I recommend you check the box for play in the output shaft and input shaft. Remove the brace in order to check it out. The steering box may be the problem.

Shorts

^ yep, steering box. That is where it all starts. The new big Mopar steering box is suppose to take care of all the bandaids Ram owners have installed to keep the trucks running straight.

turnerup

Well thanks for any input.I forgot to mention the boys' at my dealership replaced the steering box on this truck,it only had 45,000 kms. on it! My truck only has 86,000 kms. on her.It just seems most people on these diesel forums have trucks that don't give them any greif in the steering dept.I guess the rest of us are ment to have some issues!I am going to wait till spring and take her into an old school alignment shop and see whats up.

Dr.Dizzle

One question about the replacement steering box. It now has 41,000kms on it and the original box had 45,000kms on it when it was replaced. Did they replace it with the same size box or did they install the new larger upgraded box(part #68170214AA),which now supersedes the smaller box all together? The new box also comes with a new pitman arm due to it's larger output shaft size (41mm) because the one that comes with it is the only one that will fit. It is designed to work with the 08.5+ linkage upgrade and useable for trucks with up to 3" of lift.

Yes! There are many Dodge CTD owners that have steering and death wobble issues as well. I would seriously look into the steering box. Especially if it is the smaller oem style.

turnerup

Well DR.Dizzle , I just went down to my dealership and looked up the steering box that was installed on my '08,it is the bigger box and all the steering is the updated one not the old style! But my I make mention the service tech. suggested an alignment again,but I asked him if they go by oem settings which will probably be a bit different for toe as compared to a truck with a 2" levell.He said they set it to oem! So what have you guys' set your toe or asked the alignment shop to set it at with a 2" lift?

SOhappy

I thought you wanted to be on the high side of the caster spec with a level kit. They might not be able to go outside the stock tolerances by company policy.

turnerup

Well this is a new age for shops,there isn't many good old mechanics who went out of the box as per say to adjust things per vehicle not just by what a computor dishes out.I think it might be my tires giving the issues as they are the higher weight rating 126/123. They might be so stiff,there is no give in them and they transfer everything to the suspension.Just a guess.

Steve-l

Most of the time this issue is tire related. The problem is tall flexible sidewalls. The shorter the sidewall in relation to the tread width, the more sure footed the steering appears. Low tire pressure (less than 55 lbs) as well as tread wear further aggravates the problem. If you install 35"tires, this wandering is unfortunately normal. My truck tracks noticeably better with the 22.5 Alcoas mounted with the much stiffer sidewalls.

JThiessen

I've also been chasing this same thing. The only thing I'e done differently is I don't have the 2" lift. I also have a "sticky" point in my steering where it feels as though I have to exert more force to get the steering to turn - like it binds up somewhere.
I don't have a buddy with 17" stock size tires to borrow, so that diagnosis will have to wait until I get new tires.

bnold

My last set of Toyos that I ran were super squirrelly for the first quarter of their life. As they wore in they did better, never had a new set of tires feel like that before. A semi would go by and I felt like I had to fight to keep the ol truck in its lane.

JP-4.5

Not sure how much affect the front axle u-joints can place on the feel of steering? I know when my axle u-joints and bearings started to fail it made the steering feel very different. I changed to a manual hub setup and other than the winter months keep the front wheels free spinning and it makes a huge difference in what it takes to turn front end left to right. Could some of the steering concerns come from axle u-joints starting to fail and effecting the steering?

turnerup

Well I figured out the demon! Took off those 2" levell pucks and installed my oem tracbar and the truck is fine again!Those levelling pucks actually cause more greif than good for just show.

Country23047

My truck is stock except for the solid steel leveling "pucks" and so far it drives good for 3/4 ton solid axle truck. These things don't drive like a 1/2 ton with rack & pinion steering.