Steering Tight and Holding!!

Rooster Feather · 08-24-2006, 03:04 PM

Brand New Here...so be gentle

2002 1-Ton Dually 2 wheel drive....

My steering was lose enough that it tended to knock when driving over washboard and turning sharpely. I took it to a front end shop for alignment, and they told me that the lower ball joints were bad. I replaced them and took it back for alignment. It drives as straight as a string but it felt like there was slop in the steering wheel (1:00 to 11:00 o'clock).

With local farmer advise, I adjusted the "tension" screw for the powersteering gears. I first tightened it to "just snug". That caused the steering to be tight and it tends to hold when driving. (not catching just stiff and holding) I backed the tension off some, but it still tight and holds. This makes you have to drive it from white line to yellow line.

What the heck do I do?

Rooooooooster

***mobs241*** · 08-25-2006, 01:36 AM

back it off somemore!!!

the adjustment screw you speak of is the adjustment for the worm gear in the box.. you have the gears way to close.. back it off a bit.. realistically when you adjust the worm gear your only supposed to increase adjustment at 1/16 of a turn. (barely turn it) back it back off. if you do not back it off you have a chance of blowing the gear box up.

***Mopar1973Man*** · 08-25-2006, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobs241

back it off somemore!!!

the adjustment screw you speak of is the adjustment for the worm gear in the box.. you have the gears way to close.. back it off a bit.. realistically when you adjust the worm gear your only supposed to increase adjustment at 1/16 of a turn. (barely turn it) back it back off. if you do not back it off you have a chance of blowing the gear box up.

You need to bad off the adjustment of the gear box more... It will loosen up again.

mgstroker95 · 08-25-2006, 10:41 AM

Hey what about that kit you can buy from Performance Diesel Warehouse the Darin's Steering Stabilizer? The DSS, also known as the "Darin's Steering Stabilizer" is designed to eliminate steering wander in the Dodge Ram pickups. It does this by adding an additional bearing to the bottom of the steering box sector shaft and by adding an additional cross member tying the frame rails together eliminating frame flex. Has anyone installed one of these on there trucks? I was thinking about buying one. Here the link:http://www.performancedieselwarehouse.com/1303976.html

Rooster Feather · 08-25-2006, 12:04 PM

When I back the tension off, the "slop" will return. Is this what the DSS system will remedy? How can I tell if the steering gearbox is wore out?

Rooooooster

funcruise · 08-25-2006, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgstroker95

Hey what about that kit you can buy from Performance Diesel Warehouse the Darin's Steering Stabilizer? The DSS, also known as the "Darin's Steering Stabilizer" is designed to eliminate steering wander in the Dodge Ram pickups. It does this by adding an additional bearing to the bottom of the steering box sector shaft and by adding an additional cross member tying the frame rails together eliminating frame flex. Has anyone installed one of these on there trucks? I was thinking about buying one. Here the link:http://www.performancedieselwarehouse.com/1303976.html

Yes I just put one in last week. My truck steered not too bad but tended to drift one way or the other just a bit. Now with the DSS in you can lay your hand on the bottom of the wheel and go down the road straight. Also it only took me about a half hour to install. I would recomend it.......Regards, strait and happy..............

mgstroker95 · 08-25-2006, 07:33 PM

Thanks for the info funcruise I will be adding that to my list of goodies that I have to get!

fight4yourrights · 09-11-2006, 04:51 PM

On my 2001, I had a TON of slop in the steering.

I climbed under it, with the engine off, had the wife turn the steering wheel back and forth.

Noticable play in the end of the trackbar, and the steering box at the pitman arm

I bought a new trackbar from NAPA, and that took out about 90% of the play.

The DSS did the other 10%.

I'm good to go for now. Eventually, that play in the steering box may be a problem, but for now the DSS has it covered.

tcourse · 09-25-2006, 12:51 AM

Here's the lates fix when all else fails.

http://www.turbodieselregister.com/f...d.php?t=159935

GSP7 · 09-25-2006, 08:53 AM

TCourse, Do you know if there is a source to contact to get one of those Nylon bushings that he made? Id like to get one just to have it ready as a spare part.

tcourse · 09-25-2006, 11:28 AM

http://www.rocksolidramtrucksteering.com/

CITATION_SP · 09-26-2008, 09:04 AM

This is the first time I have posted on this website and I hope someone can shed some light on the on going problems with my truck.

I have a 2002 Dodge 2500 ST long bed truck with the Cummins diesel and automatic transmission, 2 wheel drive, no air conditioning, and no other options. I purchased the truck new in May 2002 and I have never hauled or towed anything with it, I have used it only as a vehicle to go back forth to work. In September 2007 when it had 45,000 miles on it (it now has 60,000) the PCM died. This was the first problem the truck ever had but it was the first of many due to poor design and quality of Dodge products. The dealer replace the PCM and two solenoid in the transmission they said were damaged when the PCM died. About a month after the PCM was replace the torque convertor would start to lock and unlock around 1300-1500rpms when on level road. This placed severe loads on the drive train and eventually beat the torque convertor to death and it had to be replaced. Since then the dealer has replaced the solenoids a second time and then rebuilt the transmission. The problem still persists and the dealer has given up on the problem. When the convertor goes on it rampage it will unlock-lock up 25-40 times before settling down and of course the dealer says it will not do for him or his mechanics when road testing the truck. The service manager said his only answer is that I drive the truck to easy and the transmission is confused as to whether it wants to be in OD or 3rd and I said BS!!! Of course that was the end of our working relationship!

The following items have been replaced or rebuilt since Sep 2007: PCM and 2 solenoids, two more solenoids, power brake booster, master cylinder (both leaking), fuel injection pump, left and right lower control arms (bad ball joint due to Chrysler wanting to save a penny and not put grease fitting on the ball joints), transmission rebuilt, torque convertor, drive shaft, lower radiator hose ( factory installed the hose against one of the intercooler clamp studs and it wore a hole in the hose), both front rotor dust shields, and the steering gear box (twice). Above all of this each time I picked up the truck I have to correct all the sloppy workmanship problems caused by the mechanics not giving a s**t about doing a through job.

The warranty is up in 9 months and 12,000 miles and then it is going to the junk yard to be crushed so as not to cause me or anyone else any problems. One thin I know for sure there will never be another Chrysler product in my garage if I have any say so about it!!!