ive thot baout doin this when my track bar comes in and also maybe the steering brace

 

nice write up Winslow :thumbsup:

 

Hey,

Thanks guys!!!arty018:

It's an easy adjustment to do and I figure a lot of guys didn't even know you could do it!! I know I didn't!!!

Later,
Winslow

 

Great write up man, I had mine replaced in the "search for a truck that doesn't steer like a hay wagon" and it didn't change anything so my old one was probably still good but I've seen this TSB before and was wondering.....Would the mechanic that installed my box do the preload before installing or not? I don't really know what it does. I may try this as soon as some of this snow goes away. The truck drives a lot better than it did but I think that was mainly from the track bar replacement. I spent a total of $1500 will a few discounts included and it still doesn't steer like a truck should. I still have play at the steering wheel and can't figure out where it would be coming from because everything under the front end is basically new. Hope this will help me out.......

Either way, thanks again man:thumbsup:

 

do you turn the screw in or out?

 

Read the TSB report: about halfway down the page it says to turn the screw in about 1/8 to 1/4 turn.

Good info Winslow and good pics! Much appreciated :thumbsup:

 

I could be wrong, but you should do the bearing pre-load first , then the over center adjustment,
and when ever doing the over center make sure the wheels are in the straight ahead posn! or if you screw it in too much it will bind

 

Hey,

According to the TSB you can adjust the overcenter, then if a 1/2 of a turn won't do it, you need to move to the pre-load!:thumbsup:

And I don't have any binding. I guess the wheels were straight ahead!!!

Later,
Winslow

 

I said I could be wrong, so then I went looking.....

I cut this from the adjustment procedure, that I know I have linked in at least 1/2 posts


Steering Gear Adjustments
CAUTION: Steering gear must be adjusted as outlined. Failure to adhere to the procedure may result in gear damage or improper steering response.
Remove the gear by following the instructions above, and mount it in a vise. Drain the power steering fluid and make the following adjustments in order:

FIRST - worm thrust bearing preload
SECOND - over-center preload adjustment

here is the link to this above warning:

Ram Steering Gear Adjustments

The above adjustment can be done in the truck without removing pressure lines or the box its self, there is more than enough room to do it and it will take you about 20mins to do

and here is the link to a page full of dodge steering issues
Ram Steering Problems

 

Hey,

Good info Nickg but why would Dodge put out a TSB showing adjusting it the way I did????:confused013:

TSB 19-10-97

And it's dated Aug 15, 1997. Just wondering???

Still good info you gave and I'm not trying to argue just learn!!!:S::thumbsup:

Thanks,
Winslow

 

I dont know why they would do that unless they are just trying to do a quick fix and get you out the door, 2mins under hood fixes a customer complaint and gets it past warrantee(just a guess???) 20+yrs ago I took my mechanic trg, and I seem remember that the bearing pre-load was susposed to be done first, if you look at how the box is put together it makes sense to take the slop out of a bearing BEFORE you try to mesh to gears together

 

best way to look at is that the over center adjustment actually meshes 2 gear teeth together, effectively taking up the play between them, that would be why its important to do the bearing pre-load first, if the overcenter adjustment is too tight it will cause the sector shaft teeth to wear and again you would have a "loose " steering box

here is a link to a simple pic of how a steering box works,

HowStuffWorks "How Car Steering Works"

 

Hey,

Thanks, I guess I'm not sure what I should do...

It seems to be better now. I'm wanting to mess with the pre-load sometime, just haven't the time yet.:S:

I just figured I would follow what Dodge said to do. I guess if they knew anything, we wouldn't have all these problems!!

Later,
Winslow

 

If you never turned it much, leave it until you go do the preload then back it off what ever the amount was that you turned it, then do the pre-load, then if required redo the overcenter adjustment,

this is what I would do.

 

Hey,

I think that is what I'm going to do!!:thumbsup:

I seems everyone knows the right way to do things besides me!!

Later,
Winslow

 

I did the preload then the overcenter adj and it might be a little better but now the steering wheel is turned to the left. Anyone have any ideas what to do about this my O.C.D will not allow it to stay like that. L.O.L.

 

Hey,

Here you go:

See that tie rod end?? Adjust it until the wheel is straight!!!:thumbsup:

Good-Luck,
Winslow

 

winslow,
that adjusting sleeve has lots of "anti rust" protection!!! tech tip for ya if you rotate the clamps and line up the open throat with the open cut on the sleeve, it will ensure that the sleeve is tight on the tie-rod threads.

yours might be proper but I cant see through the grease (LOL)

 

Hey,

Yeah it's covered in grease and anti-seize on the threads!!

I see what you mean, turn the clamps so they clamp better on the open part. I might do that when I get a chance, but it's been like that since I got the truck!!:S:

I've replaced the tie rod end when I got it and didn't give the clamps a thought!!:S:

Thanks,
Winslow

 

Thanks Prowelder I will make that adjustment this morning. Ive got to go to Kansas City tomorrow and I would have been insane lookin at that till I got back

 

has anyone done this without doing the preload... I dont have the tools nor the facilities to do the preload adjustment and was just wondering if just adjusting the screw did the fix and for how many miles has it been since ya did it? Thanks

 

That's how mine is and it seemed to help. I still haven't done the preload yet though!!

 

ya the borgeson steering box and shaft are really nice, definately worth the money

 

Planning to do this possibly this weekend.

I went and bought a spanner wrench from Graingers... hopefully, I don't have to pull the steering box out.

I did the long list of fix it's already and this is what I'm down to. All the joints are good, steering brace, aftermarket track bar, but I still have the wheel turned about 2 o clock on one side of the crown in the road, and about 10 o clock on the other side of the crown in the road.... on freeways the steering wheel is left to right.... so basically I have quite a bit of slop.

So I'll report in after i make these adjustments.

My eye is on the borgeson steering box, but...... the spanner wrench was about 370 bucks cheaper.

 

Sweet deal, let us know how it works for you!!:thumbsup:

And feel free to take any pictures if you want and post them up. I'm thinking about doing the full adjustment once it warms up.:thumbsup:

 

Sweet deal, let us know how it works for you!!:thumbsup:

And feel free to take any pictures if you want and post them up. I'm thinking about doing the full adjustment once it warms up.:thumbsup:

I did the adjustment last night and posted the process with pics in a new post.

:thumbsup:

 

Whats makes the 4wd so much worse than the 2wd? I have about 234K on mine and the steering is still pretty good. Is it just the different requirements for the 4wd?

 

Yeah it's a little different on the 4wd. We have a track bar plus the added weight and stress of the front axle.:thumbsup:

 

Ok just wondering. We have. 89 ramcharger not lifted. Only thing I had to fix was replace the shaft with a Borgensen steering shaft. When I do lift it. About 4" I will swap to crossover steering along with 3/4 ton axles.

 

Of course part of it is pickyness. I'm trying to get it to drive more like a new truck, or at least as much as I can. I really think the Borgensen box and shaft would make the biggest improvement along with a 3rd gen track bar. Also doing the conversion to the heavy duty steering linkage design would help too.:thumbsup:

 

http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/9...m/forum/98-5-02-non-powertrain/358933-steering-box-preload-adjustment-pics.html

 

Sweet!!:thumbsup: