What’s going on guys? 
01 4x4 230k auto. Juice hot/ exhaust and intake. Stock height with 315/75 16.

 

problem started about a month ago, while driving I noticed my steering wheel started getting more and more off center while going straight. First about 45* right then 90* basically upside down and then a little more all to the right. Then my turning radius decreased significantly to the left. About 1 whole turn. Now all the power steering fluid puked out the top of the reservoir and it’s super bubbly. Truck off or on it’ll blow out the top of it. Trying to narrow down a specific component before just throwing parts at her. Any input is always appreciated. 
 

thanks, josh.

Sounds like steering gear has crapped the bed. The drag link adjustment collar coming loose could explain the steering alignment.

Edited February 7, 20205 yr by dripley

That's a weird one, how is it still going straight with wheel that keeps rotating. I'd have to agree with above, something going on in the steering box. Unless you have fully hydraulic steering with a hydraulic ram like on combine tractors that someone retrofitted.

Definitely a strange problem.  I would check all of your steering linkage and front suspension parts for something way out of whack.  Still, even a severe problem in the steering linkage or front suspension components shouldn't be forcing power steering fluid out of the reservoir.  So, the only other thing that comes to mind is that there is a very unusual problem in the steering gear box, such as mechanical valving failure or shaft / gear failure inside the steering gear box.

 

@Tuck, in the early stages of your problem, did the steering wheel have excessive play?  Was the steering effort hard?  Did the truck still track straight down the road?

 

I would recommend that you don't drive truck until it is fixed, but it sounds like you can't drive it now, anyway.

 

- John

  On 2/8/2020 at 1:23 AM, Tractorman said:

 

Yes it had the traditional dodge loose steering but would always stay true going straight. I could my hands off the wheel and be fine. I’d say the play was about and inch either way. And no not hard steering At all. I’m going to rip off the box and see what all is going on next week. I’ll let y’all know what I find.

 

thanks for the reply’s 

 On Jeeps they would act like that when the steering box broke loose from the frame but that wouldn't explain the fluid puking out. That's an odd thing going on there.

Well new drag link and new hydroboost we back up and running just fine. Thought for sure I was going to have to put a new red head on her but she was just pulling out of the threads.