I hate my steering

[Flagman]

Was hoping to get some insite here. My truck wanders all over as If I was truck. It is amazing I havent been pulled over yet. It makes you tired driving on a trip as you are constantly trying to compensate to keep the truck going straight. Its not like a steering wheel play problem but it acts in a similar way. Today I put the new Borgeson steering box on, no help. I have run the tires at 35, 50 and 60, no better.I have new moog ball joints, and track bar, new tires, alignment. My truck has 60,000 miles. It is a 2001 2500 SLT 4 x 4. It does have the big ARB bumper and large winch. Also, it has new front shocks. Any ideas? Mark

[Mopar1973Man]

Tierod ends, steering shock, or trac bar?

[Flagman]

Tierod ends, steering shock, or trac bar?

they all check out??

[Mopar1973Man]

Hmmm... Start from the tire going towards the steering wheel... Tire lug nus (Tight)Wheel bearingsball jointstie rod endstrac bardrag linksteering boxsector adjustmentrag joint (in steering shaft)steering shaft u-joints Those are all the point I can think off that play can sneak in on you... Maybe a few others I forgot...

[Flagman]

thank you, Ill start looking

[Wild and Free]

Have you had an alignment shop set the caster up yet? That will cause them to wander horribly it needs to be set to a minimum of 3.5 degrees and if possible as high as 4.5-5 degrees. You can take and adjust the cam adjusters yourself on the front of the lower control arm you will generally be in the 3.5 degree range when they are at the max rotation. try it its easy if they cam bolt isn't frozen. To get it higher you need the offset upper ball joint bushings. I am pretty sure this is your problem. http://dodgeram.org/tech/specs/00_steer_specs.html

[Flagman]

wow I will definitely try that. How come with this wandering problem, it seems no one has on posts related to wandering has ever mentioned this? thanks again Mark

[rburks]

they all check out??

Its that rag joint in the steering shaft I bet, had the same issue a year or so ago and i replaced the steering shaft w/ Borgenson shaft. The new Borgonson box's are made to use the Borg. shafts i think Richie

[Flagman]

the shaft is fine and within specs. A previous posted suggested caster adjustment. Next week my alignment man will check that, he thought thats was interesting and worth a go.thanksMark

[Flagman]

Have you had an alignment shop set the caster up yet? That will cause them to wander horribly it needs to be set to a minimum of 3.5 degrees and if possible as high as 4.5-5 degrees. You can take and adjust the cam adjusters yourself on the front of the lower control arm you will generally be in the 3.5 degree range when they are at the max rotation. try it its easy if they cam bolt isn't frozen. To get it higher you need the offset upper ball joint bushings. I am pretty sure this is your problem. http://dodgeram.org/tech/specs/00_steer_specs.html

Hi Wild and Free I think you are on to something. How come with all the talk about this wandering problem, this is the first time Ive ever heard of this? My mechanic put them at 4 degrees which is all the adjustment that could be had without working with the top control arm. He said it we went to far, the steering would wobble more when it hits bumps so he thought 4 a good compromise. I see the improvement now, not perfect but better. It still has a bit of a wander feeling but maybe thats the MO of the truck. thanks for your help. Mark

[LiveOak]

When I installed the DSS on my truck, it made a noticable improvement in steering wonder and improved how the steering tracked down the road. I have one in the garage that I am going to install on the wife's truck. Here is an example of one: http://www.pdrdiesel.com/products/DSS_Steering_Stabilizer_1994_02_4X4-668-17.html perhaps some of the vendors here may have them and at a better price. It was not too difficult to install and although it is not a 100% fix, it is a noticably good improvement. If the steering alignment does not help, I would suggest looking at the track bar. You can install newer style track bars that make a big improvement and the OEM steering shaft has just never been very good, even when new. The combination of the DSS, new style track bar, and Borgeson steering shaft I think will make a huge improvement provided your steering box does not have excessive play in it. http://www.genosgarage.com/prodinfo.asp?number=BORG-000940 Genos now carries the Borgeson steering box as well. From what I have read, this is a much better box than the OEM. http://www.genosgarage.com/prodinfo.asp?number=BORG-800112 Combines all of this is a lot of money so the best bet is to start with the worst areas of the suspension.

[Gil2264]

Have you had an alignment shop set the caster up yet? That will cause them to wander horribly it needs to be set to a minimum of 3.5 degrees and if possible as high as 4.5-5 degrees. You can take and adjust the cam adjusters yourself on the front of the lower control arm you will generally be in the 3.5 degree range when they are at the max rotation. try it its easy if they cam bolt isn't frozen. To get it higher you need the offset upper ball joint bushings. I am pretty sure this is your problem. http://dodgeram.org/tech/specs/00_steer_specs.html

I've seen that article more times than I can remember, and it makes a lot of sense...The problem is I have searched high and low, but have yet to find those elusive magical offset Bushings. I don't think they exist for the 2001 Dana 60. There are bushings on lighter duty and 2 wheel drive models, and thats probably what the writer was referring to, but there're no upper ball joint BUSHINGS on a 2001 Dodge Dana 60 front axel. You CAN buy special offset ball joints, but they are not adjustable, and not MOOG, and therefore probably not going to last very long.

[Howie67]

I have a similar issue it feels like when your are crossing the mid point there is a slight amount of play. For example when coming into a right turn i turn the wheel and get very little response and then after i turn the wheel far enough it finally seems to give too much response causing me to have to correct back. I have read that the stock steering shaft can have play which is only noticed when you crossover the center point and you will feel a small click or bump in the steering shaft. I originally thought this might be a larger bump or click but what i feel is fairly slight. I plan to replace both the shaft and steering box with the Borgeson units as soon as i get some money. I have already done the complete front end ball joints, stabilizer, 3rd gen track bar upgrade, tie rods etc.. multiple alignments and all that. According to what i read im not sure if it was a TSB or what but if you turn the wheel over center back and forth about a quarter turn or so you might feel it just as it crosses over the mid point. For me i found it easier to feel when i was rolling just slightly since turning the wheel for me was too tight at a stand still.

[Flagman]

thanks for your thoughts.for what you describe, the borg steering box will make the world of a difference. My problem was that but also a wandering/play feeling in the truck/steering. The borg box helped but the biggest help was moving the caster adjustment to 4+ degrees on each side. It is still not perfect but its much better. My shaft was fine and I didn't change it. Does anyone know how it would improve my situation?Part of whats going on is the design of the truck. We can all change things or we can just buy different trucks.Mark

[Howie67]

thanks for the input on the borgeson box it is good to hear. I have a bit more then double your miles on my truck so i just figured do the shaft and be done with it. I think ill keep the truck and do what i can with the steering..

[Flagman]

good, Im happy with mine. its not perfect but then its not a mercedes. A note to the Mopar man. I just down loaded the FSM, what a great deal, its worth $120. Anyway, it says right in there fuel psi 10 minimum. Thanks for listening to my questions.Mark

[afaletto]

I smile reading this thread. It is like a diary of my thoughts on my steering as well. I have had all the same problems and thoughts about getting a different truck just because of the steering. I put on a 3rd gen tracbar and steering brace, and it did just what others said. "Made it better", but by no means fixed. It still wanders terribly. I plan on getting a camper and boat setup some day, but hate the idea of towing all this and feel like I am driving the boat down the road!!! Do any of your trucks track well or is this just the "MO" of our trucks.

[Wild and Free]

I have said it over and again like a broken record, the fix is to go to a 3.3 turn gear box instead of the 4.5 turn. You all will be super impressed with the results.

[Howie67]

I have said it over and again like a broken record, the fix is to go to a 3.3 turn gear box instead of the 4.5 turn. You all will be super impressed with the results.

Since i have not read your posts on this subject I need to ask if you are referencing the borgson box that I talked about a few posts back or something else?

[Wild and Free]

Yes, the Borgesson is now the one to go with as the others GM issued 3.3 turns are just about impossible to get anymore.