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#1
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Steering box question for front end techs or anybody else who can help
I'm still fighting the steering box problem with my truck. Last week they "tightened up the box again" due to my complaints and now say nothings wrong. I put a steering stabilizer on last night and it made the problem worse. To me it seems like the steering box is loser some times than others, and is worse on a road with a camber. Going to the left is worse than the right. I swear last night I had the wheel turned 1/2 turn to the left with the wheels straight, but then couldn't duplicate it.
Can a box be looser sometimes and not others? The only way I can see this happending if if the steering shaft binds enough to preload the gear to seem tigher, but I'm not sure I really hate driving it enought right now to consider selling it (and if I do the next one won't be a DODGE). So far Dodge refuses to replace the box under the extended warranty (I say that ithat if the box is worn enough to need major adjustment at 58K, it needs replaced). |
#2
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Don't forget - these are GM (junk) boxes
I agree that some of these are a total POS. When you say loose, what do you mean? Does the wheel move a lot before the wheels move? Or does it wander around while driving & you are holding the wheel straight. There is a difference between the two & there are 2 adjustments - one for each of these. Adjusting that nut on the preload will fix the first one, while there is a more complicated adjustment for the other. There was a TSB that explained how to do these & it was for steering wander if I remember correctly. If I get time later, I will try to look it up on Dave Fritz's ram page to see if he has it.
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#3
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He has the TSB, thats where I started. It's loose as in about 1/4 to 1/2 a turn of the steering wheel until the truck turns (turning left seems worse than right). Sometimes when I start from a stop I'll have to turn the wheel to keep it going straight. Sometimes on the Highway when I pass a truck with a side wind the truck seems to blow while I'm holding the wheel in the same position (I have to turn the wheel to keep it going straight).
I guess if I would have spent the extra $300 and had them change the idler arm and pittman arm (it really didn't even need the idler arm) at the dealer then I could say- well that didn't fix it, now change the box. Since I did the change myself and used Moog parts, now they say it's the "stiff aftermarket parts". |
#4
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My truck
My truck had a good steering box, and when they misdiagnosed a bad track bar they changed it. It was just as you describe, with about 12 trips in.
What happened when I finally took it off and replaced it with a 95 rebuilt box is this. Dodge TSB says tighten it, thats not at all how you set a steering box, there is only one right setting, that adjustment is not for taking up slack. I would bet yours is now binding up and taking out the bearings with it. Generally they adjust steering boxes with "tighten to xx inch lbs then back out 1 turn" not this 1/8 from no reference BS If it were me, I would do the same I did. A pre-95 is a bolt in swap. The valving in a pre-95 is set up much more stable, mine is night and day from the 99 "improvement" at about 170 dollars it was the best I ever did. However, if Dodge has a bench adjustment procedure, I dont know, maybe KZPBEE knows, insist they take the box off and start over. Mine ended up so tight it wouldnt turn on the bench. At least then they would know where you are. Its a simple setup, but people dont realize that that adjustment is not a "slack adjustment" its to mesh the gears properly, if you keep zonking it down, it will bind. My rebuilt replacement was FAR better than the Mopar, but insist they take it out and adjust it properly if they have the instructions how to. I'd also put a paint mark (very small) on one of the hold down bolts to see if they do it. I put tape on mine and caught the idiots BSing me. I dont get mad at guys who dont know, but I hate when they try to BS a BSer |
#5
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I paid attention to it on the way home today. the loose feeling is actually I don't feel any preload in the wheel in the center (its constantly changing) so when I hit a bump on one side, the truck heads that direction until I turn the wheel enough that the slack is taken up. On a trip of over an hour or so it leaves you exhausted.
My427stang, did you put in the AGR box for pre-1995? or was it another brand? I need the get this fixed as I have to pick up my new trailer at my parents in Bellevue, NE (unless you could drop it off on your way to Las Vegas - Just kidding :-) ) and I don't even want to thing abut driving all that way swinging the steering wheel from side to side. Kzybee, I originally (after swapping the pittman arm and idler arm) did the TSB by adjusting the over-center adjustment (1/2 a turn 1/4 turn at a time). This helped for about 2 days. I then took it to the dealer (I didn't have a spaneer and have never been inside a steering box before) The dealer tighthened the other nut (inside the box) which helped, and then 2 weeks later when it was loose again I took it back. I think they only did the over-center adjustment then . From the notes on the ticket I think the tech was miffed that I brought it back. Now its loose again. |
#6
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This is the TSB I was refering to
http://dodgeram.org/tech/tsb/1997/19-10-97/19_10_97.htm
The bearing preload part is the part that needs to be done on yours - It's a pain, believe me!! Other than that, I would say it needs a box. |
#7
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The dealer said he woud change the box
Based on My427Stang's tip (You can buy a 94 box for $180 verses a 1997 for $700) I was going to change out the box myself. I decided to call the Service Manager of the dealership and after a lengthy discussion, he agreed to have them change the steering box out next Friday under my extended warranty. He said the Chrysler Extended Warrany people make them adjust it since there is a procedure, but since it has now returned to being loose 2 times they can change out the box. Thank's for everyones help.
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#8
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Have a 98 RAM 2500 4x4 V-10 with box problems/looseness and have tried a rebuilt box from Advance two years ago....no help .
Youall saying that an older NEW box for Rams 94 and older will bolt in my truck with NO mods? and new it's not 400-$600 ??? so they kept the same exact power steeering gear box on the 1994 truck that the 92s and 93s had even though the rest of the truck was all new ?? thanks for the help |
#9
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what yr truck>
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#10
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my truck is a 1998
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#11
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'94 was the changeover year, W250 steering box interchanges from '94-'02. Earlier won't fit.
Are you sure the looseness is in the box? http://rocksolidramtrucksteering.com/ http://www.hellbentsteel.com/dodge-r...lizer-kit.html |
#12
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98 4x4, Quad cab V10 has 108,000 miles , replaced the trac bar with aftermarket part as well as the ball joints with greeseable aftermarket ones...took awhile to get those new ball joints to loosin up some, had repacked and adjusted front bearings not long ago and they feel tight, other tie rod joints seem tight, im the owner of the truck since new
two additional questions: when one replaces the steering shaft with like a borgeson one, is that replacing only the part of the shaft that is in the engine compartment? in other words you don't have to pull any of the steering column inside the cab or work inside the cab at all?? would this stock power steering unit that i have off now be a Saginaw unit??, have a dis-assembly video that i hope will apply: https://youtu.be/iqqqdQMljm0 |
#13
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With the engine off and wheels on the ground. Have a helper rock the steering wheel back and forth while you carefully inspect the front suspension, steering components, gear box, and steering column shaft. You'll be able to see the play.
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#14
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went ahead and tore the box off which has previously been "rebuilt" seals and bearings look decent ....only finding 11 black and 11 chrome bearings in the unit whereas the vid i posted says there should be 24 in a saginaw. I'll get into alot more study of the thing this weekend and hopefully I'll find a link on this site where someone has torn apart a Saginaw specifically off a 98 2500 Quad cab. Anyone know that link please post.
Wonder why the instant e-mail notifications aren't working |
#15
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#16
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Do you mean PM's?
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