steering wheel bumps after new front end

BgBlDodge

BgBlDodge

Hates hippies
Joined
May 7, 2007
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Last weekend I installed new balljoints, new hubs, dss steering brace, and the 08.5 steering system with pitman arm and steering stabilizer. Ever since then, the steering has sucked. It's sloppy to the left, stiff and twitchy to the right, and when you are going through a long turn, the steering wheel begins to do a slow rhythmic jerk. Almost feels like a very slow death wobble. I had it aligned yesterday but it didn't change anything. I've got a carli track bar I'm installing today but have no hopes of it solving this. Any ideas? I'm seriously debating putting the stock system back on it sucks so bad. I torqued the ball joints in three stages. Uppers to 70 and lowers to 165. Maybe the stock steering was masking a bad steering box? I never had any of these problems before I did the work. Ball joints were fully seated as were the hubs. I'm just at a loss and can't stand the way it drives now. Here's my alignment sheet showing before and after. Let me know what y'all think.
20140305_160355_zpsef801c1d.jpg
 
Only difference I noticed in mine was the steering has no play at all. Almost makes it difficult to drive.

Have you had someone turn the wheel while you look around at the steering parts?

Internal play in steering box?
 
Driving this thing now is nearly dangerous it's so twitchy. Sports cars don't have this kind of steering.

I'm doing that this weekend when my wife and I have some time to see if I find something.

I was thinking about internal box slop. I did have to wail on the pitman arm pretty dang hard with a 3lb sledge to get it to come loose.
 
when the engine is off, and you turn the wheel left to right, is there a little slop before it starts to turn the tires? ive got a 98 that when i do that, i get about a 1/4 turn before it starts to turn the wheels.. lots of slop in that one! lol
 
BgBlDodge said:
Driving this thing now is nearly dangerous it's so twitchy. Sports cars don't have this kind of steering.

I'm doing that this weekend when my wife and I have some time to see if I find something.

I was thinking about internal box slop. I did have to wail on the pitman arm pretty dang hard with a 3lb sledge to get it to come loose.
Click to expand...

You could have damaged something in the box by hitting the pitman arm. Using a pitman arm puller is very important when removing the pitman arm.
 
I had the pitman arm puller so tight that I couldn't even back it off. Used a 2' breaker bar on it and couldn't budge the arm. The box does a 145k miles on it as does the shocks and springs and track bar and u joints and control arms. I've also got a leveling kit on the truck.
 
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BgBlDodge said:
I had the pitman arm puller so tight that I couldn't even back it off. Used a 2' breaker bar on it and couldn't budge the arm.
Click to expand...

An impact may have worked, it allows some shock to go into the pitman arm but not into the box.
 
I've had some trucks come in with parts store brand ball joints( moog and auto zone house brand) that were so tight when new that it would bind the steering and cause your exact problem. Just a guess.

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Hmm. I know the driver side was incredibly tight when I installed it. Took two hands to move it afterwards
 
I bet that's it. In both trucks the knuckles where tight like that. The fit is really too tight on some aftermarket ball joints in an effort to make them last longer. Then if there is any corrosion where they press in it squeezes on the housing when installed and makes then even tighter.

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My Carli joints were a severe PITA they were so tight.....but the steering is super smooth. Maybe because of their design.....the upper is basically a kingpin design......me likely :)

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I removed any corrosion before pressing them in. They pressed in a whole lot easier than the stockers pressed out. If that's the problem I'm gonna be pissed.
 
Would a tight ball joint really cause the steering wheel to hold pressure and then release and then hold and then release? The whole truck moves while it's doing it's bumping thing.
 
^^^ No kidding huh, strange.


I'm no hydraulic wizard but I'm thinking/guessing steering box.

Pop off the SSSSSSSS (steering sector shaft super sweet stabilization support) bearing and then have someone turn the wheel. Something internal messed up possibly?
 
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it sounds like it's just binding up and releasing over and over... I've seen tight ball joints do some funky stuff.
 
Had the same problem with my early '07, steering box and axle U-joints cured it.
 
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