Odd steering issue.

[142autox]

I've read through the other steering issues here but they are all very different than mine.

It seems to be only a left turn problem. I'll be heading into a long sweeping left and the truck will continue strait, I'll turn the wheel a little more until I start to feel resistance then it will suddenly bump itself to the left. Next turn it will sometimes behave itself. Then, going down a straight road it'll start drifting right so I'll turn the wheel to correct, and nothing, turn more, nothing, turn a little more then it bumps back left.

It's bizarre because it will sometimes drive perfectly normal around turns and straight down the road. Other times if I see an oncoming car I will practically stop so I don't kill them.

I'm thinking it has to be hydraulic, either the pump or the steering gear. Suggestions?

[BILTIT]

Also check your leaf spring eye bushings and frame bushings, Kingpins too.

[PToombs]

Check the coupler box in the column shaft and the rag joint too.

[142autox]

I don't know what the coupler box in the steering shaft is.

The rag joint looks like it's seen better days so does the steering shaft that is a cobbled together welded mess from the p.o. However, neither have any play. My lovely assistant is in Chicago so I can't have her saw at the steering wheel so I can watch for play somewhere else. I had a pretty good look at the front end before it was driving and there were no obvious loose or worn parts, no play anywhere. I did pry on the steering gear and leaf spring bushings and there is nothing to report there. The pittman arm is tight even though I'm pretty sure it's a tooth off since the steering wheel is about 45 deg off.

Is there a better way to check the king pins other than jacking up the front wheels and checking for movement?

I'm leaning towards hydraulic because the issue comes and goes. It may be related to the crown in the road changing, but either way I have to take my truck off the road until I have this resolved. I don't want to lose control of a one ton truck..

[ellis93]

If your thinking pressure problems,Lucas Oil has some power steering stop leak that is almost like honey. Get you two bottles of that stuff, take off your return line, crank the truck to blow out as much old fluid as you can(ya it'll make a mess), then fill it back up with lucas. If there is a problem with the pressure in the pump or steering gear box you'll know because cold it won't be there. Its not a fix but it might give some incite into your issue

[Hansen01]

mine did this sort of thing when the tie rods were bad, but it wasnt so much random, jus an easy thing to check tho

[142autox]

I'm familiar with the Lucas. May be worth a try since it does seem to get worse the longer I drive.

If that fixes it any idea what the actual fix is?

Already checked tie rods, look solid. Thanks though.

[ellis93]

"IF" it works then there's a pressure problem, then you'll have to check the pumps output pressure. If you have that ability,I don't,then you'll be able to diagnose it properly. There is,somewhere in this world , a test hose with a gauge and valve that will meter the pressure coming out of the pump. I would not suggest tring to rig something up to do this becuase thies pumps can make serious pressures, enough to blow the bottum of the pumps apart.
Check this out:
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=11065
All That being said, the pumps the cheapest part, so I'd try it first

[ahale2772]

I bought one of those pressure test kits off ebay, 45bucks shipped to my door its an awesome kit with tons of adaptors for different cars, well worth it

edit... this one
http://www.handsontools.com/Kent-Moore- ... 17745.html

[142autox]

I'm thinking of going the route of rebuild kits for both the pump and gear with new hoses. Worth a try? I do have a slow leak in the system somewhere so its probably time for an overhaul anyway.

[CumminsPower59]

It is hard to find any play in a steering system with the truck on its wheels, putting the truck up on jackstands and letting the suspension droop is one of the best ways that I have found to check components. Everything can look ok, but when you take the weight of the truck off the suspension, anything small becomes evident, because when you pry or wiggle something, you can see what it's condition is really like. The steering in my truck was so sloppy, that I didn't like driving it during a windy day, as the gusts would constantly try to push the truck off the road, and when I would steer into it, I could start turning into it and then it would turn abruptly I replaced the steering shaft from the rag joint to the gear box with a Borgeson unit, along with a new rag joint, and that alone made a world of a difference. Your trucks' issue could just be a combination of several small issues compunding one another, looking like one big problem. For steering issues, I usually start at the wheels and go in from there, wheel bearings, king pins, tie rod, drag link, pittman arm, gear box and mounting(frame), steering shaft, rag joint, and the column. After that, I go and check the pump.

Hope this helps ya
Ike

[Brad717]

I've read through the other steering issues here but they are all very different than mine.

It seems to be only a left turn problem. I'll be heading into a long sweeping left and the truck will continue strait, I'll turn the wheel a little more until I start to feel resistance then it will suddenly bump itself to the left. Next turn it will sometimes behave itself. Then, going down a straight road it'll start drifting right so I'll turn the wheel to correct, and nothing, turn more, nothing, turn a little more then it bumps back left.

It's bizarre because it will sometimes drive perfectly normal around turns and straight down the road. Other times if I see an oncoming car I will practically stop so I don't kill them.

I'm thinking it has to be hydraulic, either the pump or the steering gear. Suggestions?

I had this problem.

Going down a nice straight road and all of a sudden truck would pull hard to left.

I went to garage and it took me 2 or 3 times letting someone else drive before they believed me. When it happen to a friend, he came back and got out of truck saying he would never drive it again. .this can be very scary.

My Truck is used mostly for wood and snow plowing
Over the years my power steering fluid would need checked and filled.

What we found was the pump trashed, most likely because of low fluid at one time or another. First I replaced pump drove it a few days and same problem – pull left

Then we replaced steering box and new hoses and a few months later a drag link and new shaft
Now it drives like new..

This is what we figured happen….
I am not sure if you could replace pump and flush out the rest or not .. but a trashed pump or one that’s been ran with low fluid can clog up some valves in pump....

[ahale2772]

I'm thinking of going the route of rebuild kits for both the pump and gear with new hoses. Worth a try?

definetly worth a try, we just bought a tester kit because before a dodge would come in with a power steering issue and we would have to guess at throwing a pump, or box at it, 50-50 chance of spending money in the wrong place

[142autox]

I had this problem.

Going down a nice straight road and all of a sudden truck would pull hard to left.

I went to garage and it took me 2 or 3 times letting someone else drive before they believed me. When it happen to a friend, he came back and got out of truck saying he would never drive it again. .this can be very scary.

My Truck is used mostly for wood and snow plowing
Over the years my power steering fluid would need checked and filled.

What we found was the pump trashed, most likely because of low fluid at one time or another. First I replaced pump drove it a few days and same problem – pull left

Then we replaced steering box and new hoses and a few months later a drag link and new shaft
Now it drives like new..

This is what we figured happen….
I am not sure if you could replace pump and flush out the rest or not .. but a trashed pump or one that’s been ran with low fluid can clog up some valves in pump....

Oh no! the only person with a similar problem, different but the closest so far, fixed it with the "shot gun method". Your post was helpful but if I want similar results I have to replace everything.

When I bought the truck it was low on ps fluid, didn't really care as the transmission was kaput but the motor sounded ok. They did tell me that the steering was "darty" and on the 2nd reman steering gear from Advanced. I didn't know it was this dangerous.

On to the steering shaft. I said it's a welded together cobbled up mess, but what they welded together is where the slip shaft should be. Is it necessary to have the slip shaft for the u-joints to work properly or is that just to keep the steering column from turning into a widow maker? Seems to me like the rag joint would serve that purpose.

I'll get it jacked up this weekend with the front end dangling to double check the leaf spring bushings. Don't know if I'll spend more $$ on trying the Lucas honey. These trucks could really benefit from panhard rods, seems like they would drive better and steering components would last longer.

[Mark Nixon]

I had similar happen on the older Dodges I used to drive.
Older, as in 1971 and EARLIER.
When the kingpins wear on a solid front axle, or a 4WD axle, they can tend to bind and stick and it'll act for the world like you're describing.
They'll get so bad that you're constantly sawing the wheel back and forth and you never know WHERE it's going to go in the process.

I am NOT saying this is the exact problem, but I wouldn't overlook it, either.

Mark.