Ok, recently replaced upper and lower ball joints and front wheel hubs on both sides. Had the truck aligned and the truck still pulls when the wheel enters a rut in the road. Sometimes it can throw you pretty hard if your not expecting it? The tie rods dont have play in them, and I have heard adjusting the steering box might have soemthing to do with this, but unsure. The tiresize is 285/60/17. I looked for posts on this but couldn't find anything. Basicall if your driving on a relatively flat road it drives straight. If you drive on a country road that has some tire grooves in it, the truck pulls left, then right trying to track the road. Thoughts? My hands are tired from holing on to the steering wheel so tight all the time.

Thanks,
Jon

 

so if you are riding on the highway where the semi trucks leave the grooves from their tires your truck wants to track into those grooves? pretty normal, you need to find a smooth section of road to try it on to find out if it was aligned correctly, and there isnt much you can do about changing the road (which it sounds like is the problem)

 

Your tires are most likely over inflated. that will make them want to track the ruts. if you are running larger than stock you should be running less pressure than stock. tire guys aren't that bright though and tend to innflate to the sidewall press rating(IE MAX).

check that first. if it is an overinflation issue make them recheck the alignment with the proper tire pressure, it can make a big difference. it may also help educate the guy.

 

Run em at about 35psi.


Could be bad tires beleive it or not. Take it in and have them cross rotated and rebalanced.

 

I am running the tires at about 32 PSI and there is some uneven wear on the fronts from the prior failed ball joints. I didn't think it would effect it this badly, but maybe it has?? I have new tires on the back, so maybe I will swap them around and if it cures the problem, I will do a big smokey burnout with the uneven tires to "flatten" them back out. My problem is I always want to smoke them up till they pop..... :-)

To answer the question about the highway, yes, my durango wants to follow the ruts left by the trucks. On flat pavement it seems to track pretty straight. This is the largest tire I have ever run, and it is a factory rim/tire size. I have the SLT with the 17" rim and it has the 285/55/17 tire on it. Cant believe that the factory would consider driveability like that as acceptable. Then again, they put suspension parts on without greese fittings.....

Thanks,
Jon

 

Un-even wear on the fronts, exaggerated when faults fixed, bingo. Swap the rears to the front as you mentioned and give it a shot. Although fun, smoking them wouldnt help

If that does not solve your issue it may be the alignment was wrong
Lots of camber.
Un-even alignment specs side to side.
Toe out.

 

You could adjust the steering box if you have a 1998-1999 model year with a steering box.

 

hydra, he has an 01, check the vehicle field at the top of his post