Well, the steering went south again with 37,612 miles. Tight two hand steering, but once you get through a certain spot, it is smooth. We once AGAIN checked everything out, which all checked out OK. Put a long screwdriver through the joint on the rack end of the intermediate shaft, and the joint is bad. The Dodge dealer where I bought the truck wants $380 to change it out, parts & labor, and $208 for just the part. "They are giving me a break because they know all the problems I had with the steering while it was under warranty and they could not fix it", RIGHT. I tried to get makeitmopar.com, as they are usually the cheapest for parts, but they no longer exist as of 2-14-08. I searched the net, but $149 plus shipping was the best I found. I decided to try Ebay, and found Hall Chrysler Jeep Dodge had an auction on Ebay with a buy it now price of $119.95 and $13.81 to ship. It is a genuine Mopar part, #55351246AA. He has 24 of them if anyone else needs one. I emailed them, and they say that is a problem part, but this one will look different than the stock unit, as they have been improved ?I guess Chrysler is waiting for one of these joints to fail while someone is going 60mph and get killed to have a recall. Sorry for the long thread.

 

I think I have the same problem. I can feel it bump through the floor board and the steering wheel when I am going really slow and hit a bump or my brakes. My steering is fine when turning, and it tracks straight. It's just the bump that I feel. How can you tell for sure the joint is bad.

 

I would convince them that they didnt fix ur steering so this caused this to wear out

 

I have a 97 Dakota, 4wd, V8, 5spd. With 180k+ I can't complain but the intermediate shaft u-joing wore out. I went to the dealer and ordered one but when it came in the end was different. The original one had a splined hole that went to the steering box shaft, the new shaft had a strait hole with flats. The dealer said this was the only one listed and must have been updated. I was willing to buy the part but it woudn't fit and don't want to buy a new box just to make it all work. Anyone else have this happen? Is it possible to replace the u-joints? It's all that's wrong with it and would be easier than the whole shaft.