I have a 99 Dakota r/t. I bought the truck and pretty much did the whole front end. Upper and lower ball joints, tie rod ends, sway bar linkage,upper a arm bushings, rack n pinion,wheel bearings and an alignment. After I did all that I upgraded my rims to an off set kind so they stick out farther now. Will this screw up my alignment? My truck is so crazy all over the road mainly after I brake. I took it to a brake shop and they said my brakes where good. If I hit any type of pot hole or bump my truck will throw me side to side....like my steering wheel pulls I have to fight it.I can hardly drive down a dirt road the chatter bumps just make the truck uncontrollable.if I'm driving straight down a road there is no problems drive nice and straight.

 

could be the tire size itself. i was told if you change your rims you need a new alignment. plus the skinnier the tire the better the control, the wider the tire the less control due to friction and contact area. your brakes could be wearing lopsided you cant tell if they are good or not unless you actually take the brakes off. braking while turning will do that. your rotors could be warped as well. feel the edge of your rotors and check for a ridge, if you feel one, its time to replace the rotors and might as well do the pads while your at it.

 

The way I read the post you did the alignment and then changed the rims
and the tires now stick out further. I'd get another alignment and see if that helps.

Make sure the alignment shop takes in consideration the different rims.

Check for play in the steering box ect.

When I got my truck the steering box had play and the dealer adjusted the toe. 18 wheelers had ruts in the road and driving my truck was a pain in and out of the ruts on the blacktop the truck was all over the road. I tighten my worm screw and another alignment. I still need a new steering box but this has lasted for over 3 years.

 

after doing a ton of reading last night i think i have what is called bump steer....ever heard of it?

 

Yeah, I believe that's what steering stabilizer's in lift kits are supposed to help with once the lift kit and bigger tires are on.

 

hmmm okay i was just reading more and I just read a long thread about the death wobble. i think I might have that?? when I go over any types of bumps or if the road has a dip in it I loose control of the wheel and my truck just sways back in forth....now with that being said like i mentioned in my post in the last 1200 miles i have replaced...upper ball joints,lower ball joints, upper control arm bushings, rack n pinion, tie rod ends,sway bar links,wheel bearings and rotors and pads. I have had the truck aligned.

 

when people are saying steering bar are they talking about the shock?