Just replaced the steering shaft on my 96 Ram 1500 4x4. Now the steering is tight but it doesn't want to stay at center. When you turn the wheel left or right you feel a slight resistance (at about 10 and 2 o'clock positions) then it frees up and continues to pull in that direction from that point on. Also making a noise "sounds like an electric motor" that changes pitch when turning.

I just got this truck and I think the really loose old steering shaft was masking this problem.

I also could have screwed up the install of the shaft but I think I got it right the second time I tried.

 

What shaft? You mean the whole column or the intermediate shaft?

 

The intermediate shaft from the firewall to the steering box

 

The noise is probably from the PS pump. And either it's bad or something is binding, ie .. tie rods, ball joints, steering gear, steering column bushing is bad, or alignment. Sorry to say there is no easy answer to fix it. Everything needs to be checked out before you go throwing money at it. One thing I'm curious about, if you grab the bottom of the steering column where it comes out of the firewall under the brake booster, do you have any movement? Either up or down and/or sideways?

 

Sounds like someone previously tried to adjust the play in the steering box that was actually caused by your intermediate shaft and over tightened the adjustment screw on it. Jack up the front end so the tires are off the ground and start the truck and turn the wheel from centered in both directions. If you feel a sticking spot turning over center then I would bet that the box is over adjusted. You need a 16mm box end wrench and a 4.5mm or 3/16 allen wrench as well. Put the wrench on the nut and the allen wrench in the stud and loosen the nut without turning the stud in the center. then back off the stud a bit and retighten the nut. Repeat this process until the sticking point disappears. Then make sure the nut is tight without allowing the stud to turn and take the truck off the jack. Job complete.

 

It was the new steering shaft binding. After flushing the power steering pump, adjusting the steering gear (right back to where it was - 3/4 turn back from full tight) and thoroughly examining each part of the linkage I could find nothing wrong. The binding would not happen with the front end jacked up either. When I originally installed the new shaft I put a flat head screwdriver between the end of the new shaft and the steering gear to provide clearance while tightening the new shaft. Turns out this shaft wants a 1/2 inch clearance or it will bind when turning. You can't see the binding either you but you feel it in the steering wheel. Maybe that's why this shaft (Dorman 425-251) cost so much less than the others (ex. LMC truck $400). Now I need to find something that will clean all this power steering fluid off my garage floor. Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

That is not right, because the stub shaft on the gear box should not be moving in and out. And when you put the bolt in through the intermidiate shaft it should line up with the groove in the stub shaft. Oh and btw, it should not make any difference whether or not it's up on a jack. Some thing is not right.

 

the description sounds like a sticking or faulty spool valve which is located in the steering box.

When you turn the steering wheel slightly either way, it first turns the spool valve directing fluid in the proper direction to assist your steering. if it is sticking, it will continue to direct fluid in the last direction it was put in even if you let go of the wheel.

 

zman the stub does not move. helms the problem went away when I slid the shaft back 1/2 inch from the gear box (or up on the stud).

I think the fractional change in angle (when sliding the shaft back 1/2 inch from the gear box) on the universal joint at the gear box end is making the difference. The angle is also changed when jacked up (by the body) so that could be why it doesn't do it then. Also could be just a effed up steering shaft.

 

Well the body is connected to the frame , and the gear box is connected to the frame, So it doesn't matter where you jack it up. There is no change unless the body mounts are loose. Bottom line is, the bolt has to go through the groove in the stub shaft for it to be safe.
I've got a Borgeson shaft on mine and It's barely an 1/8 inch away from the box. Which is about where the original shaft was.