I really need some help with my 1998 4x4 quad cab Dodge truck with the 12v Cumminswith 157,000 miles and a brand new set of Michelin tires on it Back in the fall I had a friend help me put new front bearings, rotors, calipers and brake pads on my truck. The steering wheel was noted to really be off center afterwards. I then took it to my regular mechanic because the truck was hard to keep on the road and I felt like I was going to get launched into a ditch. He found the wheel hub bolts loose. The mechanic replaced the track bar, tie rods and ball joints. The truck still drove terrible so I took it to the front end shop and had it aligned and they adjusted the steering box. I then drove it and the steering was worse. They made another adjustment and it was still bad. I then took it back to my normal mechanic and he replaced the steering box. I then had the new tires rotated and balanced again without change. It drives so bad , I’m scared that it is going to launch me into a ditch and have to really fight to keep it on the road. It feels like it does not want to come back to center line. I’ve spent $1800.00 dollars and no one seems to know what to do. The one change that I have noted is when I step on brake peddle hard it feels like it pulsates or feel thump in it. It has never had that before. Not sure if it is related to steering. Any help would really be appreciated. Would you please email me any suggestion, ideas or do I need to buy a new truck! Please email me at Nobles9596@aol.com

Frustrated, Don

 

Hi Don, can't help you with your problem, but a word of advice: "Need Help" thread titles in forums tend to be frowned upon. We know you need help, that's why you're here. If everyone just used the title Help Needed in their posts it would quickly become a mess trying to tell one from another. Next time, use a more descriptive title. Also, asking for an e-mail response deprives the rest of the forum from seeing the suggestions that might relate to them, as well. Good luck with your problem and welcome to the forum.

 

Seems like you replaced about everything but the pitman and idler arms, what about those ?
I'd say you should shop around for a new mechanic too, any front end man or knowledgeable aligner should be able to diagnose it for you.

 

Check your control arm bushings. If you have bad bushings when you apply the brakes it will allow the front differential to twist and allow the differential to turn to one side or the other which would make it very difficult to keep straight on the road. Bumps in the road will cause the same conditions. Your description of feeling a thump is exactly the main symptom of a bad control arm bushing. The steering not wanting to come back to center is a symptom of the steering box not being adjusted correctly.

 

What do you mean it is going to launch you in a ditch? It vibrates in the front... your steering is all over... you have no brakes... it bucks up and down like you're driving on eggs... can you describe exactly what it is doing?
What brand track bar and ball joints?
Are those stock control arms?
Were the rotors turned before putting them on?
Has anything been done to the rear?
Did all this start happening only after the new tires were put on or it gradually got this bad? When did it start doing this?
Was the truck ever in an accident?