Ok, I'm sure the answer is here somewhere... I DID search and could not find an exact answer for my trouble.

I have a 1999 4x4 Ram. The steering has been loose and crummy for quite a while. I had a new track bar installed as well as an allignment last winter. I don't drive the truck too often as my commute requires me to drive my car. However I do pull sleds with it in the winter and drive it cross the state every weekend for hunting.

I had it in the air yesterday to check the wheels for looseness. The driver's side wheel is loose up/down AND side/side. I didn't see any other movement in the steering or anything, but not exactly sure what to look for. Any suggestions on where to start? I don't have a large budget for this so I'd like to get it right the first time around...

 

ball joints. mine did the same thing i just replaced them 5 days ago

 

Could be wheel bearings as well. Also check tie rod ends for play.

 

Sounds like a hub bearing gone bad.

 

As already stated it could be a wheel bearing. I'd check it soon because when it goes all the way out your wheel could fall off. My friend and I were out in his truck on 37"s when his wheel bearing went out and this wheel almost did come off.

 

Sorry,+1 to Relex' reply

 

Larger tire = shorter stock hub bearing life

 

If you don't really know what you're doing, take it in for professional diagnosis.
Front end it too critical to allow for guesswork or internet diagnosis.
Up & down play most often points to failing ball joints, side to side could be tie rods or/and bearing.
You can often hear a pronounced "clunk" when the ball joints are going, and should be able to see some movement when the tire is being manhandled.

Don't assume that 1 single thing is going to cure your problem.
A failing part will put undue stress on the whole system, and you might well have to replace 2 to 5 components, on each side.

I'd take it in to an alignment shop, if they are any good they will refuse to do an alignment with defective parts, and will tell you whats wrong.
Might charge a $25 hoist fee, better than guessing and throwing parts at it.
Guys at these shops are used to seeing this stuff multiple times a day, week in and week out ,,, And, since you are not going to have the actual work done there, have no interest in bs'ing you.

Obviously, you can then do the work yourself, then take it back in for an alignment.

 

If it's the hub bearing you won't have to have it aligned.Just to chime in with 95RAM360 the ball joints will feel much the same when shaking the wheel although while driving,worn out ball joints will steer like crap and hub assembly will whine in a curve sometimes.Depending on how severe the problem.

 

Just got back from the shop, they diagnosed it as the bearing. Well, I checked with a local auto parts store online and the bearing is about $10, but they quoted me $120 for parts alone. Might this have been the hub assembly? That looks to be about $120 from the store... Is the bearing a part of the hub?

I haven't dealt with this stuff before, however I am good at figuring things out. I have a Haynes at home, however I'm at work right now. Is the hub or bearing a hard chore? Thanks in advance!