I recently (month or 2 ago) started hearing a clunk when turning the wheel fully either way in my 4wd 07 hemi rcsb, then more and more often. I jacked the front up when I got home from work today to inspect tie rod ends/ball joints, they seem tight. It sounded as though the clunk was inside the rack itself, though it steers fine, no hard/easy spots or jumps, and doesn't seem to be leaking. One interesting thing is that i jammed a screwdriver into the shaft universal above the rack to try to take any play out of it, and the noise seemed to almost dissapear when i shook the wheels by hand and moved the steering wheel. Has anyone experienced steering shaft universal joint failures? My truck only has 18,000 mi and I drive it like an old lady so I'm pretty upset about this. If it is the universal, are there any quality aftermarket options that I haven't found? One other thing I have the ready-lift 2.5" spacers in the truck.

 

I had the same thing happen at about the same mileage 20,000, took it in and they tightened something in the steering column. Mine was and still is under warranty so I had the Dodge garage do it. Mine would do it when I turned it all the way in one direction or even at a stop/idle, with the wheel at center and I turned it back and fourth slightly in both directions, but more so at full turn. Almost like it was popping in and out of something and clunked in the steering wheel. It quickly got worse and worse until I finally took it in. They did say it was weird that it was loose?? I just don't remember exactly what they did. I will look around and see if I can find the paper work I know I have it just don't know where I put it. If I find it I will post it for you... I know they worked on it for like 3 hours, and when he found the issue, it took like 10min. to fix. As I said he said this was not normal, but sounds like it maybe.

Ok so I just found it, they tightened the lower pinch bolt on the lower intermediate steering shaft.

 

I will check that bolt tomorrow, thank you much.

 

Hope this helps man, mine is a 07 4x4 as well.