Recently I replaced many of the front steering and suspension components on my 2006 QC 4x4 and the truck does not seem to be driving right..

Symptoms: Front end feels light and unstable, constantly making slight corrections with the steering wheel to keep truck straight.

Items replaced:
-Steering Rack (Cardone reman.)
-Upper control arms (Moog)
-Lower ball joints (Moog)
-Sway bar links (Moog)
-Tie rod ends (Moog)
- Front Stuts / Springs (Rancho quicklift)

I had an alignment done after replacing all those components. Attached are the pre and post alignment #'s.. Do they look right? Could the steering Rack be bad? Before I took it to the alignment shop I drove it for several days without the alignment and it felt fine, but after the shop did their alignment it feels odd and I dont like it.

pre alignment


post alignment

 

The caster split is a little excessive, generally you shoot for 3 tenths split to compensate for road crown. But that would only cause a pull. Are you sure the tie rod ends were tight? Having to constantly adjust usually indicates play in the steering components.

 

I forgot to add I put new Moog tie rod ends in also.. I did go back and retighten everything about week after install.

 

Inner and outers or what?

The steering rack could be bad, wouldn't be the first time a remand rack was bad out of the box.

Lifted vehicles do handle differently than stock height. It's possible that's what's causing it.

 

Honestly, I'd ditch the damn reman steering rack as soon as I could.

My dad's Ram went through 2 reman racks. Mopar rack solved the issue.

 

Did you rotate the tires after all the replacement?

 

i got all my parts at rockauto and they will replace the rack but damn thats alot of work again. I was thinking because I put a 1.5" level on it that could be the problem.. I feel like I need a steering stabalizer, my jeep had similar issue after I lifted it and steering stabalizer made it better.. I dont have death wobble or weird vibrations. I am getting strange pull once in a while on the left and right sides to where i need to keep pressure in the opposite direction of the pull but then it goes away after a turn or sometimes pavement change.

All tires have been rotated, I even put on new rims yesterday 17x9 vs stock 17x8 same issue.

 

My truck has the same kind of "pull" you describe and it's due to the "crown" on the road... I've just learned to live with it for now...

You can try to have them bring the caster in to 3.0 degrees on both sides... and try to match the camber a little closer to .3 degrees... but that's really your call there.

I would be suspect of the reman. steering rack, they are notorious for giving issues even when they are just installed...

 

Sounds like the rack may have play in it. My dad's truck used to do that every once in a while. It would catch a groove and try to drag itself into the other lane. That was on a reman rack. New Mopar rack never does it.

 

I think I will take it back and put on the alignment rack again taking Izero's recommendations. Its funny cause it drove great even with the pre alignment #'s being so off. I really dont want to say the rack is bad because that means another day under the truck. :-)

If it is the rack any recommendations on where to get a Mopar rack cheaper than dealer.. I checked rockauto and they only have reman. racks so thats what they will warranty it with.