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Steering Wheel Shimmys

Old Nov 10, 2010 | 11:37 AM
  #1  
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Default Steering Wheel Shimmys

Had to take my truck back to the wheels shop to get 1/4 inch spacers put in to avoid the tires from rubbing the upper control arm. So now when I hit 55 to 63 mph, my steering wheel shimmies rather significantly and the truck tends to pull left now. The truck is new (1500 miles) and I purchased it with the wheels/tires/level kit on it. Then only option I know is to have them get a wheel with the correct offset and remove the spacers, hopefully eliminating the shimmy. I have Trail Grapplers in 295/70/18.

What would you do?
 
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Old Nov 10, 2010 | 12:04 PM
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Seems to me if you just bought it should it not be the problem of the vendor or did you buy it private with all this junk on it?
 
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Old Nov 10, 2010 | 02:15 PM
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If you bought it from a dealer have them put the right rim/tire on it. Or take it to a shop and have them rebalanced.
 
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Old Nov 10, 2010 | 04:10 PM
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subscribed.
 
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Old Nov 11, 2010 | 03:38 AM
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Originally Posted by 72combo
Seems to me if you just bought it should it not be the problem of the vendor or did you buy it private with all this junk on it?

HAHAHA "JUNK" Well I dont know about JUNK but it is brand new from the dealer and they had put the leveling kit along with 18's on it with the trail grapplers on them that they purchased from the vendor.

So I contacted the vendor and they told me to bring it buy their warehouse. So I went there on Monday, inwhich they agreed it was rubbing and then they added the 1/4 inch wheel spacers. Then they test drove it and when they brought it back they said that it had a little shimmy around 60 but they were going to rebalance the wheels and it should be good. So they balanced the wheels again and then drove it again. They gave me the keys and said it was very little if even noticeable. So I left for work and drove mostly interstate around 70mph.
When I had to slow to 55 to 60 my steering wheel went crazy.

So I called them today and told them that not only is it shaking bad but it pulls hard left now, inwhich it did not before. They told me to bring it in and they will take care of it.

So I am sure if they put the correct wheel with the correct offset it would be fine. I do not know what they will do but I figure I will give them another shot and see what happens. It looks like it will be on Monday or Tuesday though before I get back to them.

I will update as soon as something new happens.
 
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Old Nov 11, 2010 | 01:22 PM
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Not sure if this directly relates to this, but would a wheel spacer move the wheel out enough the obstruction? This would prevent the possible overflex on the suspension, and clear the component that's rubbing. Wheeladapter.com is what i used, they have aircraft machined spacers in various thickness to move the wheel out a bit. I had to do this for my old Trailblazer, used their hubcentric ones for added safety

may not help at all, but wanted to at least throw it out there.
 
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Old Nov 11, 2010 | 01:24 PM
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Does anyone know if the wheels on our rams are lug-centric or hub-centric? Could be that the spacers won't allow the wheels to sit right. If you didn't have the shakes before the spacers, that might be the problem.
Just throwing out some Ideas..
Or you could be getting the dreaded level kit shimmys..

--Hop
 
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Old Nov 11, 2010 | 04:13 PM
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well isnt the steering on these trucks loose as is. i wish they would of installed a steering stabilizer! Any know if there any aftermarket kits in the making? i cant even let go of my wheel in the freeway. if it catch it which pull the whole truck off the road. i got stock 20's but i have a feeling the offset plays into the bumpsteer.
 
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Old Nov 12, 2010 | 08:54 AM
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Wheels are hub centric. They should come with concentric rings that fit inside the wheel to make it a tight fit to the hub. With a 1/4" spacer you are going to lose a lot of the engagement on that.

There are rotor retaining clips on your wheel studs. You need to remove these when you go to aftermarket wheels. The factory wheels have clearance built in for them, aftermarket ones and wheel spacers usually do not. I don't remember if they are in the front or not, but they are definitely in the rear.

I run a 4-3/4" backspace wheels with 35's and don't have issues. How much of a spacer kit do you have?
 
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Old Nov 12, 2010 | 09:35 AM
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Originally Posted by ilandaze2
well isnt the steering on these trucks loose as is. i wish they would of installed a steering stabilizer! Any know if there any aftermarket kits in the making? i cant even let go of my wheel in the freeway. if it catch it which pull the whole truck off the road. i got stock 20's but i have a feeling the offset plays into the bumpsteer.
I thought that I was the only one that had this issue. To me it steers like a 90's vintage Ford with too much weight in the bed.
 
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