I've read several posts about adjusting the steering box, but I don't know if my '04 2500 even has an adjustment? Dealer says it isn't adjustable. Posts say there is a nut on the top of the box, but one small problem, the steering box is crammed right up under the engine. There's maybe 1/4" between the box and the bottom of the engine. I can't even see in there far enough to tell if there is a nut to turn. I'm guessing I have to drop the box to get to it?

Also, what's the best way to check the steering to be sure there really is play in the steering box?

I turned my key one notch so the steering isn't locked, opened the hood and rotated the steering shaft by hand until it met resistence. I'm guessing it turns about 2-3 inches without resistence if you measured it at the steering wheel.

 

Others have said that the adjustment is a bad thing... I've done it on 2 rams, both times I had no problems. there is a nut with a hex key head type of bolt that you turn 1/4 turn at a time, then check. if you go to far the steering will not return on it's own when coming out of a corner. the nut on my '05 requires a 16mm wrench to loosen IIRC, I'm not sure what size the hex adjuster is. i was able to reach mine from underneath, wasnt easy or fun but I was able to do it.

 

I crawled under the truck and looked again. If there is a nut on the top of the box there is no way I can get to it, the space is too small. Even if I could get my fingers in there, which I can't, I could not get a hex wrench in there. I'm going to have to take the box off the frame to see.

I did see a posting showing adjustment on an older Ram steering box, but I don't think it applies to this model of box. It showed adjusting a large nut on the face of the boxn with a spanner, the area where the steering shaft attaches and also a nut on the top of the box. I'm just going to take the box off and have a look at it I guess.

 

here are my thoughts.
the adjustment should be made every 20k. and should be done as part of maintenance. If your box has play in it you have worn parts in the box and adjusting the screw wont help much and could lead to an exploding box. the nut should never be turned more than a full turn.if you have to turn it that far there is no way the adjusment will work. I would do a 1/4 turn at a time. les if the box is good and you just want to add it as part of the maintenance.

 

had a look at my friends '04.5 and his is identical to mine... there is enough room to access the lock nut & adjuster bolt without having to drop the box

 

Just got my truck back this afternoon after having the nittos put on, alignment, oil change, inspection, etc. I told them to doa brake job and they called me and wanted to know why. The tech said the pads were in great shape and said it couldn't have been that long since the last brake job. I laughed and said those are the original pads. He seemed dumbfounded that I had 85,000 miles on the originals. They called back later and said they wanted to replace the front pads because they had gotten hard (explains the increased pedal pressure and squealing), so they replaced the front pads and resurfaced the rotors.

The darn shocks I ordered still haven't arrived. I guess I'm going to have to call e-shocks and find out what the hold up is.

Anyway, I crawled under the truck and if there is an adjustment nut on top of the steering box, there is no way in h*ll I'm going to get a hex wrench on it, I can't even get my fingers in there (it's less than 1/4" clearance). My truck is an 04.5 too, I wonder why so much of a difference?

 

Interesting... no i'm curious as to why you dont have the room that I have... I will put my wrench's on it and take a pic to post here. Sorry yours is so cramped, mine... although it is tight up there, there is enough room for the allen wrench & box wrench...

 

Ok, and I'll see if I can get under mine and get a picture too.

 

I did not have time to get under there last night, should have one up tonight though.

 

Rainy and crappy here, so will be a day or two before I can get a pic myself.