Let's start over......
Basically the steering has a few weird symptoms. When I first got the truck back in '09, it had 36k on her. Currently approaching 89k. From the start, when I first start the truck, there is a movment from the shaft and the headlights dim if they are on. I can feel it, it's like a slip. Then it's fine. Last winter, I was coming home from work and suddenly the steering had a weird grinding feeling. I don't know how to rescribe it. You can't hear it, but something it rubbing at certain parts of the steering wheel rotation. From that random one night, it's done it every day since I've driven the truck. After a while I noticed the steering get worse. I thought it might be the shaft, had that replaced. Nope, wasn't it. All the work I've had done has fixed small things, but the damn steering still has feedback/movement over bumps and is not fluid in movement. It doesn't easily straighten when I pull into the driveway either. If I let go of the wheel, it straightens out a bit, stops, straightens out a bit, then stays ****ed to the side. On the highway, I can feel the shaft turning back and forth against the steering wheel and it makes it hard to keep the truck dead straight. People don't seem to get that I've owned the truck since 36k and have put 50k+ on it and it never did it up until last year. Something HAS to have worn out or is wearing out. The tech couldn't find anything but if you jerk the wheel back and forth you hear banging and I can grab the shaft near the spline that enters the rack and it dulls the sound. Also it sounds like it is putting some strain on the PS pump when I make certain rotations with the wheel. To me, it can't be anything else other than the rack. The bj helped on the highway, but the other symptoms I listed are still there. What do you guys think?
Parts replaced:
Shocks all around
Inner and outer tie rods
Passenger side upper and lower bj's with bushings (upper control arm)
Drivers side lower bj
Sway bar end links
Sway bushings
Intermediate steering shaft
Lowering shackles
I've also replaced all fluids including PS fluid - I figured I'd change it to be safe
You're right I have way to much money in it but we'll see what happens I put a high number on it so now it's sit and wait to see. Bite me old man.......
Although she did drive it back from Green Bay towing the car trailer and did just fine Saturday. So much so that I'd trust her to tow the 5er with it while I take a nap in passenger seat.
Although she did drive it back from Green Bay towing the car trailer and did just fine Saturday. So much so that I'd trust her to tow the 5er with it while I take a nap in passenger seat.