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Power Steering, Help Please

travisej
Explorer
Explorer
I have a 03 Dodge Cummins QC 4x4 that felt like the power steering was going out so i replaced the pump. The steering has not gotten any better since. I have tried bleeding any air from the system by turning the wheel from lock to lock several times. both with the truck running and not. Is there any other way to bleed air from the system or di I have a different problem? Any info would be appreciated.
Note: I do have over sized tires 35x12.5
12 REPLIES 12

45Ricochet
Explorer
Explorer
I thought you needed a boat to get around the past week or two. The news reports looked bad. Hope it dries up in time for the Stampede.
2015 Tiffin Phaeton Cummins ISL, Allison 3000, 45K GCWR
10KW Onan, Magnum Pure Sine Wave Inverter
2015 GMC Canyon Toad

Previous camping rig
06 Ram 3500 CC LB Laramie 4x4 Dually 5.9 Cummins Smarty Jr 48RE Jacobs brake
06 Grand Junction 15500 GVWR 3200 pin

DirtyOil
Explorer
Explorer
I'm enjoying it, has a few more gadgets then the ole SLT did... ride is great, covered in mud right now. Almost too pretty a truck to be a work truck! Finding it difficult to refrain from "cleaning" interior every time I stop to check wells and gas compressors, makes for a long day! (Damn muddy up here!)

Anyways, the 6 speed tranny vs the old 4 speed is nice, mileage...no comment as I haven't had it long enough, and in the mud, no truck is gonna get decent mileage. I do have one complaint so far... the Sat radio keeps cutting out due to the cut line right-a-ways I'm driving on the trees interfere with the radio reception.When I'm in the clear the sound from the speakers and sub is great, but then I'm tone deaf... so who knows?

Will get some pictures up this Thursday clean pics and some ... DIRTY ones :B
2013 RAM 3500 CTD Crew 4x4 Laramie
2014 Sprinter Copper Canyon 269FWRLS

GUTS GLORY RAM

45Ricochet
Explorer
Explorer
Hey Lorne I see you got a new truck, no report yet? Anyway congrats on the new Ram.
2015 Tiffin Phaeton Cummins ISL, Allison 3000, 45K GCWR
10KW Onan, Magnum Pure Sine Wave Inverter
2015 GMC Canyon Toad

Previous camping rig
06 Ram 3500 CC LB Laramie 4x4 Dually 5.9 Cummins Smarty Jr 48RE Jacobs brake
06 Grand Junction 15500 GVWR 3200 pin

DirtyOil
Explorer
Explorer
Its really hard to turn the the wheels when stopped and when I'm going down the highway its hard to keep it going straight. The wheel seems slow to react so I end up going side to side quite a bit.


Hey travisej, been there done that, ran 33 up 37" tall tires on my 2005 3500 4x4, had issues same as others even those running OEM height tires. Here are a few things to check, believe me, I've done lots of suspension work:

- center link (tie rod like joint off the pitman arm) check for worn joint...worn center link will cause the wheels to "wonder" making it "hard to keep it going straight"

- track bar check for play at both ends, check this by having someone turn steering wheel full left and right while you look for play at the track bar ends. This will also cause the truck to wonder at highway speeds as you'd encountered.

- check other tie rod ends for excessive play

- lastly as suggested, steering box maybe worn/contaminated fluid, hard steering suggests this.

steering box is difficult task to R&R, flushing fluid etc. not a back yard job unless you have the tools, buckets to do a flush and not to mention a real pain in the rear to get at.

ps. don't let the remark of Dodge fronts ends are all bad, can show you a pile of other manufacturers' "notorious front ends".
2013 RAM 3500 CTD Crew 4x4 Laramie
2014 Sprinter Copper Canyon 269FWRLS

GUTS GLORY RAM

john_bet
Explorer
Explorer
Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote:
Most likely you have a bad Rack and Pinon. Why did you think it was the pump?

Don
4x4 don't have rack and pinon steering.
2018 Ram 3500 SRW CC LB 6.7L Cummins Auto 3.42 gears
2018 Grand Design 337RLS

alboy
Explorer
Explorer
Sounds like your gearbox for the steering, they become hard to turn when slow moving,also you cannot keep the steering wheel centred.

45Ricochet
Explorer
Explorer
66k isn't prime time with stock rubber but the bigger tires certainly will shorten the front ends life span. Have you checked your Hydro boost pressure, could also be the problem, along with contaminated fluid.

HERE is a link you might check out.
Good luck and let us know the outcome.
2015 Tiffin Phaeton Cummins ISL, Allison 3000, 45K GCWR
10KW Onan, Magnum Pure Sine Wave Inverter
2015 GMC Canyon Toad

Previous camping rig
06 Ram 3500 CC LB Laramie 4x4 Dually 5.9 Cummins Smarty Jr 48RE Jacobs brake
06 Grand Junction 15500 GVWR 3200 pin

travisej
Explorer
Explorer
It has 66k miles. There isn't any noise or anything. Its really hard to turn the the wheels when stopped and when I'm going down the highway its hard to keep it going straight. The wheel seems slow to react so I end up going side to side quite a bit.
I am not a great mechanic but I can do a few things.I don't know if I was missing something or there is a different problem

45Ricochet
Explorer
Explorer
donn0128 wrote:
4X4 Dodges are notorious for front end problems. Get it to a shop and have it fixed right


Especially with big tires.

How many miles OP?
2015 Tiffin Phaeton Cummins ISL, Allison 3000, 45K GCWR
10KW Onan, Magnum Pure Sine Wave Inverter
2015 GMC Canyon Toad

Previous camping rig
06 Ram 3500 CC LB Laramie 4x4 Dually 5.9 Cummins Smarty Jr 48RE Jacobs brake
06 Grand Junction 15500 GVWR 3200 pin

Perrysburg_Dodg
Explorer
Explorer
Most likely you have a bad Rack and Pinon. Why did you think it was the pump?

Don
2015 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab SWB 4X4 Ecodiesel GDE Tune.

transamz9
Explorer
Explorer
'03 4X4 Dodges are no more front end problemed than any of the others. What exactly is your truck doing? Is it turning hard, whining, or does it feel like it has hard spots while turning the wheel?
2016 Ram 3500 Mega Cab Limited/2013 Ram 3500 SRW Cummins(sold)/2005 RAM 2500 Cummins/2011 Sandpiper 345 RET (sold) 2015 Sanibel 3601/2008 Nitro Z9 Mercury 250 PRO XS the best motor made.

donn0128
Explorer II
Explorer II
4X4 Dodges are notorious for front end problems. Get it to a shop and have it fixed right