Stiff Steering

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Yardbird

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I bought my 2018 in July this year with 24k miles. One thing I have noticed is when driving straight and I ned to make a slight correct of go intpo a turn, when I move the wheel in either direction, it takes more effort than any vehicle I have owned with power steering.

This is my first electric steering vehicle I have owned, so I nothing to compare it to. My '94 Ram 2500, 87 F150, and wife's Ford Edge all steer much easier and more comfortable.

The truck tracks great, has been aligned, the tires are new Michelin defenders, aired up. It also did this with the Firestone tires that came on the truck.

I enjoy driving this truck a lot, but where I live the roads have lots of small turns, and the extra effort is annoying and tiring. Just the lean of the road where you need a little effort to keep the truck in its land takes more effort. In 50+ years of driving almost everything, I have never had this abnormal type of feeling in the steering.

Is this normal, or is something going on?

The caster is 3.5 driver's side and 3.75 passenger. Camber 3.5 both sides, toe 1 deg in.
 
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Yardbird

Yardbird

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Doesn't sound right. My 2017 is very easy to steer. Did you get a warranty with it?
No, private party sale. It's not bad, but noticeable enough to be aggravating. When I drive any of my other vehicles it's extremely noticeable. Heck, I drive a tri-axle dump truck most every day that doesn't do this.
 
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Yardbird

Yardbird

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Let me add---I also dropped the shaft from the steering box to the column, and the u-joints all are tight and smooth. It feels like it may be a new shaft. There's only 26k on the truck now.
 

Jeepwalker

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I think I hear you saying there *is* assist, but not as much as you think there should be, esp at road speeds. Is it better (more assist) at lower speeds, like 25mph or parking lot speeds?
 
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Yardbird

Yardbird

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I think I hear you saying there *is* assist, but not as much as you think there should be, esp at road speeds. Is it better (more assist) at lower speeds, like 25mph or parking lot speeds?
Parking lot speed seems to be just fine. The assist in parking lots seems to be about the same as road spped if I'm remembering correctly.
 
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Yardbird

Yardbird

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No codes at all. It appears to functionally normal, just takes too much effort to steer at speed.
 
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Yardbird

Yardbird

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I will do some more checking. Maybe drive one on a lot to see how it feels.
 

Hemi395

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It could also be too much caster on the alignment, that would cause exactly what you're describing.

You're not having any assist problems when turning at slow speeds in a parking lot?
 

Nicholas Cove

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I feel like ram racks aren't very boosted feeling. Especially if you're coming off of an older gm or ford product with hydraulic p/s.
 

zrock

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my 15 was the same thing steering seemed heavy over the first year it went in for a total of 4-5 alignments Fist few they kept finding steering components that were bad. After that they were finding nothing but i was also wearing down tires. It was a air suspension truck and i had always planned on removing the air suspension. Finally i had the air suspension removed and aligned once again and every thing was perfect and steering was super light like it should have been. What was happening with my truck was when it was in alignment mode the air valve had a internal leak and the front suspension was dropping and inflating the rear causing the alignment to be out every time.
So something is probably out in you alignment. Post up your alignment spec's
 
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Yardbird

Yardbird

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Alignment Specs:

Total Toe - .08 deg in
Camber left -3.0 deg
Camber right - 3.0 deg
Caster left - 3.5 deg
Caster right - 3.75 deg
 

Nicholas Cove

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Alignment Specs:

Total Toe - .08 deg in
Camber left -3.0 deg
Camber right - 3.0 deg
Caster left - 3.5 deg
Caster right - 3.75 deg
That's terrible. Especially the camber. how are you not absolutely destroying tires? You need another alignment. Your truck has a drift car alignment lol.
 
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Yardbird

Yardbird

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I made a mistake on my alignment specs. The camber is set at:

CAMBER
Left .3 deg
Right .3 deg

Everything else I posted is as printed off.

The main thing I want to do is put a smidge of caster in the left, and set the toe almost dead ahead. Not quite dead ahead, but very close.


I was tired last night when reading the specs off the alignment sheet and made a mistake posting the specs.
 

Nicholas Cove

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I made a mistake on my alignment specs. The camber is set at:

CAMBER
Left .3 deg
Right .3 deg

Everything else I posted is as printed off.

The main thing I want to do is put a smidge of caster in the left, and set the toe almost dead ahead. Not quite dead ahead, but very close.


I was tired last night when reading the specs off the alignment sheet and made a mistake posting the specs.
That makes more sense. Your caster is ever so slightly backwards. Should have the lead positive caster on the driver side to fight road crown, if I remember correctly.

Your toe is as close to zero as **** is to swearing. I usually set rwd to about 1/16" toe in before sending for alignment.

I don't really think the alignment is your issue.

What do you have for tires ? I know my stock wranglers on 20s feel much lighter and steering returns to centre with a less vague feelcompared to my lt285/70r17s m+s
 
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Yardbird

Yardbird

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Michelin Defender LTX, stock 20" size. They have around 2000 miles on them.

I checked the toe this evening, and I may be slightly above 1/64" in. Going to leave it there for now.

The truck doesn't pull on flat, level roads. It will tend to follow the low side of the road, whether it be right or left side. It's almost too neutral for me. I like a very slight pull to the right on dead level road.
 
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