Been having problems with my Durangos front end for awhile now. Replaced upper ball joints quite some time ago and seems like I started to get a rumble strip noise soon thereafter. Seemed like it was worse on the drivers side so I replaced the hub/bearing. It was fine for 2 to 3 days and then I started to get a groaning noise and it started to steer hard like it was manual steering. So I jacked up the front end and double greased everything and started it up and turned the wheel and it still turns hard. So I made an appointment with a repair shop and they couldn't find what's causing the noise but suggested it might be the intermediate steering shaft. The upper joint is really rusted out so I soaked it with liquid wrench but it still turns hard. Also, I found out that the noise went away when I applied the brakes so I went ahead and replaced the front calipers and pads. I've only run it once since I did that and I think that solved the noise but the steering hard part is still there. Has anyone had any problems with their intermediate steering shaft? Think that could be causing the problem? Has anyone replaced their steering shaft and can it be done relatively easy at home? I'm hoping that it's not the upper ball joints I put in. They're autozone and I'm just wondering if I should have pre-greased them before I put them in. Any comments would be appreciated. :wall:
Is my intermediate steering shaft bad?
charlie1200
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Been having problems with my Durangos front end for awhile now. Replaced upper ball joints quite some time ago and seems like I started to get a rumble strip noise soon thereafter. Seemed like it was worse on the drivers side so I replaced the hub/bearing. It was fine for 2 to 3 days and then I started to get a groaning noise and it started to steer hard like it was manual steering. So I jacked up the front end and double greased everything and started it up and turned the wheel and it still turns hard. So I made an appointment with a repair shop and they couldn't find what's causing the noise but suggested it might be the intermediate steering shaft. The upper joint is really rusted out so I soaked it with liquid wrench but it still turns hard. Also, I found out that the noise went away when I applied the brakes so I went ahead and replaced the front calipers and pads. I've only run it once since I did that and I think that solved the noise but the steering hard part is still there. Has anyone had any problems with their intermediate steering shaft? Think that could be causing the problem? Has anyone replaced their steering shaft and can it be done relatively easy at home? I'm hoping that it's not the upper ball joints I put in. They're autozone and I'm just wondering if I should have pre-greased them before I put them in. Any comments would be appreciated. :wall:
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769 Posts
Wow, this is funny. I just had my intermediate steering shaft replaced last Friday. I had a loose feeling that I could feel in the steering wheel when accelerating/braking or turning. Dealer replaced the intermediate shaft and a upper ball joint and now the steering feels brand new with no slop or play and the binding noise from the ball joint is gone too.
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46 Posts
How much was the steering shaft? There's one on eBay for about $307 shipped and the repair shop said it'd take 2 weeks to get one! How much was it to install the steering shaft? I don't know if I want to tackle this myself. Also,you said you heard noise from the ball joint? I've been trying to figure out my groaning noise/steering problem for awhile now but haven't heard about ball joints making noise! Been looking at all the other posts. I've been suspecting the new upper ball joints I put in!
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5,222 Posts
Hmm? D'tan is making a very slight rumbling sound when barely turning right. Not hard right or straight or left? Just barely turning right. I replaced all 4 ball joints less than a year ago, along with a tie rod end and an alignment. How do you determine a steering shaft or box problem other than with a shop diagnosis? The steering has always made a boiling-type sound when turning any direction (not low on fluid.) I never gave it any thought, maybe it's a symptom?
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769 Posts
I didn't know what my problem was. Lifting the wheels up and pushing wheel back/forth and top/bottom produced no play and it drove great down the road so I didn't know what it was. The binding was turning at a slow speed over a particular speed bump here at work.
The steering shaft symptom wasn't a grinding noise, nor a turning problem whatsoever. It just feel like there was something loose in there. It'd feel loose when the wheel was turned or the road bucked the wheels. I personally thought the rack was wearing out.
I brought the truck to the dealership for a coolant flush and paid the $60 for the front end diagnosis. Installing the steering shaft was $385 and the balljoint was $200. Fixed in 3 hours. My dealership is really good and they don't overcharge so I was very happy to be able to just pick up the truck in the afternoon, and it drove LIKE A NEW TRUCK.
The steering shaft symptom wasn't a grinding noise, nor a turning problem whatsoever. It just feel like there was something loose in there. It'd feel loose when the wheel was turned or the road bucked the wheels. I personally thought the rack was wearing out.
I brought the truck to the dealership for a coolant flush and paid the $60 for the front end diagnosis. Installing the steering shaft was $385 and the balljoint was $200. Fixed in 3 hours. My dealership is really good and they don't overcharge so I was very happy to be able to just pick up the truck in the afternoon, and it drove LIKE A NEW TRUCK.
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46 Posts
Yea it was still steering hard with both wheels off the ground and after I double greased everything. I'm suspecting the autozone upper ball joints I put in. I greased them after installation. Never heard of this before but maybe I should have pre-greased them before I put them in! Or maybe because they're inferior ball joints. lol
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46 Posts
Come to find out the front calipers were sticking and causing the rumble strip and then the groaning noise.I figured it out after driving it intil I heard the noise and then appling the brakes and the noise went away.Think someone had mentioned this in a earlier post.I just went ahead and bought a set of calipers and brake pads and the noise went away. :clap: As about the hard steering,after greasing the new upper ball joints for the 5th time in 3 weeks, my steering is finally coming around and is nearly normal,for some reason they were binding after I put them on and greased them the 1st time.Thought it might have been the int. steering shaft as the upper knuckle was really rusted out. 
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963 Posts
I'm experiencing the exact same symptoms. Looseness in the front end. I have new moog greasables installed upper and lower. The noise comes in at slow turns and smaller bumps but it's not real bad and I have to feel for it. I'll keep an eye out for that as it's coming up 130k on the clock.Thrush said:
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96 Posts
I think it's time to replace the intermediate shaft. At first I suspected the power steering pump, but after reading so many threads about the shaft, I'm thinking that's the problem.
In the last few weeks, some days the steering gets quite loose (not much play, just loose feeling) and then it gets tighter. In the last couple of days it's super tight, feels like almost no power steering, and there's that popping sound now and then going around a tight corner. No squealing or whining from the pump and my new Moog ball joints don't have a lot of miles on them yet.
Are these still dealer only or has anyone found an aftermarket one for a 2001 D?
Thanks!
In the last few weeks, some days the steering gets quite loose (not much play, just loose feeling) and then it gets tighter. In the last couple of days it's super tight, feels like almost no power steering, and there's that popping sound now and then going around a tight corner. No squealing or whining from the pump and my new Moog ball joints don't have a lot of miles on them yet.
Are these still dealer only or has anyone found an aftermarket one for a 2001 D?
Thanks!
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28,332 Posts
Borgeson shafts will make you one but you'll need to send them yours. They'll make you an indestructible one.
Otherwise you can get it at www.dodgeparts.com
Steve
DOC Pres
Otherwise you can get it at www.dodgeparts.com
Steve
DOC Pres
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4,249 Posts
Steve, is that where you got the new one you posted about a while back?
I replaced my intermediate shaft last fall, took a total of about 20 minutes. I bought mine on eBay for $135 and the eBay seller I bought mine from is advertising some right unit for $145 now.
The symptoms I had were a lot of play in the steering wheel and a slight bind felt while making a turn. When I took the old shaft out, the U-joint at the top was corroded.
The symptoms I had were a lot of play in the steering wheel and a slight bind felt while making a turn. When I took the old shaft out, the U-joint at the top was corroded.
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386 Posts
I just had my steering box and intermediate shaft replaced after the steering got so loose I was afraid to drive it on these crap roads in Michigan. What a difference! It's also amazing how much better BangkokD is running after I finally cleaned my air filter. All is well again for now.
Dave
Dave
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