2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

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dar6ren
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2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by dar6ren » Mon May 08, 2017 7:56 am

This has been an issue since I drove it off lot. The issue is multiplied on back roads (crowned) but will wander on highway. I basically have to drive with wheel turned to left at about 11 o'clock position. Been back to dealer three time last time the tech rode with me and agreed it wanders (he wouldn't say pulls). I say it pulls since if you let off the wheel it will run itself into ditch if not corrected. The dealer says alignment is in spec, although they don't have an alignment machine and have to take it to chevy dealer. I went to local garage and had them check alignment and it was all green, they used 2017 Ram 2500 4x4 as reference. Attached is the printout.

I called Chrysler and they are opening a case, but not expecting much. Does the Power Wagon have same specs as 2500? Any alignment gurus that could give me advice on changing the alignment to different specs, I read that Toe should be zero, and caster 4.2-4.8 (which mine is). thanks in advance

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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by DamageWagon » Mon May 08, 2017 11:39 am

Check Thurens website, it has alignment specs. That's a little odd, if your alignment is in spec there is the potential that you have a bad part(s) somewhere in your front suspension. Wandering steering generally relates to the things that hold your steering together:
- ball joints
- tie rod
- tires
- alignment

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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by coder » Mon May 08, 2017 12:13 pm

Wandering can be a sign of slop in the steering box not real common with a new truck but it does happen. I have read of a few issues of on the 4Gen section on the Ram Cummins Forum website see links below. Your steering setup is the same as other Ram 2500's there is no different with the PW in this area.

http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/2013- ... ormal.html

http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/2013- ... ander.html

http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/2013- ... pdate.html
Last edited by coder on Mon May 08, 2017 2:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by Chromolykid » Mon May 08, 2017 12:45 pm

Mine is at 18k and still has the factory alignment. The truck has been very sensitive to road crown since day 1. I consider it normal for a solid-axle front, 8,000 pound truck. I don't expect it to steer like a sports car. My steering wheel is also at 11 or 1 o'clock depending on the road, but I live in an area with fairly sloped terrain too. On freeways or dry lakes it drives straight and true so I know the front end is tight and aligned within spec.

When I get new tires, though, I will have it aligned to Thuren's specs to see how it feels.

Don't get your hopes up with the Chrysler Customer Care case. I've had an ongoing nightmare with them regarding my Ramboxes and am to the point of getting a lawyer involved after a year of unsuccessful attempts to fix the issue. All they are good for is "documenting" the problem, not fixing it. Also why I won't be purchasing the extended warranty, I have absolutely zero faith in Chrysler's service department.
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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by TJ02Gopher » Mon May 08, 2017 4:43 pm

Mine was doing the same thing. I took it to the dealer and they said it had a "Radial Pull" and rotated the tires and the problem mostly went away. I took it to a closer dealer for an oil change and they rotated the tires and guess what, it came back. Needless to say I had them rotate it back and the problem went away again.
Also, yes the truck is sensitive to road crowns, they will pull all over the place.

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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by olyelr » Mon May 08, 2017 6:16 pm

My truck goes straight as an arrow on a good level road, even after tire rotations and after the leveling kit (which I did not adjust caster at all).
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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by RustyPW » Mon May 08, 2017 9:34 pm

Some PW's had right hand pull since day one. On the 3G's. They used to change tires on some, and it went away. On others, a simple rotation would take care of it. Some blamed the factory BFG tires for the pull and death wobble. Some people installed the Carli steering dampener and adjusted the pressure in it to eliminate the pull. Think Ace was one of them.
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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by Pit Slave » Tue May 09, 2017 2:45 am

Did you check the rear alignment?

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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by California_RAM » Tue May 09, 2017 1:12 pm

My 2015 PW did that due to the OEM duratrac tires. It was after my fist tire rotation, and balance at around 5K. They seemed to wear uneven. I was worried about my new truck. But, then I switched to Nitto trail grapplers at about 15K miles, and everything was straight as an arrow. Hear me now, understand me later. The day you change your tires, the pull will go away. That's my hunch.
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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by Bock » Fri May 12, 2017 9:01 pm

So far I am driving straight but only have couple hundred miles on her. Running 60 PSI in the front and 65 PSI in the back.
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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by awdanthony » Sat Jun 24, 2017 6:42 pm

I have less than 400 miles on my 17 and it does the same thing. Just figured I would deal with it until I got a rotation and see if that helped. I had 35 inch Ridge Grapplers on the truck for two days and they didn't do it one bit.
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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by TwinStick » Mon Jun 26, 2017 10:07 pm

Isn't it funny how many people have issues with stock tires on new vehicles ? It can NOT all be coincidence. BFG, Goodyear, Dunlop, Firestone. I have had issues with all 4 of those Mfg's tires on new vehicles. I think they must sell their blems to the Mfg's in bulk or something.

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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by Will » Tue Jun 27, 2017 11:29 pm

The alignment is most definitely sensitive. I'm about to change all my front steering linkage and doing my own alignment. I've found out that the factory spec is tooooo close to perfect and you need zero toe and a little More positive caster than specified. I tend to go more positive caster and then back off until it just starts to feel loose depending on the tires.

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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by SeahawkDriver » Sat Jul 08, 2017 12:33 am

If you drive on the other side/slope of the crown does it pull he opposite Direction? Road crown introduces a lateral vector component of weight. In order to balance that lateral component an equal and opposite force must be generated at the road surface interface; a force which happens to be equivalent to the radial acceleration of the truck In a very slight turn at speed. Turning the wheel slightly to maintain road alignment is just the effect of that force.

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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by Reloaderguy » Sat Jul 08, 2017 12:59 am

My factory alignment was terrible. Don Thuren kinda did a shade tree alignment which was better but I eventually put it on a machine and the tech nailed .02 Toe and 4.2/4.3 degrees of caster. Factory caster with 1.5" of added lift left me at 3.5 degrees. I asked for a specific alignment and they gave it to me. I would take your truck to a real alignment shop, the factory "spec" has quite a bit of range.

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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by TomFord » Tue Jul 11, 2017 8:58 pm

i have a 2016 and after 2,000 miles it started to pull to the left. Took it to the dealer and they said they aligned it. Still pulled to the left, I'm at about 7500 now and its worse then ever. Took it back and they said the tire pressure was off, i told him you better go drive it. He called back and said there was nothing wrong, you bought a big truck with aggressive tires, that's how it is. I argued with them and they aligned it again. It still pulls to the left, and sometimes to the right. There is more play in the steering wheel vs when i first got the truck. I'll gave to try and rotate the tires.

Tom

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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by LumberZach » Tue Jul 11, 2017 10:19 pm

My 2016 seemed fine, but after 30k miles I got the death wobble and now my truck pulls right. Just hit 50k and put new tires on. Seems to pull less, but still not perfect.


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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by rkgzx9leftcoast » Wed Jul 12, 2017 10:47 am

TomFord wrote:i have a 2016 and after 2,000 miles it started to pull to the left. Took it to the dealer and they said they aligned it. Still pulled to the left, I'm at about 7500 now and its worse then ever. Took it back and they said the tire pressure was off, i told him you better go drive it. He called back and said there was nothing wrong, you bought a big truck with aggressive tires, that's how it is. I argued with them and they aligned it again. It still pulls to the left, and sometimes to the right. There is more play in the steering wheel vs when i first got the truck. I'll gave to try and rotate the tires.

Tom
If Possible I would find an off road shop in the area that has done lifts on the newer Ram Trucks, hopefully Carli/Thuren type lifts, and ask them who they have do their alignments after the lifts. Im lucky that im in AZ and have shops that build desert runners and the like. I went to the dealer first and like others have said there is A LOT of margin in the Specs. My dealer actually did ok, I brought it in for another issue, but the alignment shop that the off road guys recommended had some good insight into the front ends of these trucks and alignment. If not done correctly they will dart back and forth. Some do need a little stagger in the front caster to get them to go straight.
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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by dar6ren » Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:50 pm

Update. 6000 miles now and still "pulls" technician who drove it calls it a wander. I have had three independent shops check alignment and two different dealers....all within specs. they tell me its suppose to drive like a tractor not the Ram 1500 it replaced. One thing to note is every copy of the alignment before / after is slightly different....small (like .02-04 I pulled off the stock tires and put new Yoko on it hoping it was tires....didn't make any difference, well the new tires are quieter. One shop rotated left/right front tires and claimed it was better....to me no change. I understand road crown....but this wont go down the highway without wandering off to right. I'm gonna rotate tires front to back this week not expecting much change. This is one bad ass truck everyone loves it except me, hate to get behind the wheel. Appreciate all the inputs Darren Cortland NY

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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by DamageWagon » Mon Dec 18, 2017 2:42 pm

Have you compared factory specs to Thurens specs? Thurenfab.com

Have you looked at your cam bolts where the radius arms bolt to the axle to see that the cams are not rotated opposite each other? That is a common problem, they should not be too different.

Have you tried removing your steering stabilizer? On the new trucks the stabilizer pushes your steering to the right. Try removing it and see how it feels.

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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by FordyceCreekTrail » Mon Dec 18, 2017 3:11 pm

Mine seems really tight. But then I only drive big 4x4s and have an old Montero with 37s. My 2018 PW will drift right down the road over a very long distance, but given the vehicle, lift and tires it seems perfectly acceptable. You won't ever get sedan like alignment on these. Its always hard to know whether someone is being un-reasonable or not with out driving it.
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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by jlilnc14 » Tue Dec 19, 2017 2:59 am

My 2017 always wondered from the day I drove it off the lot. I did the alignment with thuren's specs and it went away. I then installed dodge offroad steering brace and the steering seems super sensitive now lol. I basically cause the wondering now, when the road changes and my truck starts to drift to the right, I will over correct it to the left then would have to correct it to the right again. It'll take time to get use to the sensitivity of the steering with the brace on it.
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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by IIIOIISTER » Tue Dec 19, 2017 8:36 pm

DRAG LINK!!!
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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by TwinStick » Sat Dec 23, 2017 5:24 pm

I know it's under warranty (& that sucks) but find a HIGHLY rated 4x4 alignment shop, tell them what it is doing & they should be able to take care of it. Then take the bill to the dealer & have a chat. Tell them the problem is now gone & they should foot the bill---as it is not your fault the "specs" are wrong or their people can't/couldn't fix it.

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Re: 2017 Wandering/Pulling to Right

Post by cb1987 » Mon Dec 25, 2017 5:57 pm

dar6ren wrote:
Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:50 pm
Update. 6000 miles now and still "pulls" technician who drove it calls it a wander. I have had three independent shops check alignment and two different dealers....all within specs. they tell me its suppose to drive like a tractor not the Ram 1500 it replaced. One thing to note is every copy of the alignment before / after is slightly different....small (like .02-04 I pulled off the stock tires and put new Yoko on it hoping it was tires....didn't make any difference, well the new tires are quieter. One shop rotated left/right front tires and claimed it was better....to me no change. I understand road crown....but this wont go down the highway without wandering off to right. I'm gonna rotate tires front to back this week not expecting much change. This is one bad ass truck everyone loves it except me, hate to get behind the wheel. Appreciate all the inputs Darren Cortland NY
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