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wierdkid
Dodge Dakota
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9/28/2006
22:50:39
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 Subject: turns like a bus
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i hit a bad pot hole this afternoon and now my truck (97 ext cab)turns like a bus, normal turns take almost a full rotation of the wheel. also, the wheel spends half of its time cocked about 30 degrees to the left when im going straight. so far i know the sway bar end link is broken. any ideas as to whats going on and an estimate on it? Thankfully i only had to limp home about a mile and the trucks going to a shop asap.
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little jer
Dodge Dakota
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9/29/2006
01:12:55
| RE: turns like a bus
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Message:
Sounds like something broke. Maybe a bolt holding the steering box sheared or hopefully something else easier to fix.
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WTF
Dodge Dakota
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9/29/2006
02:31:29
| RE: turns like a bus
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Message:
"the wheel spends half of its time cocked about 30 degrees to the left when im going straight"
Would that be the steering wheel, or one of the front wheels?
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.boB
Dodge Dakota
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9/29/2006
10:36:32
| RE: turns like a bus
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Message:
Something important is broken, and it's not the sway bar end link. Stop driving the truck until you get it fixed.
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other bill
Dodge Dakota
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9/29/2006
11:33:14
| RE: turns like a bus
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Message:
If you can drive it, turn it, etc., I doubt anything is broke. Bent - very possibly. Broke - most likely not...except for your sway bar you mention seeing. I would recommend looking at the steering components in the daylight to verify that they are in tact (still solidly connected)prior to driving it anywhere. Once you are confident nothing is going to separate going down the road, get it to an alignment shop soon. You can put 50 miles on a front end completely knocked out of alignment before really chewing up tires (been there). You may get off as easy as an alignment. you may have to replace a bent component..or three. Good luck.
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wierdkid
Dodge Dakota
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9/29/2006
13:19:21
| RE: turns like a bus
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Message:
its the steering wheel thats cocked. I have AAA so i think ill go the safe route and get it towed. The truck is sitting safely in the driveway until the tow truck comes by.
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OBIO3
Dodge Dakota
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9/29/2006
14:27:22
| RE: turns like a bus
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Message:
If as your saying, the steering wheel is cocked 30 degrees ONLY HALF THE TIME, then something is busted. If it is consistant (all the time) then something is bent. I can not visualize a wheel aleinment alone is going to fix it. To do this kind of dammage, you must have hit a terrible hole at a good speed. Going with this you might check with your dentist for jared loose teeth. Kidding
So many problems .... So little time
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wierdkid
Dodge Dakota
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9/29/2006
15:18:58
| RE: turns like a bus
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I just went out to check it and the tie rod (driver side)looks pretty bent up theres a bend at the steering box end and another at the ball joint. the ball joint end is about two inches lower than the steering box end im not to sure about the on and off cocking of the steering wheel since it did that most of the time while i was limping back home(only straight between two turns).the tie rod is shaped like this:
__
\__ (the diagonal portion is much more stretched out and a much closer to horizontal(maybe a 30 degree or so bend)).
everything else however looks to be good. The steering box is solidly attached and the paasenger side is fine. my only guess as to other problems would be something inside the steering box.
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Kowalski
GenIII
9/29/2006
16:32:11
| RE: turns like a bus
IP: Logged
Message:
Bent linkage will make leave the steering wheel at an odd angle - might be the problem right there.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
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