I'm at my wits end with this,so I hope someone can shed some light on it.
lately my 03 SD 4X4 has been doing some strange things.

I'll drive down the road and everything is fine then the steering will want to pull one way ,so I correct and it snaps the other way and before you know it your zig zaging down the road like your doing a slalom course. It seem like once the steering wheel is on center it wants to push off of center like two magnets opposing each other.
Then there is the infamous death wobble.
Moving along at 10 mph and the sterring wheel is going nuts,the truck is rocking side to side and no matter how hard you try,there is no fighting it.
Kinda like a clown car.
So I stop and start moving again and the prblem is still there. Usually if I make a few lock to lock turns it will make a clunk sound and go away for the day. Next day when you least expect it ,it starts again.
Now a little background.
I have changed all 4 ball joints in the last two months and checked all tie rod ends and other joints. they all seem fine. the steering is responsive with a small wiggle of the wheel when your traveling down the road and it's not fighting me. I have had people check the front end and nothing seems out of sorts by visual. The hubs are unlocked as well.
Has anyone had this type of problem?? And what do I do to correct it.

 

sounds like you may be having tire or alingment trouble

 

It's your steering box.

The spool valve on the input side of the box is leaking internally, or the springs are broken. And rebuilding a steering box is not for the backyard mechanic.

Either that, are you have something SERIOUSLY loose in the front-end.

I'd not drive it until it's fixed.

But I'd bet it's the steering box.

 

I was thinking a valving issue as well but how could it be gone with 60000 miles?
Are rebuild kits avaliable for this new of a truck?
and I have rebuilt these before on older stuff I work in the FRONT yard.LOL
I have checked all of the front end components and I can't find anything loose or otherwise. I pulled my right front hub out this morning to check them and the plastic ring that holds the bearing in place was in about 15 pcs. Well I guess I'm getting warn hubs the dealer wants $470.cdn for one.OUCH!!

 

OK, FRONT yard

I'm sure there's rebuild kits for them. Did you buy this new? Because if you didn't, who knows how many curbs the previous owner hit?

While sitting still, with the engine running, apply pressure to the steering wheel in either direction - do you get a nice push back like the springs in the spool valve are still good?

 

Yea its feels normal when you are sitting still but when you start to move ahead the steering wheel starts to ossilate about a 1/8 turn each way. I've had the truck since new and I did'nt hit anything that I can think of. I do plow with the truck,but I limit my driving while the plow is on. I've tried to get it to do it to show people but then it won't. (go figure). then later it will start again. Its been gradually getting worse, thats why I changed the ball joints.I thought that if the ball joints were real bad it could change the caster and cause the same thing. But I guess that was'nt it.

 

This doesnt sound like DW to me. The most common symptoms of death wobble are loose track bar, imbalanced or out of round tires/wheels, bad caster setting, or worn rod ends/ball joints.

Have you checked your steering box? Maybe the worm gear is loose.

 

Ok heres what I'm thinking. If you read the post above about the hub that grenaded on me. When I took it apart the spring that is supposed to be held in by the plastic ring that is no longer existent,was stuck behind the spacer/washer that keeps the axle shaft at proper spacing to the ball joints( they do need to be in line ). This would cause a misalignment of the joint to the steering center line. SINCE i have removed the hub and bearing and the jammed spring, the truck has behaved normal. Now don't quote me just yet but I drove the truck about 30 miles and there were no problems as I previosly described. I will repost as I drive the truck more and re-evaluate my situation.
I thank all that have responded and I still look forward to more input.

 

Well, after driving the truck a couple of days, all of the problems I was having went away. since there was no bearing support in the hub it caused the shaft to get out of alignment and the spring being jammed in there as well was causing all of my problems.
I'll tell you it was not fun to drive the truck like that but now its all good again.
now I just have to get new hubs and I'll be all set.
Any suggestions as to which brand of hub I should get and part #? (and not stock ones either at $470 ea!!)

 

MileMarker or Warn.

I'm pretty sure the MM's are available from a site sponsor.

Don't remember the Warn part #'s I used anymore, sorry