I believe where the steering wheel drive shaft connects to the steering box there is a rubber isolator that connects the two. This isolator stops road noise from being transmitted up and through the steering column. I just looked at mine at work but could not see how it attaches due to the air filter. There are normally bolts on the steering gear and steering shaft that just bolt to the isolator. With that many miles on your X I suspect the rubber piece has deteoriated possilbly causing the excessive slop in the wheel. You may want to check it.

DSMMH

 

i fixed my wandering problem by adjusting the air in the tires 55# front and back..i dont know if it will work for you..but I found that these trucks are very sensitive to tire pressure...

 

I Burped 3 air bubbles out of power steering box and it is driving alot better. The air bubbles got in there during the steering box swap. so if you ever got low on steering fluid and your steering feels spongey you might consider air.

 

I was wondering what your tire pressures were as well. I have had to play a little with mine, and it fixed the wandering. I also installed a Hellwig rear anti-sway bar. But, I don't know the difference in the temps, but I saw a big difference in cold vs. hot with the air in tires.

 

how do you purge air from the power steering?

 

I hooked up a evacuater (vacume)to the return line and sucked them out. while cranking the wheel back and forth with the wheels off the ground. and BLOOP, BLOOP, BLOOP out they came. I thought that any air should have worked its way out on its own.

 

I am new to the site and an owner of a 2000 Diesel with 150K for about a week now. Was there a final solution available for the original post? I purchased the truck knowing a ball joint was bad - did both upper and lower passenger joints and had a new Ujoing and seals installed in the axle and just did front breaks - but still have an intermittent shaking wheel as slow speeds like a bent rim would feel. I also have the steering delay and drifting. Just towed my camper for the first time with this truck - Diesel is GREAT but I am struggling to keep it on the road.

Thanks in advance.

 

When you say everything in the steering has been replaced are you including the ball joints? I just had to replace mine for the same reason. AFTER I replaced all the "steering" componets.

 

I Replaced - Passenger Upper and Lower ball joint, passenger U joint, and axel seals, both front breaks.

No drivers side parts yet but the previous owner said last year he did both ball joints and a hub on that side. Not sure if this actually happened but there are grease fittings on the ball joints with grease that is not crusted so maybe.

 

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