steering issue w/2000 Dodge Caravann

[strombony]

I hope I can clearly describe what my van is doing, and Im not sure if someting is wrong or if it is simply functioning the way it is suppose to. Here's what it does: When I make a turn, (slowly) and I let the steeting wheel glide back through my hands to straighten it out, I can feel play in the steering wheel, sort of like a vibration or a wobbling, but then the wheel is straightened back out after completing the turn, it is smooth and feel nothing in the wheel. Is the normal? If so, does it sound like it has to do with the power steering more so than the wheels or allignment?

 

[-Clayton-]

Sounds like a worn cv joint, Probably the inner on the driver's side.

 

[MGregoir]

Check your wheel bearings, tie rod ends and CV joints.

Jack up the front of your vehicle and take each wheel to feel for play. Movement in the vertical (top to bottom) significantly is usually wheel bearing, in the horizontal is tie rod end. If this is all tight, check your CV joints.

If any of this stuff gets replaced you are going to need an alignment either way unless it's wheel bearings.

I had a wheel bearing on one vehicle and a tie rod end on another give similar symptoms.

 

[strombony]

Uuugh... well, I hope I'm safe driving it..because I'm 5 hours out of town right now visiting a relative. I guess I made it here with no problem, so I should be fine getting home... Like I said, going in a straigt line, it rides smooth and sound, no vibrations, no nothing. I will say this much, the tires are a bit worn on the outsides as they are near the end of their life but I had my shop look at them and the center treads are fine. They said I can go another 10k on them at least. I wonder if when I'm turning, the wear bars are what I'm feeling as the tire angles over a bit? Is that a possibility, since they are worn on the outside?

 

[MGregoir]

If your tires are edge-worn on the outside you're due for an alignment at a minimum, take it to a decent mechanic if you aren't comfortable doing it yourself and get a front end inspection done.

With the wheel bearing when I would turn right (it was the right front wheel) I would get a vibration through the wheel as the wheel chattered inside the bearing somewhat. The tie rod end was on the same side, and in a straight line it was fine but if I would hit a bump with it, I would fell an oscillation in that wheel briefly as it pivoted inside the play in the tie rod end until the forward motion of the car straightened it out.

The insides of the tires on the front had started chunking, so when I went to get new tires, I had the shop go through the front end previous to doing an alignment and they found the bad tie rod end. Fixed that, new tires, fresh alignment and it is like driving a completely different car.

 

[strombony]

MGregoir...right.. I will have to get it checked by a professional it seems... Will make appt on Monday.
And yes, it does seem to be when I turn left that I notice the pulsating in the wheel as the steerign wheel goes back. I know the right front wheel is the "drive" wheel.

 

[strombony]

Ok, just got done driving the van again today, this time I really tried to pay closer attention to what the steering wheel is doing. (first off, the power steering pump is brand new as of 1.5 years ago) While driving down the road, going 40-45mph in a straight line, if I ever so slight turn the wheel toward the left or the right, but barely enough to make the van vear off in either direction, I feel a "pulsating" feeling in the steering wheel. I realize this could be caused by a multitude or reasons, but is it possible for a power steerign pump to creat this slight vibration that is noticeable in the steering wheel? Againn, it is very slightly noticeable.

 

[strombony]

Originally Posted By: strombony
Ok, just got done driving the van again today, this time I really tried to pay closer attention to what the steering wheel is doing. (first off, the power steering pump is brand new as of 1.5 years ago) While driving down the road, going 40-45mph in a straight line, if I ever so slight turn the wheel toward the left or the right, but barely enough to make the van vear off in either direction, I feel a "pulsating" feeling in the steering wheel. I realize this could be caused by a multitude or reasons, but is it possible for a power steerign pump to creat this slight vibration that is noticeable in the steering wheel? Againn, it is very slightly noticeable.


In addition, I found this in an article about power steerinng units...could this be my situation?

* Shudder - Vibration felt (tactile) in the steering wheel during either stationary steering maneuver or low speed steering maneuver. The frequency range typically associated with shudder is below 50 Hz. Some of the sources of shudder have been attributed to engine speed variation at idle causing flow variations from the pump at engine firing frequency, and a system instability controlled by the gain associated with the boost curve of the rotary spool valve.

 

[MGregoir]

The feeling you are describing is something loose in your front suspension, I have felt that before on two different vehicles with bad wheel bearings and it would actually get so bad I would have to stop to get the oscillation to stop in one of them. Power steering problems are usually a nasty shudder and grown at low speed or stop when the steering is most stressed, like dry steering.

Get a front end inspection and rule all of that stuff out before looking at your power steering pump. If when you are sitting there stopped on a loose surface like gravel, and you can dry steer left to right or at low speed it probably isn't your power steering pump.

 

[strombony]

Originally Posted By: MGregoir
The feeling you are describing is something loose in your front suspension, I have felt that before on two different vehicles with bad wheel bearings and it would actually get so bad I would have to stop to get the oscillation to stop in one of them. Power steering problems are usually a nasty shudder and grown at low speed or stop when the steering is most stressed, like dry steering.

Get a front end inspection and rule all of that stuff out before looking at your power steering pump. If when you are sitting there stopped on a loose surface like gravel, and you can dry steer left to right or at low speed it probably isn't your power steering pump.


I called my mech, made an appointment. He said it's not impossible that something could be loose on the front end, but he thinks it's more related to the power steering linkage. He said Chrysler has had a problem with the power steering hoses causing a shudder do to a pressure problem of some sort. He's going to look everything over in one week. I'll report back on the findings.