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12-24-2003, 07:16 PM
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Dodge 3500 diesel dualie wanders
I have a '99 Dodge 3500 Quad Cab dualie with the Cummins diesel and 5spd 2wd. This is my first real truck and truck it is. It seems like it will pull anything and the more the merrier and happier it is. Great truck in every way...but.....
The problem is without a trailer it wanders around on the highway a bit ...nothing dangerous but for a big truck it is not as sure footed as I thought it would be. It's not a lot but it seems like I am constantly steering the thing. The dealer and the alignment shop say it is fine and nothing is a miss. I've built and owned enough racers and streetrods to know that a couple degrees of caster usually fixes this but the alignment shop says no. It will change when you add a trailer. IE the rear will squat and change the angle of the chassis etc. Got news for the place 12,000 pounds of trailer drops the rear about 1 1/2 inches and it still wanders. now this truck only has 80k and is like brand new. It has top of the line Michlen tires the right size and on an on. It has been taken care of to the point of only having been on a gravel road for less than 5 miles. Is this normal for these trucks??? The new one I almost bought did the same thing in fact I asked about it when trying it out and they said it was normal for 4wd to do this. Whatta y'all think??? merry Christmas bentwings 
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12-24-2003, 08:17 PM
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Sounds normal to me.My uncle owned a 2000 3500 and it did the same.It's more than likely got something to do with that stiff rear suspension.I guess it's just one of those Dodge things.
Nightrain
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12-24-2003, 09:48 PM
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the bigger they are, the more they become a brick on wheels (they catch wind from all sides).
all of the larger trucks i've driven, with the stiff suspension, all seem to walk a little.
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12-25-2003, 07:25 AM
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Check the steering linkage from the column to the box. Seems to me I remember hearing that some of the Dodge Rams have had a problem with excess play in one of the steering "U" joints.
I think "Crank and Chrome" did a show on replacing it not long ago. Centerline
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12-25-2003, 09:09 AM
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i have a big 97 and it walks on the highway above 60
fairly normal for a dodge
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12-27-2003, 09:22 PM
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Thanks everyone. I guess I'll just live with it. Great truck. 20 mpg. Anyone need a Chevey or Ford hitch pulled off?LOL
bentwings
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