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New 2500 steering kinda sloppy

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pduncan989

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Hi, I factory ordered a new 2500 Laramie/gas and we’re taking our fist big trip through desert.
Driving at speed the steering wheel has a lot of play and every once in a while it will jump left/right for a millisecond.

Used to drive old Nissan titan and never thought about steering in 10 years,
Now it’s always on my mind as it feels a little unsafe if I’m not 1000% concentrated.

Is this just 2500? The ones I’ve test drove did not feel like this but granted it was just round the block.
I wish there was a setting or nut I could tighten but reaching out as my new dream machine has me worried.

I hope I get used to it.
Thx for any advice
 
pduncan989 said:
Hi, I factory ordered a new 2500 Laramie/gas and we’re taking our fist big trip through desert.
Driving at speed the steering wheel has a lot of play and every once in a while it will jump left/right for a millisecond.

Used to drive old Nissan titan and never thought about steering in 10 years,
Now it’s always on my mind as it feels a little unsafe if I’m not 1000% concentrated.

Is this just 2500? The ones I’ve test drove did not feel like this but granted it was just round the block.
I wish there was a setting or nut I could tighten but reaching out as my new dream machine has me worried.

I hope I get used to it.
Thx for any advice
Click to expand...
It could be you not being used to an HD truck with a solid axle. They are not super tight like a IFS rack and pinion setup would be.

The jumping to the side is odd unless you are hitting stuff on the road. Without driving it, it would be hard to see how it is and say if it’s normal or not. There are things that can be checked like alignment and tire pressures.
 
I have a 2024 Laramie and I do not feel it being loose (sloppy). I just got back from 2000k trip to FLA and back and no issues. I will say the tires come over inflated and it handles much better with lower pressure than what the dealer had it at. I came from a 1500 and it is is a different truck. At 1st I was able to feel the extra weight but as I continue to get used to it, that feeling has subsided. Maybe jack it up and see if there is any play in the wheels. Although I would think that odd for a new truck but stranger things have happened.

IMO the 1500 is more car like in comparison. This is a truck. Love it so far.
 
100% you are feeling the difference between IFS and SFA. You're going to feel more bump steer and pulling as the axle articulates.

Go test drive a Bronco and Wrangler and you'll feel the same thing.
 
Totally agree with Barsinister. I too moved from a RAM 1500 to a new 2500. My new 2500 drives and handles like a truck, whereas the 1500 was much more car-like handling. And yeah, the 2500 tires were set at 80psi from the dealer, the max, once I lowered the pressure to the recommended 60/65psi it provided a little softer ride.
 
It will ride rougher for sure. However, you can either have a shop check it or if inclined grab a big torque wrench and check all of the fasteners and components in the sfa are to spec. You can likely also reduce tire PSI. It usually comes for max payload, or even worse, above that which will make it ride not too good. There will also be stretches of road that make it ride like crap, I know like 90% of Arizona is like that on the I-40 and US 93.
 
Your shocks also affect steering when on rough roads .
 
When I got my 2024 off the lot, it was a little sloppy. The tires were all 15psi below recommended pressures. The next day at home, I filled them all to within 3psi of doorjamb specs. No more "sloppy" feeling in the steering. Now it feels just fine on the roads. I only run lower pressure when offroading now.
 
justpassinthru said:
When I got my 2024 off the lot, it was a little sloppy. The tires were all 15psi below recommended pressures. The next day at home, I filled them all to within 3psi of doorjamb specs. No more "sloppy" feeling in the steering. Now it feels just fine on the roads. I only run lower pressure when offroading now.
Click to expand...
The door pressures are for MAX weight on the truck if you run that unloaded you are just wearing the centers out of the tires
 
Hi - thx for the advice. It’s my first HD truck ever. I guess jumping side to side is exaggeration but it does sorta drift.

I am towing 6k TT with a WDH on this tour…and that feels floaty too (but won’t confuse me dialing in hitch with just driving around unhitched)
But there is camping gear in the back so it’s not unloaded.
And every 3 days I’m towing so I need tire pressure set for that too.
I will check tire pressure now
 
pduncan989 said:
Hi, I factory ordered a new 2500 Laramie/gas and we’re taking our fist big trip through desert.
Driving at speed the steering wheel has a lot of play and every once in a while it will jump left/right for a millisecond.

Used to drive old Nissan titan and never thought about steering in 10 years,
Now it’s always on my mind as it feels a little unsafe if I’m not 1000% concentrated.

Is this just 2500? The ones I’ve test drove did not feel like this but granted it was just round the block.
I wish there was a setting or nut I could tighten but reaching out as my new dream machine has me worried.

I hope I get used to it.
Thx for any advice
Click to expand...
having the incorrect amount of TOE will make the truck dance. Get the alignment checked. If youre feeling spicy, get under the front and shorten the bar connecting both spindles. 1/2 turn should feel different.
 
I forgot to mention it has the air suspension , and also I’m traveling those crappy Arizona roads of which you speak -haha
 
When I first got my truck I thought there was something wrong; maybe wind gusts or ridges in the road. Until I figured out it was the "Lane Keeping" system that was pushing me around. Try turning if off if you have it on your truck. I am used to it now and doesn't bother me.
 
Ram does a pathetic job at best getting the alignment correct on these trucks. The factory recommended specs are also sub-par. I do mine with a measuring tape and it is far better driving. Go to the thuren suspension site, get their recommended alignment specs. Take it to a good alignment mechanic tech and have them do those specs.
 
During the test drive I took my truck on the highway and I thought I was transported back 3 decades lol but I had to consider what I was used to. It's looser than my F350 & definitely looser than my lifted Touareg but I will say I got used to it rather quickly. I may upgrade the track bar because I read it can tighten up the front end feel but I have to say on long trips I think the looser feel can help reduce fatigue....at least thats my opinion anyway.
 
Its interesting, I came from a Nissan Titan as well. When Nissan under impressed with the new model and skipped the Warrior I ended up in a Power Wagon. And a solid axle does take some getting used to. But once you realize its so much stronger and more capable you get over it quickly. It was not long before we realized how useless our Four Runner was by comparison and after a great summer in the Sierras with my SAS Montero we went out and bought an Ineos Grenadier and are sticking with solid axles from now on. Coming from the "dont by American" generation was tough. My 2018 PW had 12 recalls, the Titan 4. And repairs and reliability were 500% less reliable then the Titan. Titan went 225K and was pretty much in need of a lot, especially front end rebuild. But never touched the engine or transmission unlike the PW. I also had lots of "fears" that never came to be. Ride quality was easily adaptable to with the coils, the decades long headaches of steering boxes, u joints, ball joints and so on Dodge was well known for had passed. With a ZF transmission, and from what I am hearing other improvements the newer Rams have some potential to be closer to the Titan in terms of reliability post 2018.
 
This is all great advice. I didn’t think the yellow lane keep light might be messing w me. I will try turning it off for a stretch. Knowing what’s causing it is 90% of the battle. I will check out those alignment specs n go crying back to dealer with them(I got a big ole service warranty).
I do miss my old 2012 titan a bit. So used to it (low tech) - but look forward to learning this new beast!
 
pduncan989 said:
This is all great advice. I didn’t think the yellow lane keep light might be messing w me. I will try turning it off for a stretch. Knowing what’s causing it is 90% of the battle. I will check out those alignment specs n go crying back to dealer with them(I got a big ole service warranty).
I do miss my old 2012 titan a bit. So used to it (low tech) - but look forward to learning this new beast!
Click to expand...
Call the best alignment shop in town and ask them if they will align to the specs, the dealer won’t IME.
Might want to make sure those still apply to your model year, betting they do.
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