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New guy here asking about adaptive steering

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Jack M

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Not even sure what it is and cant find any info about it in the manual.
This is a 21 3500 Laramie, I have about 300 all freeway miles with a relatively light trailer on and it doesn't track like it should.
I have to be up on the wheel constantly.
I gave up a really nice 1995 F 350 that I bought new and only has 140K on it and it drove LOTS better than this new Ram.
So just what is adaptive steering? It shows to be a $300 option.
I would like to know more than I do before I go complaining to the dealer. Like what is it and what is it supposed to do?
Thanks in advance, JACK
 
It's explained in the other thread you bumped, on page one.

All it does is make the truck easier to steer at lower speeds.
 
If that's all it affects then it must need an alignment.
Thanks.
 
It keeps you in your lane, it can be turned off and the sensitivity can be adjusted in your settings..
 
I don't think this rig has that lane holding feature.
I am reading that adaptive steering is something else. Just supposed to make it easier to steer at slow speeds which is not my complaint.
My build sheet does not show lane assistance.
 
Thank You mcarey, now if we could figure out why this this doesn't track like I think it should.
 
The tire pressures float around the low to mid 80s if the TP monitor is working correctly.
 
Yes my bad.. I was thinking lane assist..
I went from an 18 without adaptive to a 21 with it and the steering felt completely different.. took me a few miles to get use to it ..
Jack the front end up and see if there's any play.up and down ,side to side...
 
Basser53 said:
Yes my bad.. I was thinking lane assist..
I went from an 18 without adaptive to a 21 with it and the steering felt completely different.. took me a few miles to get use to it ..
Jack the front end up and see if there's any play.up and down ,side to side...
Click to expand...


If it comes to that it will be the dealer, I am seeing that I am not the only one experiencing this leading me to believe there must be an inherent problem with this new steering system.
I don't advocate that one takes his hands off of the wheel, but I sure wouldnt/couldnt do that with this truck.
 
Jack M said:
The tire pressures float around the low to mid 80s if the TP monitor is working correctly.
Click to expand...
Tire pressure is much too high from the factory, they ship at max rating.
For daily driving, you’ll want to drop about 20-30 PSI.
 
RAM_Dad said:
Tire pressure is much too high from the factory, they ship at max rating.
For daily driving, you’ll want to drop about 20-30 PSI.
Click to expand...


This was my brothers suggestion as well.
I will try this on next weeks run. About 140 miles r/t.
It will be great if this is all it takes.
 
Jack M said:
This was my brothers suggestion as well.
I will try this on next weeks run. About 140 miles r/t.
It will be great if this is all it takes.
Click to expand...
Have also heard the transforce tires don’t track as well as others. Not sure if you have those, just another thought.
 
Former tire guy here...

It could be alignment but I would also consider it could be a radial pull from a defective tire. If the alignment is the cause it will usually cause a slow drift. If the pull is more aggressive, then it could very well be a tire that has a manufacturing defect.

Most often a radial pull will only materialize when the defective tire is on the steering axle. The starting point for diagnosis is simply swapping the front tires (i.e., driver's side tire goes to passenger side and passenger goes to driver's). You do not need to dismount the tires to check this. This is, of course, after you ensure air pressure is correct.

Sent from my SM-N986U1 using Tapatalk
 
I did not tow anything with my factory tires. I changed them before I ever did any actual work with my truck and what I have feel great with a heavy load and these are 35's.

I can tell you from experience that I have driven trucks that were great and then we put new tires on and it felt like I was driving a boat. The rear felt as if it was swaying and there was a delayed response. You did NOT want to take hands off the wheel and felt uneasy. We changed the tires out to a different brand and now run very specific tires on our trucks. Interestingly enough, we run a different tire on our 3500 versus our 5500's. Also interesting (to me anyway) is that we run Continental HSR's on our 5500's and there are a couple of different versions of the HSR. The differences are very subtle, but the tire store got the incorrect version a couple of sets ago and the truck did not feel good when towing. I got them to switch them to the correct (our preferred version) and the truck felt great again.

What tires do you have on your truck?
 
Speedracer93CobraR said:
What tires do you have on your truck?
Click to expand...
Firestone Transforce AT.
This is what came on it.
I went for a drive yesterday empty with no trailer about 170 plus miles. So now I am at around 450 miles give or take.
I am getting used to it but still not what a new rig should drive like.
 
Jack M said:
Firestone Transforce AT.
This is what came on it.
I went for a drive yesterday empty with no trailer about 170 plus miles. So now I am at around 450 miles give or take.
I am getting used to it but still not what a new rig should drive like.
Click to expand...
I am also fighting this or something similar. Mine may be worse because I cannot tow or haul (using my buddies 20 F-350 till this gets resolved) but I have a lot of rear end sway. If going 65mph and I move the steering wheel back and forth the rear end takes a second to catch up. This is a bad feeling. The feeling is exemplified when a trailer is connected as it creates a S type motion back to the front..... I have been to multiple dealers and finally got a dealership to acknowledge. Right now we have been going on two weeks with the only update from Ram being that they are awaiting an engineer. I have been chasing this since delivery back in May. Ram originally said it was "tire side wall flex" but they finally swapped wheels and tires with another new known good truck and problem was identical. I personally swapped my 01 Ram wheels and tires along with a brand new set of Nitto's off my friends Ram and no change in the drivability.

I get to drive a different truck everyday as a perk to the job so when you get to feel every make and model along with other new Ram's it truly highlights how bad the issue is. Mine is a 2021 Ram 3500 Limited SRW air assist HO. Still cannot use it for what it is. Hoping for a resolution from Ram but not looking good. As of right now the dealership if too busy to get the truck back in due to staffing issues and Ram is just sitting with an open case.... Absolutely torture for a 90k custom ordered truck. My 16 was flawless and was excited for 21 but obviously regret the upgrade.
 
Jack M said:
The tire pressures float around the low to mid 80s if the TP monitor is working correctly.
Click to expand...
I am thinking since the truck was running mid eighties all the way around, and since it would appear that it only wants 60 in the fronts that I might be onto something. What is that? Maybe 25% over inflated??
My next trip should be better as I let air out all the way around.
I would think that the factory would ship closer to what it suggests.
Still only 470 miles on the thing and don't have any plans for it for awhile. I will post here when I get a chance to test drive.
Thanks thus far for all the suggestions.
Ram tire pressures.jpg
 
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