Vibration when turning at slow speeds

[Frustrated 2500 owner]

2022 Ram 2500 diesel Laramie – w/out assisted steering.

Symptoms: Grinding noise & vibration you can hear and also feel in the steering wheel and the floorboard when in tight turns at slow speeds only. The vibration cannot be felt with the truck in park and turning the wheels in either direction. The vibration cannot be felt when the truck is up on a lift. Braking is no change; it’s not the brakes nor low steering fluid.

I bought the truck used with only 18k miles from a young man in Texas who had added 2” lift plus steering stabilizers. The lift caused the front differential to fail which Ram replaced under warranty, and at the same time I had the Ram service center remove everything aftermarket and return the truck to Mopar stock parts. I also replaced the all terrain tires with new Michelin highway tires which also quieted the truck down significantly. But this vibration in the steering at low speeds in tight turns remains and is getting worse, now at 65k miles.

The front end was inspected with the truck on a lift which resulted in replacing both front hubs. But the steering vibration is still there.

I’ve had the truck inspected on a lift at a different shop, and they found nothing. All zirks were topped off. When on the rack, the vibration can no longer be felt in the steering wheel; the vibration is only when the truck is moving at less than 15mph and in a tight turn. The vibration will continue for ~10 seconds as you straighten out.

Ram Service advisor recommends replacing the steering box for $3500, although his reasoning is only that he has seen this be a common problem. He did no diagnostics. From what I read, a steering box failure will cause the steering to be sloppy and/or you feel a skipping. This is not what I feel; I feel and a hear a vibration and grinding which is getting worse.

I’m wondering if the joints in the steering column could be failing, but wouldn’t this also be felt when the truck is in park and turning the wheels side to side? Why do I only feel it when driving slowly and turning?

I read in one forum post where the same symptoms were cured by replacing the front axle locker actuator. I’m still trying to understand how this would cause a vibration only when turning and only when under load.

Could this be something in the rear even though it feels to be coming from the front?

 

[Wanderlust073]

I’m still trying to understand how this would cause a vibration only when turning and only when under load.

Yeah sounds like its stuck in 4WD. That’s how it sounds when you turn on dry surfaces with 4WD engaged.

 

[jetrinka]

Was the vibration there prior to the dealer replacing the front differential and taking the lift off? I'm struggling to understand a way a 2" lift (assuming just a leveling kit) can cause a front differential to fail... Was the diff used or new? Did they replace any other parts like the front axle u-joints?

Also, is it just a vibration or does the truck seem to bind and stop if the tight turn is maintained? The truck isn't in 4wd is it?

If I had to throw something at the wall and see if it sticks, the truck is either in 4wd or one of the front axle u-joints is either installed incorrectly or absolutely smoked.

 

[Frustrated 2500 owner]

Yeah sounds like its stuck in 4WD. That’s how it sounds when you turn on dry surfaces with 4WD engaged.

I know what driving in 4wd on pavement sounds and feels like, and that is not this. That's a bucking/jumping. This is a vibration and a growling sound. But thanks for your reply.

 

[Frustrated 2500 owner]

Was the vibration there prior to the dealer replacing the front differential and taking the lift off? I'm struggling to understand a way a 2" lift (assuming just a leveling kit) can cause a front differential to fail... Was the diff used or new? Did they replace any other parts like the front axle u-joints?

Also, is it just a vibration or does the truck seem to bind and stop if the tight turn is maintained? The truck isn't in 4wd is it?

If I had to throw something at the wall and see if it sticks, the truck is either in 4wd or one of the front axle u-joints is either installed incorrectly or absolutely smoked.

Yes, the vibration was there both before and after Ram replaced all of the aftermarket suspension and also replaced the front differential and the front axle under warranty. When I picked the truck up from this work, the vibration in tight turns at slow speeds was still there. I knew it immediately from just pulling out of the parking space at the service center. I told the service advisor who was very upset the truck had been released to me without the remedying my complaint, and had the tech go for a test drive with me so I could be sure he felt the problem. The tech could feel the vibration but didn't know the cause only from a test drive. The service advisor then recommended replacing the steering box for $3000. Everything I read about steering box failure diagnostics does not agree with my truck symptoms, so I have not yet replaced the steering box.

So to answer your reply questions, yes, the front differential replaced by Ram was new. And yes, the axle u-joints were replaced and the front drive shaft was replaced so I assume that would include the drive shaft u-joints.

When driving the truck slowly in a tight turn, the truck does not seem to bind or stop. You feel a very noticeable vibration both in the steering wheel and through the floor both on the driver side and the passenger side. The vibration is very much there and the growling noise is faint but definitely there.

No, the truck is definitely not in 4wd (I wish it was that simple!) I have wondered if an axle locker actuator is possibly stuck. I don't know how to diagnose that.

 

[cj8rockcrawler]

Is the growl/vibration speed or rpm dependent? Does it happen in drive and reverse? Have you pulled the front driveshaft and tested for the vibration?

 

[jetrinka]

Yes, the vibration was there both before and after Ram replaced all of the aftermarket suspension and also replaced the front differential and the front axle under warranty. When I picked the truck up from this work, the vibration in tight turns at slow speeds was still there. I knew it immediately from just pulling out of the parking space at the service center. I told the service advisor who was very upset the truck had been released to me without the remedying my complaint, and had the tech go for a test drive with me so I could be sure he felt the problem. The tech could feel the vibration but didn't know the cause only from a test drive. The service advisor then recommended replacing the steering box for $3000. Everything I read about steering box failure diagnostics does not agree with my truck symptoms, so I have not yet replaced the steering box.

So to answer your reply questions, yes, the front differential replaced by Ram was new. And yes, the axle u-joints were replaced and the front drive shaft was replaced so I assume that would include the drive shaft u-joints.

When driving the truck slowly in a tight turn, the truck does not seem to bind or stop. You feel a very noticeable vibration both in the steering wheel and through the floor both on the driver side and the passenger side. The vibration is very much there and the growling noise is faint but definitely there.

No, the truck is definitely not in 4wd (I wish it was that simple!) I have wondered if an axle locker actuator is possibly stuck. I don't know how to diagnose that.

I would not authorize the steering box replacement either. If you want my honest opinion I would search out another reputable shops opinion. It really sounds like the dealer you are at doesn’t have techs worth their salt - just throwing parts at things.

Find a good independent on Google, take it there and pay them to diagnose it. Then take it back to the dealer for warranty work.

Stock wheels and tire size?

 

[Frustrated 2500 owner]

Is the growl/vibration speed or rpm dependent? Does it happen in drive and reverse? Have you pulled the front driveshaft and tested for the vibration?

After reading your reply, I tried it in reverse and the grind is still there even in reverse.
I have pulled the driveshaft and tested for vibration (didn't know one can do that). The drive shaft was recently replaced by Ram and the vibration existed both before and after that replacement, so that being the problem seems improbable.

 

[Frustrated 2500 owner]

I would not authorize the steering box replacement either. If you want my honest opinion I would search out another reputable shops opinion. It really sounds like the dealer you are at doesn’t have techs worth their salt - just throwing parts at things.

Find a good independent on Google, take it there and pay them to diagnose it. Then take it back to the dealer for warranty work.

Stock wheels and tire size?

Thanks for advising to NOT replace the steering box, at least not yet.

It has stock 20" rims, and I replaced the all terrain tires from the previous owner with new Michelin highway tires. That smoothed out the ride quite a bit.

My first attempt at diagnostics was at a reputable off-road specialty shop and they recommended ~$5k of work including replacing the drive shaft with one that has a modified flange which could withstand the offset angle. I wasn't ready at that time, as this was the first diagnostics done, to spend that kind of money. It was then that I took the truck to Ram who recommended taking the truck back to stock which I wanted to do anyway. So I authorized that work which was done, and at the same time, Ram found the front differential was shot as a result to bad angle on the drive shaft, and they replaced the front differential, drive shaft, and front axle under warranty. So taking it to Ram turned out to be the right move. This fixed the most critical problem of the truck literally falling apart when in 4wd. Now I'm trying to find the problem which still remains, the grinding/vibration at low speeds in tight turns. If I can find and fix problem, I'll keep the truck.

I'm thinking to now take it to 2 different off-road specialty shops and 1 different Ram service, pay for diagnostics, and see how they compare.

 

[Trash Panda]

I will say, I have never heard of a 2” level “destroying the front differential”. That diagnosis alone is somewhat suspect to me, but I suppose nothing is impossible.

Watching this thread closely. I’d be really curious as to what the fix ends up being.

 

[werard]

Transfer case?