I have search you heavens, but I can find no definitive answer of how to tell if your steering is spent.

I am running 32" BFG mudders on a PML. At 45mph it shakes like ....

Choose your liking;

A) A Female African Americans bootie at a Nelly show

B) A Chihuahua at anything

C) Your moms ass when I slap it

I have read about checking your centerlink and checking ect...

What do I need to check and how do I know it is F***d.

Thanks for the help.



ETA: Bad typing and booze.

:rolleyes:

Well, what you DO know, is that you have some shaking.

Tire balance for example can cause that...a weight can get knocked off...too little air off road, and spinning the rubber on the rim, or flat spotting the tires in a skid, etc... can all do that, etc.

If the shake did not appear right after doing the PML/tires...its less likely to be an alignment issue, unless you hit a curb or rock or something (Which can do that...)

If a ball joint or tie rod end is worn...it creates play...which, can lead to shake.

I'd look at these issues, to have a starting point.



You do not describe if the shake starts at 45, and gets worse as you go faster, or if itappears at a speed range, but not above or below, etc....or if its felt in the steering wheel, or the body, etc.

That would help as well.

I don't think a shaking is going to be attributed to centerlink or tie rods. Sloppy steering (like driving a '57 chevy) is the result of sloppy steering.

Shaking comes from lots of things:

1) unbalanced tires
2) bad ball joints
3) bad u-joints in the driveshaft
4) worn upper control arm bushings
5) loose bolts...

Question. Is there any noise associated to the shaking? If so, then u-joint or tire balance. If not, then ball joints or tire balance most likely.

There are other things that can cause nasty vibrations, but those are the most common w/ the Nissan.

If you have worn steering components, you'll know it, because it'll be a full-time job to get the truck to drive in a straight line. Vibrations are from other things.

Shaking also comes from JELLO.... were you carrying any at the time?

It starts shaking at around 38 then shakes like above said statements at 45. Once I get up to 60-65 it runs fairly smooth.

I took it to Discount Tire and asked for them to balance the tires and the guy said it won't help and as mudders wear they will shake. I politely called him a douche bag and went on my day.

I have had the PML on for over a year and also the tires. It does pull to the left but that happened after a camping trip. The shaking is getting progressively worse though. What do I need to look for on my steering that could be causing the problems. Everything seems good and tight. The shake is felt on the steering wheel, and it SHAKES.

No noise what so ever. The steering wheel shimmies like a Mo Fo at 45 then subsides at higher speeds. I have had to add power steering fluid twice this summer in my over flow container, but I cant find any leaks.

Take your truck in somewhere to get an alignment. If there are any worn parts, including ball joints, centerlink, tie rods, bushings, idler arm, etc., they will tell you what the problem is. They won't be able to align it until EVERYTHING is working right, so they will tell you what all is wrong, and you're under no obligation to have them fix it for you. Just say, "thanks," and go home and repair what's broken.

If the steering wheel shakes I'm willing to bet $5 you've got a balancing issue. I'd go ahead and rebalance tires. Work steering is likely not the issue here.

Try rotating your tires... it may not solve the problem - but if it changes things then that points to it being a tire problem.

Also, as far as testing for bad ball joints, centerlinks etc, you usually test them by shaking 'em. For the ball joints, jack up the truck to get the front wheels off the ground, grab the tire on the top and the bottom and give it a good shake. If it feels like the wheel is rocking back and forth at all then something is worn out.

Similarly, get under the front of the truck and give the centerlink a good shake and see if the little ball joints on either end have any play in them.

Since it vibrates at a particular speed range, its a resonance issue....the tire balance is the most likely suspect now I think.

I had thoughts of it being the balance as well. As I stated before the douche bag at Discount said it wouldn't help.

Anyway it has been pulling to the left after a camping/wheeling trip, so it needed a realignment anyway. I had it done at a local auto shop and I do not thing they ever had it truly aligned. DesertRat Truck Center said they would align it for $80 and balance the tires as well. Im going to have it done next week and I will let you guys know the results.

The Douche Bag is a complete MORON, or, is DISHONEST...either way, go somewhere else.

A man who will tell you with a straight face that a mud tire can't be balanced should be shot....starting at the knees perhaps, and working up a little at a time, etc.

At the shop I go to for example, Giant Super Swampers and other MT's - in ginormous diameters and widths....get balanced, without having to come back.

And yeah, you also need an alignment.