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Sudden excessive play, front end 01 Caravan #2383187
10/06/17 10:44 PM
10/06/17 10:44 PM
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,937
Walmart parking lot
yorker Offline OP
Drugs are bad
yorker  Offline OP
Drugs are bad

Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,937
Walmart parking lot
01 Town & Country. Van has 138,000 miles. Normally this van had pretty good front end, no pull or play. I started to drive it around the inner city, ( bad roads ), and now the steering has about 4 inches of play and a single clunk when turning at times.

I stood outside the van and turned the steering wheel and at one point the left front wheel seemed to bind and then jump. Have not had a chance to take it to a shop.
Really don't want to drive it much in this condition. The lug nuts are tight. I did notice not long ago, a clunk in the steering column, like a piece of heavy metal in the shroud. Play in wheel when motor is turned off also.
Any ideas on what this problem is? Will let you know in couple weeks when take it to shop. Thanks


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Re: Sudden excessive play, front end 01 Caravan [Re: yorker] #2383196
10/06/17 11:08 PM
10/06/17 11:08 PM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 96,649
On The Boat, On The Lake, Wa. ...
amxautox Offline
Still Retired. Still Posting on Moparts. A Lot.
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On The Boat, On The Lake, Wa. ...
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Re: Sudden excessive play, front end 01 Caravan [Re: yorker] #2383208
10/06/17 11:31 PM
10/06/17 11:31 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,390
Highland, MI.
Sunroofcuda Offline
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Highland, MI.
Sounds like the steering rack to me. Get out the checkbook!


No Man With A Good Car Needs To Be Justified
Re: Sudden excessive play, front end 01 Caravan [Re: yorker] #2383222
10/06/17 11:52 PM
10/06/17 11:52 PM
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,543
chicagoland,usa
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buildanother Offline
I Live Here
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Posts: 11,543
chicagoland,usa
Physically see if you can find out where the slop is at, and do you have rust issues where you are? Them shock towers rot.

Re: Sudden excessive play, front end 01 Caravan [Re: yorker] #2383245
10/07/17 12:42 AM
10/07/17 12:42 AM
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Andrewh Offline
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I saw this once.
The shop didn't find anything and they brought it to me.
The rack was loose.
Just "tight" enough to hold it in place, but it shifted when turning left or right.
When the shop got it, they put it in the air and didn't find anything because there was no load on the wheels.

When I got it, I just lifted it enough to see under and have someone turn the wheel back and forth.
I could see the rack shift in the cradle.

A few turns with a ratchet and it worked like normal.

Re: Sudden excessive play, front end 01 Caravan [Re: Andrewh] #2383525
10/07/17 06:46 PM
10/07/17 06:46 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,664
IN
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ahy Offline
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IN
I like to run it up on ramps so the tires are loaded yet you can get underneath. Get a helper to turn the wheel while you watch.

Agree it sounds like a bad or loose rack. I helped a family member change PS hoses and pump on one of those. It is tight around the rack. Getting to the hose there was not easy.

Re: Sudden excessive play, front end 01 Caravan [Re: yorker] #2383591
10/07/17 09:48 PM
10/07/17 09:48 PM
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,365
St. Charles, MO
wingman Offline
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St. Charles, MO
If it ends up being the rack, I did one on my 4th generation (2005) caravan in the driveway on jackstands. Was a little tight but not as bad as I expected.


1969 Dodge Coronet Super Bee 383 A4
1970 Plymouth Road Runner 440 FC7 (sold)
Re: Sudden excessive play, front end 01 Caravan [Re: wingman] #2383671
10/08/17 12:58 AM
10/08/17 12:58 AM
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,937
Walmart parking lot
yorker Offline OP
Drugs are bad
yorker  Offline OP
Drugs are bad

Joined: Sep 2005
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Walmart parking lot
I was wondering if it was the rack loose. When I recently did the brakes, I noticed some play in the wheels at 3- 9 position in park. A quick look at you tube shows that could be inner tie rods. The old van is not to pretty. Dont want to put a ton of money in it. Just spent 450.00 on the brakes, and that was just for parts.
I love to take long trips in the van. Have a bed in the back. Use it as a camper.


( SHONEN KNIFE ) MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. ONE SONG, ONE CONCERT AT A TIME FOR OVER 36 YEARS!!
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Re: Sudden excessive play, front end 01 Caravan [Re: yorker] #2383827
10/08/17 12:35 PM
10/08/17 12:35 PM
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Posts: 8,193
fredericksburg,va
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cudaman1969 Offline
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fredericksburg,va
Originally Posted By yorker
I was wondering if it was the rack loose. When I recently did the brakes, I noticed some play in the wheels at 3- 9 position in park. A quick look at you tube shows that could be inner tie rods. The old van is not to pretty. Dont want to put a ton of money in it. Just spent 450.00 on the brakes, and that was just for parts.
I love to take long trips in the van. Have a bed in the back. Use it as a camper.

$450 for brake parts?! A loaded caliper was in the $30-40 range but I bought just the discs for mine, $14. With that much play, like the one said, loose somewhere or rusted out. Check your steering column u-joints too, my Dakota u-joint bolt had worked loose and it had about 3-4 inch play in the steering wheel and a knock.tried tightening it up but the splines was buggered up so I got the whole column at the pick-a-part yard for $60. Keep replacing parts, you can't get a better driving-riding-all around better vehicle in today's market. I have three extra parts vans for the one I drive, a 99 shorty.

Re: Sudden excessive play, front end 01 Caravan [Re: yorker] #2384214
10/09/17 12:34 AM
10/09/17 12:34 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
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Freeport IL USA
The top of the shock towers rust out enough there is even a "kit" to repair them. I've seen some rusted so bad, the kit didn't go far enough!

A loose rack is another option, as are the inner tie rod ends.

With a helper, 3"-4" of play should stand out like a sore thumb, that's a lot of something moving that shouldn't, or a combination of a pretty big list of stuff moving a little. Gene

Re: Sudden excessive play, front end 01 Caravan [Re: yorker] #2384237
10/09/17 01:26 AM
10/09/17 01:26 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,050
Niles , Ohio
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therocks Offline
oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
therocks  Offline
oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
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Niles , Ohio
I agree could be rack we did a few at work that were loose.Also the frt strut towers as said rust.i replaced some of them.I even bought the large rivet gun to install them.Could be wheel bearings also.Ive sen some so bad they almost fell out.Rocky


Chrysler Firepower
Re: Sudden excessive play, front end 01 Caravan [Re: therocks] #2384453
10/09/17 02:21 PM
10/09/17 02:21 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,886
Lost and Spaced
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bboogieart Offline
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Lost and Spaced
Originally Posted By therocks
Could be wheel bearings also.
I've seen some so bad they almost fell out.Rocky


Wow, that is something I will have to look at.
We are using two minis and also have one for parts.
Not having this problem (yet), but I do like preventive maintenance.


I have mechanical Aptitude.
I can screw up anything.






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