Need some help. I have a very strange problem with the steering in my Duster. This winter I had my steering gear box and the coupler rebuilt. The last thing I did was have the front end aligned. I was very happy with the result, the car went down the road perfect. After leaving a car show I had to turn the steering wheel all the way to the lock position and turned about 180 deg. before straightening the wheel out. Here is where the strange problems begin. After comming out of this turn to make the car go straight down the road the wheel is now 2-3 inches off center. It gets even stranger. It will eventually, after a few days, go back to normal. This has happened a few times and only after I have had to make a turn around with the wheel turned all the way to lock position. I took it back to the front end shop and everything is tight and all front end parts are new. HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!

You're going to need a helper on this - one person to crank the steering wheel to full lock, and another to watch what's going on. Something that shouldn't shift is shifting. Items to check (IMO order of likelihood):

1. Steering box to K member attachment.
2. Steering coupler.
3. Pitman arm to center link connection (I am betting that front end parts are new doesn't include a new pitman arm)

Check the steering box brackets on the K-member for cracks, not uncommon for them to break.

What they said. You need to watch while someone you trust turns the wheel. I found a loose bolt in the trackbar mount in my 2001 Dodge Ram that way.

Thanks for the help guys.

"This winter I had my steering gear box and the coupler rebuilt"

Did they rebuild the box, or replace the box? How about the coupler?

I'm thinking one or the other was replaced and now its not fitting properly on the splined input shaft, basically literally allowing the connection to 'slip'.

I had this happen on a Dodge truck I used to own. I replaced the steering box with a rebuilt unit, put everything back together and made sure everything was tight. A few weeks later, I caught a puddle with the right front and steered left to compensate. After I hit the puddle, the steering wheel was no longer centered.