steering column in a KW

I've got an '03 with tilt/telescoping steer column. At my wits end with a steering issue. Anyone here ever tore into the column inside the cab and replaced those u-joints before? Not looking forward to this but it's the end of the line. Everything from the firewall down has checked out by experts. Had the king pins replaced a few months ago. They actually just finished tearing down and rebuilding the right one for a second time because it had some slight binding, with hindsight not enough to cause my issue. But they stood behind the work.

Problem is I can't hold it in the road it's squirrelly. Been that way ever since the kingpins were done which is why I thought there was a problem there. They call it being pointy. You point the truck a direction and it wants to keep going that way. When you make a lane change one way or another and let go of the steering wheel your truck's steering should naturally center it's self. Mine doesn't. I have to always correct it back to center. Like it grabs when you veer to the left or right. Really hard to drive one like this.

When I say everything has been checked, everything on the front end has literally been checked by first rate mechanics, I watched while they did most of it they showed me the what, why, and how. Tie rod ends all fine. Drag link ball joints good. Steering box, pitman arm - good. U'joints and slip shaft from the firewall to the box - check... wheels individually with the control rod taken off, you can grab the wheel with you hands and work it freely to the left and right on both sides of the truck - no binding in the new king pins. The only thing that wasn't checked is inside the column. They don't tear into columns. This one is on me, or Kenworth. I don't really care to take it to Kenworth. My understanding it's a labor intensive job you could practically replace the column for the labor involved. Column is very expensive. Sounds ridiculous for a $30 u-joint. Aggravating.

 

I'll find out. Really disappointed they couldn't figure this one out. They said possible that the steering box could be whats making it bind. I put a reman TRW box on it several weeks ago. It's a #### money pit.

 

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From what I understand they tear down the axle and send it out to a machine shop then reassemble when it gets back.

 

I don't really think it's the column or the box. It's frustrating as hell. Just gonna bring it home and sleep on it. I've got an air leak to chase down in the meantime.

 

Yeah the 2 u-joints on the steer shaft between the fire wall and steer box are in good shape, I grease those with a half a shot every 5,500 miles or so. The slip joint is fine also and gets greased at the same interval. Axles were all 3 aligned after the kingpins were done by the same shop. Fifth wheel gets degreased and clean grease put on once a month plus add a little between that time span, it's never dry, and not just smear gritty grease from the edges.