barracuda

went for a 400 mile spin over the weekend and i can't take the sloppy steering anymore...got 81k miles all road, no 4x4'ing, ball joints seem fine, rarely tow...i plan to do shocks but how can i tighten up the slop?what causes it?...i drive stepdad's 03' and it's sooo awesome. oh, stock tire size too if that helps.

BigBlue

Track bar end links. Get a set of luke's links and a DSS steering brace. I've heard they are the cat's meow.

jimjawz

did you try to adjust your steering box?

CaptainDD

I purchased a DSS and it seems to work good. http://www.solidsteel.ca/

HOHN

View pictures of the DT ProFab track bar in my member's gallery. It was the best (not cheapest) solution I found. It fixes what's wrong with the track bar-- the DESIGN.

A Luke's link and other type fixes are bandaids because they don't address the fundamental flaw in the design.

The DSS is a great product, but if the track bar is causing the slop, the DSS won't fix it. I recommend the DSS even if you don't have slop because it should drastically reduce the wear on the steering gear.

jlh

barracuda

thanks for the info...the DTT seems reasonably priced and seems to address my problem accurately. As for the track bar, i will check to see if it is bad and replace that at the same time too. I had no idea you could adjust the steering box though, more feedback on that would be great...thanks guys...i am guessing the "Luke's Links" is a track bar?

HOHN

The "Luke's Link" is actually a track bar END. You reuse the OEM track bar, but replace it with a better endlink.

The problem with the track bar is that the pivot is not designed right. The track bar HAS to be able to pivot up and down AS WELL as a little bit left to right.

The OEM pivot is under a LOT of stress as the axle moves up and down-- it's loaded in bending! That means that the joint is being bent everytime the axle moves up and down-- which is will always be doing.

You can check your track bar by looking under the truck while someone moves the wheels left and right. There should be NO movement where the track bar meets the frame. 99% of the time, it moves. THIS is the slop that causes wandering and contributes to the aptly-named "death wobble".

The DT ProFab track bar has a redesigned bracket and uses a Heim Joint (speherical bearing) so that the track bar can move up, down, left, right, and fore and aft too-- all with no play!!


Best of all, if the Heim joint wears out, it's only $25 and 10 minutes to replace it good as new.
http://www.dtprofab.com/dodge.htm


Justin

barracuda

HOHN, thanks for that excellent description, i know exactly what i am going to do now, no more slop!

Fishbait

I have a Luke's link installed and I still have a lot of play.......Can you replace the rubber bushing on the other end of the track bar, I noticed it has 1/4" of play.

Also What can a guy do to the steering box?

Thanks!

Dodge Demon

Get Dolid Steels DSS Steering Bracket and Solid Steels NEW track-bar bracket,the new track-bar bracket allows you to use the track-bar from 2003-4 and your set for the life of the truck.

HOHN

The axle bushing on the track bar is a mystery to me. The DT bar has a poly bushing that removes the play.

I'd imagine that one of the poly bushing makers (prothane, energy suspension, etc) makes one, but I dunno.

I'm very happy with my overpriced DT bar.

Palmetto_kid

IF you order a Lukes Link, they can send you a new bushing for the axle end. But man is it tight. I spent most of my time trying to get it back into the axle. I think I ended up beating it back into the bracket. And once you get it into place and get the bolt in, the other endlink is sticking way past its hole. Just have someone get int the truck, start it up, and turn the steering wheel. THis will shift the cab form side to side and help you line up the Lukes LInk to its hole. I had to find this out on my own, and it made the install longer.

Fishbait

Palmetto_Kid--

How did you get the old bushing out of the drag link? Did you have to have a shop press it out and press in the new one?

Did it help a lot on your steering?

I still am curious as to previous posts talking about sdjusting the steering box. Hope someone can advise me on this

thanks all so far for the replys!

Palmetto_kid

Fishbait.

I cant really remember how I got it out, but I do know that I did not use a press. If I used anything it was a vice. I do know that it was tough getting out. Try not to get to mad at it though because you have to put it back on....

V Baker

Steering box adjustment http://dodgeram.info/tsb/1997/19-10-97.htm