My 97 has 85k on an all stock front end, so I imagine the track bar is probably worn. To check front end steering parts, I just have the wife rock the steering wheel while I watch for play. Whats the procedure for checking out the trackbar?

I guess for fixes you have: Lukes Link, Autozone lifetime bar (frequent R&R on these I guess), Thuren replacement or a third gen conversion? Am I missing another alternative? I have no plans for a lift, what's the cheapest real fix for the trackbar problems on these trucks?

Thanks.

 

I used a Luke's Link on mine and have more than a year or trouble free operation. Total cost was $65 and they are rebuildable. Do a search on here and you will get lots of information on all the different ways folks have fixed this problem with these truck.

Good luck

 

Don's bar is on my truck, greatest investment I ever made.

 

Orielly's has Moog with lifetime warranties. Mine has been on for @ 40K and still solid.

 

To check the trackbar, watch the drivers side end and look for any movement. Any movement at all indicates that it needs replacement.

The cheapest option is a luke's link which has worked well for some people. However, this is not a permanent fix and does need some adjustment. Also some people that they do not hold up in severe service. The easiest permanent fix is the thuren bar.

 

As the steering wheel is turned watch the bracket where the track bar mounts. In my case w/the lift, the bracket lowers the angle of the track bar. The alignment shop told me my track bar needed replacement. I repalced it w/a lukes link. As I noticed yesterday @ the alignment shop (again) the after market lowering brackets (skyjacker) need additional support either welded to the frame or bolted to limit movement. The track bar was originally ok @170k miles. Now in the process of having to fabb something up.

 

There are two kinds of fixes-- shorter term and longer term. There is NO permanent fix for these track bars.

I think the lifetime track bars are a bad idea, because the manufacturer is betting (correctly) that most people won't want to replace that $30 made-in-asia bar every 30K miles or so, so they come out many dollars ahead on the whole.

Luke's links are a band-aid that improves the stock bar, but time has shown that they are a short term fix that doesn't solve the basic design problem that causes the track bars on these trucks to wear so fast.

IMO the best "cheap" solution is the 3rd gen conversion kit. At least it fixes the design problem. However, because it's an OEM piece, it's cheap and barely adequate.

That's why I consider the only "real" solutions to be a completely new design kit, like the Thuren bar or the DT bar that I have. Both are super strong and easily and quickly rebuilt with replaceable ends.

My DT bar's only flaw is the bracket design. When I re-tightened the bolts and put some locktight Red on them, all myt track bar problems went away.

This was well over 40K rough miles ago, and it's still tight as a drum.

If I were in the market for a new one, I'd buy Don's bar. I'm far from being wealthy, and when you account for the hassle of frequent maintenance or R&R, you quickly see that a bar like the Thuren unit is actually the best value, even at a somewhat higher price.

JMO

 

My goal was to buy one trac bar for this truck for as long as I own it and I intend to own it a long time. The Thuren bar fit my truck w/o the 3rd gen mod. It's rebuildable and stout. The local shop hadn't seen anything like it and now suggest it to their Dodge customers. It really wasn't that much more money and when you call Thuren's number Don Thuren answers the phone. Just my .02

Kurt

 

Hey Kurt is this the one you ordered?
http://www.thurenfabrication.com/stocktb.html
It says on 2000-2002 trucks without a leveling kit that there could be clearence issues. I guess you didnt have any issues becouse you have a leveling kit.

What makes this one so good is it how the ends are made and that they're rebuildable?

 

The thuren bar is similar to the stock bar with one major difference which is the joint at the frame end. Rather than using a rubber bushing, the thuren bar uses a large heim joint. The heim joint is pretty tough and will last a long time and is also rebuildable. The reason that so many people like this setup over the 3rd gen conversion is that it is so easy to install and you don't have to drill any holes. It installs identically to the old trackbar but has a different end.

He tells you how to measure for clearance issues on his website.

 

Ive had decent results with don thuren's trackbar. I had one of the early ones with a problem so he replaced the whole thing for me about 2 months ago.
Careful with a small lift and control arms, the stud sticks down so far it easily strikes the diff cover on my truck. Im still trying to figure out what I can do about it. I might look into the other bar type for 3-5" lift + the relocation bracket.

 

I went with the SS (Solid Steel) 3rd gen conversion bracket and SS 3rd gen adjustable TB. I like the 3rd gen TB because the TB frame joint is replaced with a bolt thru bushing. No joint to rebuilt again. Just a bushing to replace.

The downside...the SS 3rd gen setup costs more because the SS 3rd gen conversion bracket adds cost plus the cost of the SS 3rd gen TB. Also the SS adjustable bar added another $100 to the TB but it will allow me to add a small lift later.

Thuren makes a good product also. I'd recommend a 3rd gen, Thuren or DT Profab TB. You pick which one.

 

The OEM is not adequate especially for snowplowing. It hammers the ball joint because the blade angle is forcing on the frame over while the axle wants to go strait.


Another little tid bit for those of you who snowplow.

 

I'm with Dan,
DSS (solid steel), is the way I went, along with the steering box stabilizer.
Happy with the results.

 

Go with the 3rd gen setup or the DT setup. Thuren's design is pretty much the same as stock with a better joint at the frame end. Using a mono ball still allows side to side movement which is the flaw in the factory design. Eric