I don't think the sport package offers more than painted grill and bumpers. I forgot the name but they offer an offroad package F4 or something similar to what Ford calls it.

If you really think you're going to offroad it and need some travel in the suspension and better springing all around look at my sig and reseach that product. Compare it to what thurn, carli, or kore offers and make you decision from there. Mine is pretty moderate and gives 2 inches of lift up front and edit 1.25 in the rear.

But if you're taking it into the desert or whatever and think the stock springs will suit you then look at shocks and tires. I've seen the 285/75/17 toyo M/T's on a stock suspended truck and they looked very nice, fit perfect IMO. Also Bilstein 5100 shocks have a good reputation. I think lorenz sells those for a good price, never shopped with anyone else. Kind wish I did my truck without lift and tires now so I could be on my motorcycle quicker .

Oh and 315 BFGs suck. I got mine free is the only reason I'm running them.

 

Would you hapen to have any pics of the new Nitto 305's on your rig? Curious as to how they look because I am leaning toward them as my next set of tires.

Thanks,

HUMP

 

It always amazes me the people that do mods that affect the way the overall trucks handles and then say it is all DC fault. Your truck was not designed to have a two inch spacer in the front shock tower, nor does it come with 35" tall tires.

Having said that, now are there ways to lift the truck and add bigger tires, and NOT have DW. Sure tons of people here have done it.

Seems to me that most people just slap something they have heard about under the front end, or go to bigger tires and usually do no research into, "is this the right thing for my truck?"

I have no doubt that will hurt a few feeling, but that is just how I see it...

 

Yeah, I agree as you can read my posts above. I just felt compelled to say what I did because it seems kinda arrogant that people have problems after modding a truck and complain to DC about it.
I've even been in on threads where people just blatently had incorrect modifications and were frusterated.. Beyond that wouldn't take good advice some people offer. You need to address a few areas if you want to go with coil spacers or coils. You also need to research your tires and know what to expect from them.

I didn't mean to hurt anyones feelings as well though . Just gets old. I have to say that even though chrysler doesn't put much into luxury or quality for that matter , they do offer a truck with the right options.

 

I will give you an example After I drove my new mega home with 500 miles on it death wobble started... Stock suspension no mods period and stock e rated tires!!!

 

Ok, take it to the dealer and park it. Get them to check the alignment. Get up under it and check the bolts with a torque wrench. Pull the trackbar nuts, clean them and the bolt end, re-locktite them and retorque them down. Rotate the tires etc. Demand new shocks. If that doesn't work then you might have a faulty trackbar.

Not saying you should have to do this yourself but man, they are so dang simple that pulling/installing the front suspension literally requires your wrench to hit 10 bolts/nuts. If not including the control arms....

With that said I wouldn't take nothing less than a rental and one months note. Someone got lazy at the factory or you got a faulty trackbar.

 

Joe T....
You seem to know allot about trucks and I respect that.
I am responsible for what I've done to my truck.
That doesn't change the fact that there is something wrong when you take a new truck with no mods and have DW as has happened to many.
Now, I've checked, re checked, had alignments done, rotated tires every 6-10000 miles, added bilstiens, steering stabilizers and am fixing on building a track bar this afternoon.
My truck is always loaded and is always it the dirt due to the job. In 1 year, I'll spend more time in 4 Low than most in here will spend in a life time. It's just the nature of my job. So, my truck sees way more wear than most.

Back to DC...
Ball joints gone in 30000 miles? Track bars falling apart? And to have DC look at it means 2-3 days of down time? I don't know about you, but that don't look good to me. Ball joints should last just a little bit longer or am I just asking for too much? I think the problem of DW is more due to the tie rod flexing. Have you reached under and grabbed a hold of the tie rod and given it a good pull? It flexes, moves, bends....just by grabbing it with your hand.

Looking at some DW videos, I don't see the axle moving sideways, I see what looks like the tie rod flexing.
I'll end up getting some footage myself by rigging up a remote camera. Maybe then I can see what is going on during DW.

Like I said before, I respect your opinion and input as well as that of others. Thats how one learns. Despite those who think they know it all and are of some higher intelligence, there many good points, opinions and ideas here on DTR. All you have to do is filter out the trash. Easily done. Whats left over is what makes this forum so great.

 

Oh, yeah didn't mean to come off harsh. I just think some people do inappropriate things to them or mismatch mods and it seems like the problem is worse than it is.

As far as balljoints, yeah that sucks they should go knuckled.

Under harsh conditions I can see things falling apart, get a lot of crud up in the bushings etc and watch them wear out.

I listed the things I'd do to a stock truck up above if I had a problem. Sometimes things don't get done properly at the factory.
If that didn't fix it lemon it.

 

My truck was completely stock right down to the stock tires and I had bad DW. So to say a stock truck won't go into DW is a little wrong. Most all trucks that have DW have worn parts period. Will some tires have an effect on DW? Yes, but something else is also wrong.

 

A little wrong would be to quote me then agree with me and say I'm a little wrong .

I said don't maintain them as a cause too. Worn out parts probably cause problems.

 

Flexing tie rod IS possible, but the result will have a somewhat small effect on DW. I have replaced the steering on trucks with chronic DW(this steering does not flex) and no real change in the DW...



We have 3-4 major things against us once the truck leaves the lot, and these things work together to allow DW. Pick 2-3 of these issues out of a hat and you are walking the line just waiting for the right conditions to let DW happen..

- Heavy engine combined with a heavy axle/tires/wheels.... What this does is pretty much make it so that these trucks NEED really good front shocks. Once you impact a sharp bump, the rebound/inertia forces of the axle loaded into the tire working like a spring, lets the tire hop with low quality shocks. Once it becomes airborn for a split second, it lets the camber forces of the opposite tire start to turn the tires, helping induce DW.

Soooo... Cheap $30 shocks are NOT up to the task of controlling the front of these trucks IMO. Monotubes do wonders...



- Rubber bushings on the trackbar.. Rubber deflects by design, but once it's done deflecting it comes to an abrupt stop. When the axle defects sideways, and you are not moving the steering wheel, this deflection makes the axle think you are feeding steering input. Tire hoping and turning influences at speed, shock the system and get the DW resonance going.. Not to mention feedback into the steering wheel when you hit bumps...


- stupid rubber vibration deal in the steering shaft going down to the gearbox... Most of you probably don't know this, but when you are turning your steering wheel(under moderate load) there is about 2 inches of dead space. If you look right above the pedals there is an aluminum coupler, and this coupler is filled with a(VERY LOOSE IMO !) rubber vibration dampener. So when you are getting DW and feel like your palms are going to bleed from gripping the wheel so tight, but it doesn't feel like you are doing anything, you really aren't..

- Low quality steering dampener.. I say low quality but don't get me wrong here. I feel the OE steering dampener is much better than running out and slapping on a "RANCHO". I have tested a few OE's and they ARE decent, but they still use rubber bushings, and have no gas pressure. With no gas pressure the fluid is allowed to cavitate under high loads, becoming ineffective. Every 1/8" of slop in a steering dampener is letting the tires go where they want to, so it HAS to be a tight high quality unit. I'm finding that a high end stabilizer can cure most DW out there assuming ball joints and tires are still decent..

Hope this helps..

 

So Don, what do recommend for a steering dampener then?

 

I think a company called Thuren Fab sells a good one... Kinda pricey though, but you get what you pay for.

Look them up on Google.

 

I have said damper installed. After looking at a lot I felt this offered the best preformance at the best price. I have been well pleased with the quality and the price.

 

I have said steering damper on the way.....