http://www.turbodieselregister.com/f...ng-Sucks-quot-)

Link shows part numbers for Moog parts. I went with Napa Chassis. I paid a lot more for the parts, but I've had good luck with their high end stuff in the past. FWIW here's the parts list for the Napa goodies:

269-6096 drag link end
269-3208 left outer tie rod end
269-6095 right outer tie rod end
269-1201 tie rod adjuster sleeve
269-1123 rod end
269-3179 right inner tie rod

Parts descriptions look a little confusing, but it is a full T steering system. Fitment of a steering damper is not accommodated, but my suspicion is that death wobble won't be an issue if the track bar is in good shape and a steering box brace is in place. A few folks have bolted on aftermarket steering dampers, and some have used a combination of the stock damper mounting and the aftermarket clamped to the centerlink.

One thing of note is that this setup has bushings rather than boots on the centerlink ends at the knuckle. this means that the centerlink resists rotational twisting- which should resist unnecessary wear and tolerate ram assist better.

I am waiting on the centerlink adjuster and the draglink, so I can't completely verify that all this will fit, but I will update. Also, I am currently running 1.5" ram assist with a high flow pump, borgeson shaft and Delphi steering box, but I plan on running it for a little while without the assist cylinder so I can give a report on handling. The ram isolates a fair amount of road "feel".

Also FWIW I am moving the ram from my old location (reinforced damper mount to centerlink) to: a 1/4" plate stamped diff cover to mount one side and a welded bracket on the centerlink. I am expecting this to be a superior setup to what I am currently running due to putting the ram more inline with the centerlink without sitting lower than the axletube. Also I probably will be welding in the pitman taper, redrilling and reaming from the bottom to put the draglink on the bottom of the pitman for better geometry.

I will update in a week or so and take a few pictures.

 

Wasn't enough adjustment in the drag link, so I had to cut 3/4" off both threaded ends of the draglink. Other than that, it bolted up.

Oh, and the draglink adjuster is the same part as the stock dodge stuff. Same threads, length and diameter. The pitman arm rod end also is the same threads and taper, but slightly longer overall. I had a Napa end sitting around from the stock application and it was about 1/2" shorter. Might have short enough to avoid any cutting. I will try and figure out if it is a drivers rod end or a drag link end. I'd still cut 3/4" off the longer draglink end though.

Handling is about as expected. MUCH better handling than the stock "Y" steering, and tighter than my DOM steering, but I had worn out ends. I ran it last night and it feels like what the steering should feel like stock. No damper or ram assist and it is smooth. I didn't modify the pitman due to the location of the draglink connection on the centerlink. No death wobble. Very predictable steering. I might leave the ram assist off.

FWIW, I put on the 1/4" diff cover and it looks like the geometry looks perfect to hook in my 1.5" ram from the diff cover to the centerlink. This steering design is *particularly* suited to ram assist due to the anti twist ends on the centerlink.

I don't know if the wheel fitment will play in with these links as in the link I pillaged the idea from because I am running big rig wheels. Perfect excuse to put 17" wheels and 3rd gen brakes though!

 

No death wobble as of yet, no stabilizer installed. Putting Y steering on is for the fools and uninformed. This works really well. FWIW I think the Moog stuff would be fine. I sort of think I overpaid using Napa chassis parts. The link in the first post is actually MOOG part numbers per Napa parts clerk.

 

I have no idea why they ever thought the "Y" geometry was a good idea...toe and drag changes if you hit a bump.

You should be happy with the Napa stuff, I'm running all their tie rods and they have held up pretty good so far. I didn't convert to a Y setup (truck came with "T") but I still had to cut some threads off their "t" link. Good luck.

 

Love my Moog T-steering....

 

hum??
y vs t

lets see I own 2 trucks
a 1500 with the dreaded 'y'..it has 120kmile..no problems of any kind in the steering..NONE..yes I bought it new in 2000..the only owner..
no front end part replaced! NONE!
a 1999 2500 with the 'wonderful' 'T' setup.
2 trackbars since I've had it..
wheelbearing on the driver's side
ball joints on the drivers side
rotors on both side
calipers on both sides
brakes pads on the front about 6 times in 70kmiles. oh the 1500 is on theh 2nd set of fronts(120kmiles).but I think I have the 2500 problem fixed(rear brakes not working)..now something is warpped??

so is the 'T' that great?? based on my 2 trucks..no its not..
the 1500 still steers better...tigher and straigher..never had a 'death wobble' from it..

the 2500 goes thru 'E' rated tires in 20-30K miles..the 1500..don't use the 1500 so much so it doesn't get new tires anymore..but seem to last longer

fyi.I bought the 1500 new..
I bought the 2500 used with 160kmiles. so some the problems might be front the PO..don't know..but I've replace far more brake/suspension parts on the 2500 than the 1500 over the life of the 1500..
-dkenny

 

Some trucks just seem to get all the luck. I had a 98 1500 that needed everything but ball joints on the front end by 75k. That had a Y setup. My current truck (T style) didn't need much until about 140k, then it was a joint here and there. Ball joints at 170k, truck has been pushing a plow for 9 years/130k miles now.

 

Put a 1300 Lb Cummins over that 1500 axle and see how long anything lasts......... Comparing the 2 is an exercise in futility.

I will say this, my Brownie's steering was shot by 130K miles, I changed her to the T style 98/99, Greenie has 168K on the original parts, just changed the wheel bearings, track bar, and ball joints at 160K, the steering is original.

The trucks were built 216 vehicles apart, so I don't think it is even a difference in parts batches.

 

The "y" steering is a bucket of junk. Sing it's praise when the joints are tight, but it flops up and down all the time wearing joints out prematurely. Once loose you get death wobble, and the goofy bend acts as a spring to exacerbate the oscillation.

It's a bad design from one end to the other. During death wobble, the flopping linkages and flex at the bend allow toe to go positive and negative as the linkages flop around. GARBAGE. If T steering doesn't work for you, it's due to other problems, not basic design.

As I stated earlier: Only fools and the uninformed.

 

http://www.factorymoparparts.com/52122362af.html
bolts right up

 

265,000 miles and counting on factory stock front end, y steering and all.

The ONLY thing replaced have been shocks nothing else. Truck has never had death wobble ( and yes I know what it is). It's also run 285 or bigger tires most of it's life.

I'm not saying the truck is as tight as it was when new but it doesn't wander and the steering stabilizer died about 200,000 miles ago to boot.

Sure, I have a ton of front end parts sitting on my bench waiting for that day they are needed but so far they just sit.

What doesn't work for some people usually works for others.

Jeff

 

That's pretty slick and very competitive!

Two things I would not though: if it uses conventional boots on the tie rod ends at the knuckle, it will not resist twist like the links or pn's I have posted. These types use a bushing to resist twist.

Where this plays in is if you ram assist or have a lift or leveling kit. These bushings prevent the deviations in alignment of the linkages from rotating the linkages with the steering force. Not too big of a deal stock height and without ram assist.

Also, it appears that the centerlink drops slightly down. This is an advantage at stock height due to putting the draglink interchange more inline with the centerlink balljoints for more precise steering.

But this is somewhat lost when you lift or level because it causes an increased angle on the draglink and the benefits of lineup are minimized. Still vastly (VASTLY) superior to a Y style, but an issue maybe worth considering.

The links to the MOOG and NAPA parts are particularly suited to a leveled truck because the centerlink doesn't bend down, and the tie rod attaches to the top of the centerlink to put the draglink more in line with the passenger side tie rod balljoint. In theory the off center link location would try and rotate the linkage, but in reality the bushings that take the place of grease boots prevent rotation, and the links line up just about perfectly so there is very minimal rotational force.

Comparing these "T" steering systems is rather fine tuning though. They are all uncomparable to the stock garbage. I think anyone running the factory T you posted a link to will be happy. http://www.factorymoparparts.com/52122362af.html

One brief note on the rotational resistance of the bushings: It is pretty easy to cut polyurethane sheet to fit where the boots go on ANY tie rod end. www.mscdirect.com carries sheets for reasonable prices- beware though. The high end of the durometer scale is like hard plastic.