Glad you decided to keep the truck for now. I know you can fix the DW

to answer your questions. Yes in order to replace all the tie rod joints you have to replace the drag link and the tie rod as well as the 2 ends. I shopped around when I bought mine and the cheepest was Autozone. I think it was like $260 for all 4 with liffetime warranty and I had to order them.

The steering Dampner is probably ok if it doesn't leak. But you can check this by disconecting 1 side and collapse and expand it by hand if it stiff going in and coming out (about like a good truck shock) it is still good, I have 135k on my factory ones

Those things should help the front end alot. But have a buddy sit inside the truck with it off and rock the steering wheel slowly back and fourth to where it gets stiff ( in other words back and fourth in the "play"). Get under the truck and look for "play" in any of the steering components, tie rod joint, track bar, and the sector shaft on the steering gear box (the shaft the pitman arm is attached to). If any "play" is found then it needs to be addressed. Your replacing the track bar already so it should be good, replace any worn tie rod joinsts, and for the sector shaft, if you can see the shaft rock side to side (perpendicular from the shaft) but it doesn't leak you should be ok if you get a DSS on it, if it leaks then replace it and get a DSS as soon as you can afford it, so it doesn't wear out again. The only other thing that can get loose in the front end is the ball joints. I don't know if the DW will wear them also, but once again I have 135k on my stock ones and they are still tight.

For the alignment. Most shops will set the camber and toe correctly but yes make sure they check and set the CASTER here is the specs again

Caster left-3.2 Caster right-3.5
Cross Caster -.3

Camber left-.10 Camber right-.10
Cross Camber 0.0

Toe - standard specs, (maybe a little out if you tow a lot, they will pull in as the front end lifts up).

Good idea on the rotate and balance. It will put a good "flat" worn set of tires up front so you can see if the alignment is good, if it pulls or wears the tires funny you know its not correct.

If all those things are good and tight and the alignment was done correctly the truck shouldn't DW again, and it should drive tons better.

Hit me up if you have any other questions, I have done alot of front end work on these trucks and have replaced most of it on my personal truck. If I don't respond here feel free to PM me so it sends me an email.

Laters....Josh

 

Thanks a ton Josh. Well I talked to Don Thuren today and said with my truck being built 1/1994 that I'd have to drill out the frame hole for his bar to fit and that it would be a miminum of three weeks before he could get one to me so he gave me advise and opinions cause I can't wait that long now. So that 03 track bar bracket..looks like you got it on your truck. How do you like it? I figure I can get the bracket shipped pretty soon and buy the track bar.

I checked the balljoints today,jacked the tire just enough to clear the ground and pulled out on the tire/wheel and same on the bottom of the tire/wheel on each side and everything was tight and stiff as a board. Started tugging and pulling on steering parts and everything that is steering is toasted! The tie rod and tie rod ends have loads of play,the drag link isn't to bad but I'm going to replace it while I'm under there!

Then 5 degrees caster on the alignment and I hope to goodness it'll be good to go :P Other than the fact that it's going to almost empty my wallet out LOL

 

Sounds like a good plan. I really like the track bar bracket and 03 track bar, the bracket is a very good quality piece, it keeps everything nice and tight and the main thing I like is I probably won't ever have to touch it again.

I reccomend you buy the bracket from one of the places below. You can order direct from the manufacture, but they are in the far north side of canada so it can be a real pain to get stuff shipped. I have delt with both places below and they are great people.

http://www.piersdiesel.com
http://www.pscpowersteer.com/

As for your alignment the caster needs to be set to 3.2 degrees on the left side and 3.5 degrees on the right side, or they can set it to 3.5 on both sides. 5 degrees is WAY TO MUCH CASTER!!!

Once all that is done its going to feel like a totally different truck. I doubt you will want to sell it then Let me know if you need anything else.

laters...Josh

 

3.2/3.5 is optimal, and that's if you're setting up for right hand road crown. Roads here run left and right crown, so I set mine at about 3.5 both sides.
5 degrees is NOT too much, it takes that much to get rid of the DW on some trucks. More caster will make the truck track straighter and lessen the chance that the other worn components will set up the DW.

 

Well I figured I'd give a update now that I finally got it back on the road. I still own the '94 2500 that was in question throughout this whole post. I bought all the frontend parts: draglink,tie rod ends,tie rod,track bar and steering stabalizer. Put it all together and got it aligned up real good and rotated the tires. It drives so much different now!!

Now I've got it cured,stops better,no death wobble,not as much steering play etc. I'm going to order the DSS tomorrow to go on the truck then hopefully call up Don Thuren and get a track bar ordered. They told me if I got the bar from Don to just take the OEM one I bought off,bring it back and say it was garbage and I'd get the money back! So I'm walking in high cotton now Going to buy a new set of Monroe Gas-Magnum shocks for the truck also and after them,the Thuren bar and the DSS she should ride/drive and go down the road like a brand new one..dang it this crap is expensive Haha

 

I'd strongly recommend the Bilstiens over the Monroe Gas Magnums....

 

The problem is I can't find anyone around here that even sells Bilstien shocks for my truck or even Bilstiens in general! I can get the Gas Magnums for approx. $170..and I heard somewhere that the price for the Bilstiens were way over $300!

I'd like to know what the huge amount of difference is in the Bilstiens over Monroe,I've always run Monroes with excellent results..and for almost double the price for other shocks..I don't know.

I'd definately like to hear results and such about the Bilstiens though,I'm all ears ;D

 

Do a search for Bilstien....lots of happy folks. Shouldn't cost you more than $80/shock.

 

frontend just aligned, WONDERFUL difference, leaving right now for LONG weekend. let you know about towing difference when i get back but overall I'm finally pleased. DAVE

 

Im looking at doing this soon..

I have some shaking while braking that even new brakes rotors drums shoes all aroudn didnt fix.

Whats everyones estimated costs for the whole shabang?

IE: Trackbar, stabilizer, installation, and alignment.

Or if you did it yourself, the time frame to complete.

 

Does he really recommend that much caster? Im having tires and an alignment done soon so I want to be clear on whether the general recommendation of 3.5 or 5 is the right number.

 

The general recommendation is ~3.5*. I'd start with that and go more if it still wobbles. 3.5* always took care of the DW for me, I still run 3.5 even though there's not much Dodge left in my front suspension.

Most alignment shops will give you at least a 30 day warranty, if ithe DW comes back you can take it back for more caster.

 

My brother had the same trouble with his truck. After checking the front end out and replacing some parts he still had it on his truck. We took the factory steering stabalizer off and put on a after market steering stab shock. It was a heavy duty one and it fixed the problem check your stabalizer.

 

YES, DON recommended up to 5.5* mine was factory set at 4* and just the one degree has made a world of difference. I also rotated the tires front to back.
I just got home from a long weekend and it FINALLY feels like i'm driving a new truck. Now after 12K miles i can concentrate on the exhaust.

As far as th time line goes the track bar took me about one hour and that includes hunting for the right metric sockets that i don't have a real fine selection of. you must get those bolts extremely tight.


**NOTE*** safety tip- those factory NUTS are equipped with a long locking tab on them. if you are able to get onto the head of the bolt with an impact gun (only the driver side)make darn good and sure you don't have your fingers on ,or near, that locking tab cause it can take your finger off like a Machete' with a powerful impact gun reversing it's 'locked' direction.

**NOTE*** my experience is with a new truck tahta wobbled since nearly new, and not one that has Old, worn, damaged ,or aftermarket parts on it and if you didn't read every thread leading up to this one above, then shame on you because you need to read all of it to see where your problem fits in. DAVE

 

I know I am reviving an old thread, but i have been battling DW for a year now, and I went and got a proper alignment done. My mechanic said the max he could do on my truck was 4.0 caster, I was watching and it def was all the way. Now is that close enough to 3.2 or 3.5 like someone had suggested? It didn't cure the DW I did that along with Thuren's adjustable trackbar, and that didnt help worth a hoot. Altho its a beautiful piece!! And I am not running BFG's
Here are my aligment specs if anyone WITH experience wants to take a look and give me their thoughts; CAMBER- 0.2 0.8 -0.6 CASTER- 3.9 -0.2 4.0 TOE- 0.07 0.10 Since you cant adjust camber on my truck, is that important? I have spent hours and hours searching the forums on this subject..still looking for help! Thanx in advance guys!! p.s. The bold is the middle numbers on the graph, I assume this is cross camber etc..