Hello guys I'm not sure if this has been discussed on this forum before or not. I am considering a steering upgrade for my 2000 Ram 2500. This thread is too help anyone out if they ever want to try this to. Id like to know if anyone else here has done this specific kit ill mention? The kit is from a 4th gen truck and was made specificly for upgrading third gens steering. SOmeone on Cummins Forum bought this kit for a second gen and found out that it was a awesome bolt on upgrade for second gen trucks to! Now I read that trucks with stock 16 inch wheels the stud on the end of the tie rods will hit the wheel so you have to grind off an eighth of an inch or so. I don't believe this works for 98 and 99 trucks but correct me if I'm wrong. Anyways the part # for the kit is #51122362af and that's a mopar part number. Hopefully I can try this upgrade soon but in the meantime id like to find out more about it and possibly create an article when I'm done to help others. I think you can get this kit straight from the dealer for around 350$ which is a very fair price if the upgrade is as good as mentioned. Everyone knows that our steering kind of sucks. I think that big tires and leveling kits make it worse too. This converts the steering to a t style instead of the factory y style steering. 

Edited February 8, 20187 yr by Marcus2000monster

28 minutes ago, trreed said:

Calipers ride on slide pins. I'm guessing your caliper is hanging up on the slide pin.

Where is this at? Sorry I know ow I sound dumb....

Around the bolts that hold the caliper to the caliper bracket

This one came off my rear caliper. As you can see, is junk. 

 

Edited February 22, 20187 yr by trreed

I grease mine every year and they seem to somehow dry out, I even use high temp synthetic special grease just for that matter. Whatever you do don't use antiseeze that stuff dries out really fast.

8 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Most likely a wheel alignment problem. Is there any strange tire wheel on the front tires?

I was always wondering about if it's possible on our setup, what I'm trying to say is even if your alignment was off toe in tow out, why would pull left or right shouldn't be still going straight just a steering wheel may be crooked and be very touchy. 

1 hour ago, Dieselfuture said:

I grease mine every year and they seem to somehow dry out, I even use high temp synthetic special grease just for that matter. Whatever you do don't use antiseeze that stuff dries out really fast.

I was always wondering about if it's possible on our setup, what I'm trying to say is even if your alignment was off toe in tow out, why would pull left or right shouldn't be still going straight just a steering wheel may be crooked and be very touchy. 

My steering wheek is nowhere near straight. It was when I bought the truck and up till the steering started acting funny.

Next time you drive it and park get out and feel the wheel at the lugs and see if the left is hot. Pretty good sign the caliper is sticking. You could also jack the wheel up a spin it and see. Is it pulling all the time?

5 minutes ago, dripley said:

Next time you drive it and park get out and feel the wheel at the lugs and see if the left is hot. Pretty good sign the caliper is sticking. You could also jack the wheel up a spin it and see. Is it pulling all the time?

Yes it is pulling all the time

1 hour ago, Dieselfuture said:

I grease mine every year and they seem to somehow dry out, I even use high temp synthetic special grease just for that matter. Whatever you do don't use antiseeze that stuff dries out really fast.

I was always wondering about if it's possible on our setup, what I'm trying to say is even if your alignment was off toe in tow out, why would pull left or right shouldn't be still going straight just a steering wheel may be crooked and be very touchy. 

Just say the left wheel is towed out. The left side of the truck is trying to turn left and the right is trying to go straight so younhave to turn the wheel right to counter act that. At least thats howmi see it. No front end expert. 

 When I replaced my track bar a few months back and had to adjust the drag link to get the wheel straight. But mine was not pulling to either side.

3 minutes ago, Marcus2000monster said:

Yes it is pulling all the time

As mentioned before alignment or caliper sticking most likely.

 It's stupid simple to do alignment on our trucks, when I bought it guy said he just had shop do alignment, so after few months I checked it cause tires were wearing funny and it was tow in like 1/2" or better, I now have it set about 1/32 to 1/16 tow in. I thought it was simple to do. Do tow first then steering wheel. 

3 minutes ago, dripley said:

Just say the left wheel is towed out. The left side of the truck is trying to turn left and the right is trying to go straight so younhave to turn the wheel right to counter act that. At least thats howmi see it. No front end expert. 

 When I replaced my track bar a few months back and had to adjust the drag link to get the wheel straight. But mine was not pulling to either side.

As mentioned before alignment or caliper sticking most likely.

Thanks for the suggestion ill look into these things... 

4 minutes ago, dripley said:

Just say the left wheel is towed out. The left side of the truck is trying to turn left and the right is trying to go straight so younhave to turn the wheel right to counter act that.

But wheels are connected so yes alignment will be off but truck should still split the difference between wheels and move the steering wheel one way or another. So technically truck should still not pull because of bad alignment, or it should do it equal in each direction. I don't know just thinking here.

4 minutes ago, Dieselfuture said:

But wheels are connected so yes alignment will be off but truck should still split the difference between wheels and move the steering wheel one way or another. So technically truck should still not pull because of bad alignment, or it should do it equal in each direction. I don't know just thinking here.

 I was stabbing in the dark too. I will bet one of these more educated soles will come along and straighten us both out before too long.

14 minutes ago, dripley said:

 I was stabbing in the dark too. I will bet one of these more educated soles will come along and straighten us both out before too long.

ANd my poor uneducated soul is gonna ask more questions! How do you do a diy alignment?

Some body had a thread or article on a fly alignment. Don't remember who and did not see it in the articles section. Maybe they will speak up.

Measure tire tread from same place and elevation on front and rear and set it so tow is in just a little, then adjuste steering wheel straight. 

4 minutes ago, Dieselfuture said:

Measure tire tread from same place and elevation on front and rear and set it so tow is in just a little, then adjuste steering wheel straight. 

That almost sounds to simple. Seems we possibly have an educated sole in our midst.

Just now, dripley said:

That almost sounds to simple. Seems we possibly have an educated sole in our midst.

And an uneducated one! I'm complete moron when it comes to front end parts? I have no clue how to even asdjust tow in and out? 

2 minutes ago, Marcus2000monster said:

And an uneducated one! I'm complete moron when it comes to front end parts? I have no clue how to even asdjust tow in and out? 

Just look under the truck at the front end. The tie rod, between the 2mwheels is not one solid bar. It has an adjustment sleeve on it with a bolt on each end. Loosen those bolts and you can rotate it. This makes the tie rod longer or shorter for adjusting tow in or out. There is another on the drag link. That is the bar that goes on the Pittman arm on the steering box to the right front wheel. Adjust that sleeve and you can straighten out your steering wheel. I keep thinking there is a third adjustment sleeve but just can't remember. They are very apparent if you look under there.

2 minutes ago, dripley said:

Just look under the truck at the front end. The tie rod, between the 2mwheels is not one solid bar. It has an adjustment sleeve on it with a bolt on each end. Loosen those bolts and you can rotate it. This makes the tie rod longer or shorter for adjusting tow in or out. There is another on the drag link. That is the bar that goes on the Pittman arm on the steering box to the right front wheel. Adjust that sleeve and you can straighten out your steering wheel. I keep thinking there is a third adjustment sleeve but just can't remember. They are very apparent if you look under there.

Thank you and I apologize for sounding so dumb lol. 

How to straighten the steering wheel?

8 hours ago, trreed said:

Around the bolts that hold the caliper to the caliper bracket

This one came off my rear caliper. As you can see, is junk. 

 

@trreed those definitely look like Colorado mag chloride slide pins! I just plan on a new set every spring. 

22 minutes ago, Marcus2000monster said:

Thank you and I apologize for sounding so dumb lol. 

How to straighten the steering wheel?

Don't worry about the dumb part. I learned by replacing all my front end parts at about 240k.  It is all pretty much bolt off and on parts. It is a little time consuming if you have never done it before. I did mine after the alignment shop i went to wanted $900 to replace about a third of the parts. I replaced e erything and picked up some tools to boot for les than than that.

 To straighten your wheel park the truck with the wheels straight. Then go to the adjustment sleeve on the drag link. Loosen the bolts on the sleeve and rotate it. It will turn the steering gear which in turn turns the wheel. Rotate until the wheel is straight, then retighten the bolts on the sleeve. You might need to shoot some penetrating oil in there if your front end is dry or like me mine are somewhat self lubricated with oil.