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

1 minute ago, dripley said:

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.

 

Makes perfect sense! Thanks again! Iv got a few things to do Saturday on my truck now... 

Good luck my friend. Look around under there and familiarize your self with what's under there. It is not that complicated.

Edited February 23, 20187 yr by dripley

On ‎2‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 11:28 AM, dripley said:

Take the retrun line from the steering box loose at the power steering pump and plug the hole. Stick that line in a bucket or any good receptical. Then make sure the the resevoir is full, crank the truck and work the wheel. Be sure to keep the reservoir full or you will get air in the system. If you do get air in and the fluid foams you will have to let it sit for the air to float out and repeat until it is gone. Do this until until it runs as clean as what you are putting in.

 And IIRC you dont want to touch the brake pedal while doing this.

You can do it this way and see if it helps but it will leave some crud behind. But you will know if the fluid is the problem.

Drip your sucha good guy that iv got ask you another question! Do you do this with the engine running after you disconnect the return line? 

Yes.

My vin tag says my build date of my truck is 1999. Does this mean that it has 1999 steering or will the 4th gen steering bolt on to it as well? Iv got to figure out something new for my steering. It is all over the road and and hard to keep going straight and downright dangerous... there is a ton of slop in the steering wheel and it looks like is sloppy all the way down to the steering box when I get down there and look. Everything else seems pretty tight.... Bad steering box? Track bar?

7 minutes ago, Marcus2000monster said:

My vin tag says my build date of my truck is 1999. Does this mean that it has 1999 steering or will the 4th gen steering bolt on to it as well? Iv got to figure out something new for my steering. It is all over the road and and hard to keep going straight and downright dangerous... there is a ton of slop in the steering wheel and it looks like is sloppy all the way down to the steering box when I get down there and look. Everything else seems pretty tight.... Bad steering box? Track bar?

 

98-99HD steering vs 2010 steering is about the taper on the tie rod. You may have to bring one of your tie rods to the store and or buy one to compare.

 

With the truck running, have someone turn the wheel back and forth and look at the tie rods while the steering is moving. If the tie rods are shot you'll see them popping or see the ball joint in the tie rod move before the linkage does. 

1 minute ago, CTcummins24V said:

 

98-99HD steering vs 2010 steering is about the taper on the tie rod. You may have to bring one of your tie rods to the store and or buy one to compare.

 

With the truck running, have someone turn the wheel back and forth and look at the tie rods while the steering is moving. If the tie rods are shot you'll see them popping or see the ball joint in the tie rod move before the linkage does. 

Thanks. I'm also a little worried about the back spacing and the TREs clearing my stock alloy wheels so I'm thinking about just buying the kit and returning it if it don't fit or fabricate it to work... Hopefully when I do the kit I can afford a professional alighnment 

After 335k miles I went right back to stock made parts. I'm not going to get all wrapped up in the T and Y steering debate. I made it that far on sealed factory OEM tie rod ends and no issues. Why would I even attempt ot fight another battle of fitting something not designed for our truck to hopefully make things better? T steering would have to exceed 335k make me take notice. 

13 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

After 335k miles I went right back to stock made parts. I'm not going to get all wrapped up in the T and Y steering debate. I made it that far on sealed factory OEM tie rod ends and no issues. Why would I even attempt ot fight another battle of fitting something not designed for our truck to hopefully make things better? T steering would have to exceed 335k make me take notice. 

If I had bought my truck new and done same things as you and used small tires and stock ride height etc that would problbly be ok by me. Being that the PO of my truck fiddled with ride height and tire size an I need new parts I might as well upgrade to a better design. But then again you will prob say that its not a better design? I'm not sure either way.... 

8 minutes ago, Marcus2000monster said:

Being that the PO of my truck fiddled with ride height and tire size an I need new parts I might as well upgrade to a better design. But then again you will prob say that its not a better design?

 

This where crap gets crazy. Being the front axle is modified and height is modified now the axle geometry has to be redesigned again to make correct. The only problem is you end up guessing the whole way. No matter what you do you may or may not get it right. I learned this lesson long ago on my 1972 Dodge Power Wagon after destroying a front axle numerous times. Ball joints, tie rod ends, axle u-joints, bearings, steering boxes, etc. The only thing I wanted was the Cool Look (Big Tires and a Small Lift) and all it did was cause major issues including leaving me stranded more than once. The for sure answer is stock setup which as I've proven works just fine for over many many miles and years.

 

Again that why I traded that truck in for the 2002 Dodge Ram I'm driving today because the front axle and suspension was trashed

 

Very "few" people have managed to do a lift and larger tires properly and keep the longevity. 

Edited March 2, 20187 yr by Mopar1973Man

1 minute ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

This where crap gets crazy. Being the front axle is modified and height is modified now the axle geometry has to be redesigned again to make correct. The only problem is you end up guessing the whole way. No matter what you do you may or may not get it right. I learned this lesson long ago on my 1972 Dodge Power Wagon after destroying a front axle numerous times. Ball joints, tie rod ends, axle u-joints, bearings, steering boxes, etc. The only thing I wanted was the Cool Look (Big Tires and a Small Lift) and all it did was cause major issues including leaving me stranded more than once. The for sure answer is stock setup which as I've proven works just fine for over many many miles and years.

 

Very "few" people have managed to do a lift and larger tires properly and keep the longevity. 

I'm definalty not a fan of big lifts lol. IM not sure if my truck is actually levled but it appears that there is some leveling blocks in the back. Ill post up a pic later. Also when these tires wear out ill be going to 265/75/16 or 17 depending whether I get a set of 3rd or 4th gen wheels. I was also curious how the weight of the wheels compares between these generations? Would the 3rd and 4th be heavier than the stock alloys on my 2nd gen? I definatly don't wanna get anything that's going to be heavier.... 

Just now, Marcus2000monster said:

it appears that there is some leveling blocks in the back.

4WD trucks tend to have a rather large block in the spring pack.

 

1 minute ago, Marcus2000monster said:

Also when these tires wear out ill be going to 265/75/16 or 17 depending whether I get a set of 3rd or 4th gen wheels.

265/75 R16 is the same as a 265/70 R17 size wise.

 

Weight, I can't speak for.

Just now, Mopar1973Man said:

4WD trucks tend to have a rather large block in the spring pack.

 

265/75 R16 is the same as a 265/70 R17 size wise.

 

Weight, I can't speak for.

Maybe @trreed would know about weight. He has 4th gen wheels. Yea they are the same I was just considering getting 3rd or 4th gen wheels. Its possible that my truck is the stock ride height it just looks like the rear sits high which is normal. Plus I have airbags installed... 

You just need to determine would axle you have

8 minutes ago, Marcus2000monster said:

Its possible that my truck is the stock ride height it just looks like the rear sits high which is normal.

 

Yes it normal to have the rear height a bit high and giving rake to the vehicle stance. This was designed this way so when you hitch up a trailer it would sit level. I'm completely stock suspension this is what 8,500 pound trailer does.

 

 

2 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Yes it normal to have the rear height a bit high and giving rake to the vehicle stance. This was designed this way so when you hitch up a trailer it would sit level. I'm completely stock suspension this is what 8,500 pound trailer does.

 

 

Looks great! 

 

5 minutes ago, CTcummins24V said:

You just need to determine would axle you have

Dana 70 I believe

1 hour ago, Marcus2000monster said:

Maybe @trreed would know about weight.

Heavy.

Edited March 2, 20187 yr by trreed

Can crappy alighnment cause low mpgs? Idk why I cant get more than 14.2 mpg when its 35 40 degrees. I'm dying to get at least 17 or 18 mpg... I realize that my oversize tires aren't helping but I got to wait till they wear out to replace them... what are you guys seeing for mpg?

Aythingthat puts drag on the vehicle reduces mileage.

14 I only see when doing alot of in town driving, stop and go.

2 minutes ago, dripley said:

Aythingthat puts drag on the vehicle reduces mileage.

Hmm tomorrow I'm gonna check alighnment with a string or something. I'm also wondering about the VP too...