I've got a client up in McCall nice looking 2005 Dodge Ram but steering is pretty poor. I've done the first step of pulling the steering box and sending it off to @Blue-Top Steering and had him rebuild it completely. Then I asked the owner to pick out a brace for the steering box. This truck came to me with some serious steering slop. The steering box was leaking both the input and output shaft seals. Here we go, look for that Blue Top box peaking out...

 

 

Take notice there is a gap to the pitman arm and the body. Look closer you see I had to heat it up and wedge it off the old box. Some nit wit ran the nut in with a impact and crushed the arm to the body making it impossible to use a pitman arm puller. I've got a good amount of torque on it now and still nice pull gap to be had. 

 

I was planning on some test driving and re-centering the steering wheel but the snow is coming down hard so I'm going to delay till the weather improves. I typically run down the road to Pinehurst frontage road and I can point it straight and turn the drag link longer or shorter to center the wheel. I'm not going to lay in snow and blowing wind today... Owner can come to get it for another week. A bit of slack for me I've got another due to be done today. 

I took it out for a test drive yesterday late when the snow let up. I was surprised that the steering is very very close to centered on the wheel. Steering is MUCH MUCH tighter in the steering wheel. Barely move the steering wheel and it darts in that direction. I see this so very often where someone starts thinking I want bigger tires and wheels. Go out and just invest in the tires and wheels and never upgrade anything else on the truck and wonder why the steering sucks. Like this truck there isn't enough caster still because of the fixed lower control arms. Should have adjustable track bar next and adjustable lower control arms and this would be a rock solid set up.

 

No I don't hate oversized tires... I think they look cool but there is a price to doing the modification properly. Then you not stuck in the position bad mouthing Dodge for crappy steering. Just the other two mod with the track bar being adjustable will impact the thrust angle, then the lower control arms if you can't get enough caster then it will not self center like it should so now you get saw steering swinging back and forth. Then the other half is proper final gearing, if your running 3.55 or 3.42 gears you shouldn't be up sizing tires till you change the gearing. 

 

Yup its snowing big time here...

 

This truck went home yesterday and the owner was extremely please with the work and going to come back for more future stuff to be worked on.

Good deal.  But I wouldn't say 35s require these mods. Years and miles require them.

 

Im not sold on the steering box brace. The engine crossmember is very close then the bumper then frame flex and I garuntee that steering braces won't stop a 30ft long frame from flexing.

 

What steering is on that I think 2005 is still shitty steering 

 

 

What steering was on it and how much was it lifted 

He's been through 3 steering boxes in under 100k miles. Always leaking out the output shaft. The brace takes up the beating that normally the output seal and bearing take. Once I've install that brace not heard a word from him again. 

Well maybe my 3500 box is better than whatever was and has since been put on that truck. Everyone says theyrevthe same. 🤔

 

Im on the factory box running 33-37" tires for 12 years  acasiinal use towing on washboard choppy rds

 

The brace may or may not help, it hasnt appeard to get my money yet.