Steering upgrade

[leathermaneod]

Hey guys, random question just popped into my head. Since it seems like all these steering components need to be replaced together anyway, can't you just buy this stuff from autozone or Napa as 03-08 tie rod ends? I assume someone has already looked into it, but I'm curious now....do places like that not sell the t style?

[TFaoro]

I'm sure they do. I just don't want to see the price tag on it....

[leathermaneod]

I was just looking briefly at autozones website and it looks like all the pieces, including the adjusting sleeves, could be had for $250 before tax... This is very odd though seems like if it were that easy others would be doing it...

http://m.autozone.com/suspension-steering-tire-and-wheel/tie-rod-end/dodge/ram-2500-3-4-ton-4wd/2008/6-cylinders-c-5-9l-turbo-dsl-ohv

Edited July 6, 2016 by leathermaneod

[TFaoro]

Are they genuine Mopar or are they "aftermarket"?

[leathermaneod]

No they are Duralast from autozone

[notlimah]

Does that kit change the steering to the T style?

 

To me the biggest reason for upgrading to this kit is the T style steering, plus beefier links.

 

I'm taking mine this afternoon for an official alignment so I'll report back with how it steers after that. So far though with just my eyeball alignment it's driven real nice. I still want to get under there and tighten up the steering box nut to see if that makes things a little more tidy.

[BIG-BLACK-DODGE]

5 hours ago, leathermaneod said:

Hey guys, random question just popped into my head. Since it seems like all these steering components need to be replaced together anyway, can't you just buy this stuff from autozone or Napa as 03-08 tie rod ends? I assume someone has already looked into it, but I'm curious now....do places like that not sell the t style?

I priced it out ftom NAPA (CANADA) and it was a little more that the mopar dealer. 

[leathermaneod]

Oh ok. Well this is interesting. It would have been slightly cheaper for me to get the parts from autozone. Assuming of course that it is the t style. I think it is, but it's a little hard to tell when your looking at the individual components. Also, some of their parts were greasable, but not all. With all the recalls Mopar has had on this, I'm not sure which would be better as far as over all quality ....

Edited July 6, 2016 by leathermaneod

[BIG-BLACK-DODGE]

1 hour ago, notlimah said:

Does that kit change the steering to the T style?

 

To me the biggest reason for upgrading to this kit is the T style steering, plus beefier links.

 

I'm taking mine this afternoon for an official alignment so I'll report back with how it steers after that. So far though with just my eyeball alignment it's driven real nice. I still want to get under there and tighten up the steering box nut to see if that makes things a little more tidy.

 

Ha you'd swear it was the same guy talking about his truck between me and you... Same problems! Lol

 

ya i turned mine 1/4 turn. Don't think it did a whole lot. Then i read u can go up to half a turn and if that doesn't cure it you need to do the other more involved adjustment. 

 

As for the steering this one is almost identical to the last set up i had just beefier. 

I know the dealer told me it had the lastest style upgrade on it. I honestly think if i just bought that kit but yet tightened my steering box that would make the most difference. 

Either way I like the extra beef on this kit. I'd live to look at a 4th gen truck n see if they have that little clunk. 

[notlimah]

3 minutes ago, leathermaneod said:

Oh ok. Well this is interesting. It would have been slightly cheaper for me to get the parts from autozone. Assuming of course that it is the t style. I think it is, but it's a little hard to tell when your looking at the individual components. Also, some of their parts were greasable, but not all. With all the recalls Mopar has had on this, I'm not sure which would be better as far as over all quality ....

 

What were the reasons for the recalls? I don't recall?

 

I've heard that most complaints from these kits were tre's snapping off, but most attributed that to not having the tre's lined up when initialing installing, but who knows.

 

5 minutes ago, BIG-BLACK-DODGE said:

 

Ha you'd swear it was the same guy talking about his truck between me and you... Same problems! Lol

 

ya i turned mine 1/4 turn. Don't think it did a whole lot. Then i read u can go up to half a turn and if that doesn't cure it you need to do the other more involved adjustment. 

 

As for the steering this one is almost identical to the last set up i had just beefier. 

I know the dealer told me it had the lastest style upgrade on it. I honestly think if i just bought that kit but yet tightened my steering box that would make the most difference. 

Either way I like the extra beef on this kit. I'd live to look at a 4th gen truck n see if they have that little clunk. 

 

Can you hear that clunk while driving or turning in the cab? I'm not worried about the clunk when I'm underneath the truck trying to make the noise happen. I can't hear it in cab and don't hear it while turning, where before on my stock steering, it was a pretty loud clunk/thud.

[BIG-BLACK-DODGE]

6 minutes ago, notlimah said:

 

What were the reasons for the recalls? I don't recall?

 

I've heard that most complaints from these kits were tre's snapping off, but most attributed that to not having the tre's lined up when initialing installing, but who knows.

 

 

Can you hear that clunk while driving or turning in the cab? I'm not worried about the clunk when I'm underneath the truck trying to make the noise happen. I can't hear it in cab and don't hear it while turning, where before on my stock steering, it was a pretty loud clunk/thud.

 

No i don't hear anything in the cab at all. You can't hear with that noisy engine lol

 

i need to build a sound deadener for that stupid injection pump... Lol

[leathermaneod]

Yes the recalls are, from what I have read, due to the ends snapping off. I also heard that theory about them not being aligned properly, but I'm not sure what they mean by that? How do you screw that up? Or do they mean not having the vehicle aligned properly?

Btw I've never done a tape measure alignment before so if anyone knows how to and can give me some info that would be great....I know my truck is good right now, so I'm assuming I can just measure the distance across the front tires with the truck on the ground and then make it the same with the new kit? 

[notlimah]

Measuring now and then comparing that to what it is once the kits in would work. I eyeballed mine just to get it pretty straight and drivable but am getting it aligned by a shop this afternoon.

 

Check out CSMs article on alignment.

 

They may have snapped because of not getting a proper alignment. I'm not too sure how you could get them in there any way other then straight but that might just be common sense to you and I, and not so much for other people.

 

[leathermaneod]

Thank you! One other random question, I just got my new Energy sway bar bushings https://www.genosgarage.com/product/energy-suspension-55159g/sway-bar-frame-bushings. I got this part number but off eBay because I wanted the free shipping. Anyway they are the correct size sway bar, 34mm, but the box has a sticker that says its for a 2wd truck. Do you think that matters? Geno's doesn't mention anything about it mattering if you use it on a 2 or 4 wheel drive truck....

[notlimah]

Doubt it matters, but if you take a pic I'll go examine the bushings on my 2wd for ya and see how they look in comparison. 

 

 

[leathermaneod]

I cant imagine that it matters either, and I doubt you will be able to see any difference just looking, but here are some pictures. Its just a sticker on the box that says that, but I dont know if that is from Energy or the seller on eBay....I thought all that matters is the bar diameter....and I think Geno's usually knows what they are talking about....I hope there is no reason not to use these...I like that they are made in the usa and how hard they are. I will compare them to my originals before installing of course. 

[BBHD]

Same part. I have the same bushing kit on my truck 

[notlimah]

So just wanted to do a quick update after getting the truck aligned. 

 

The he truck drives great! While I can't say it's a HUGE improvement since this is my 3rd steering related upgrade, it had made a big difference. On the way to get it aligned I had an audible *pop* in the steering as I was pulling out of a parking space. The first time I'd heard that. Since the alignment, no popping whatever and the slight knock noise I was able to get that @BIG-BLACK-DODGE and I were discussing earlier is now completely gone. I still have some slop in my steering box but for the most parts it's really hardly noticeable. I did try and tighten the bolt on top of the steering box and got maybe an 1/8 of a turn so we'll see if that has any effect. All in all this was an excellent mod! Oh almost forgot, I can actually then my wheels a little bit without much effort at all while sitting still! Kinda crazy! Haha

[BIG-BLACK-DODGE]

1 hour ago, notlimah said:

So just wanted to do a quick update after getting the truck aligned. 

 

The he truck drives great! While I can't say it's a HUGE improvement since this is my 3rd steering related upgrade, it had made a big difference. On the way to get it aligned I had an audible *pop* in the steering as I was pulling out of a parking space. The first time I'd heard that. Since the alignment, no popping whatever and the slight knock noise I was able to get that @BIG-BLACK-DODGE and I were discussing earlier is now completely gone. I still have some slop in my steering box but for the most parts it's really hardly noticeable. I did try and tighten the bolt on top of the steering box and got maybe an 1/8 of a turn so we'll see if that has any effect. All in all this was an excellent mod! Oh almost forgot, I can actually then my wheels a little bit without much effort at all while sitting still! Kinda crazy! Haha

 

So that little play u had while pilling on the tie rod is gone? Were your wheels faceing forward? I'm sure mine still has it and it's been aligned. 

As for your steering box, did you just tighten the set screw nut? It sounds to me when you say " i got maybe an 1/8 of a turn" that is what you did???

anyway there is a set screw that you turn after you lossen the nut. Not sure if you did that or not. I tightened mine 1/4 turn but going to try 1/4 more n see if that lessens the play in my steering wheel. 

And YES i did notice easier steering to at slow almost not moving speeds. BONUS!

6 hours ago, leathermaneod said:

I cant imagine that it matters either, and I doubt you will be able to see any difference just looking, but here are some pictures. Its just a sticker on the box that says that, but I dont know if that is from Energy or the seller on eBay....I thought all that matters is the bar diameter....and I think Geno's usually knows what they are talking about....I hope there is no reason not to use these...I like that they are made in the usa and how hard they are. I will compare them to my originals before installing of course. 

 

I ordered up some NAPA bushings and they seem really hard too. The ones that come off there are very soft like play dough lol

[leathermaneod]

7 hours ago, BBHD said:

Same part. I have the same bushing kit on my truck 

Thanks for that! How do you like them?