3Rd Gen Or 4Th Gen Steering Upgrade For 2Nd Gen?

[rseabur]

I have heard that 2nd gen steering components. Can be upgraded with 3rd or 4th gen parts. Anybody have any info to back that up. Heard you can get the whole assembly. From the dealer for about $300.

[Wild and Free]

Definitely upgrade the track bar to the 3rd gen style it requires a bolt on bracket on the driver side when you buy the conversion kit. It gets rid of the POS end link that wears out constantly and goes to a bolt and bushing, much more trouble free and less maintenance and hold the front axle more stable.

 

Other than that the only other upgrade I tell everybody to get is to replace the factory loosey goosey 4.5 turn gear box with a 3 turn unit.

This alone is the best steering upgrade you can do to make the 2nd gen steering feel safer and drive nicer.

 

I have owned three second gens a 3rd gen and a 4th gen and have tried every steering upgrade in the book so I kind of know what to suggest here from personal experience with them.

 

On edit I see you have a 2wd so I can not give good advice in that area, have not had the opportunity to work on the front end of one so not sure how they are set up or if they even have a track bar like a 4wd does.

 

But the steering gear is the way to go for sure.

Edited January 22, 2014 by Wild and Free

[rseabur]

I have a 2wd with ind susp.I don't know much about the components. What can I replace?

[Wild and Free]

I edited my last post as you typed yours to indicate I just noticed you had a 2wd so not sure if you even have a track bar, but definitely go with a Borgeson 3.3 turn gear box this single upgrade makes it feel like a new rig more so than any other upgrade you can do to the steering on a 2nd gen.

[rseabur]

Thanks for the info. Was just curious about the kit I have heard about. Supposed to bolt right into place. Has tierods and everything.only think think may have to buy would be Pittman arm I think. is thesteerig brace worth the money? Pretty simple install. I know I needto Dow good check on all parts.

[MnTom]

The 2WD trucks do not have a track bar on them. They even have the 'lighter duty' steering linkage with an idler arm too. I have wondered if the heavy duty steering the 4WD use would fit and be an upgrade by eliminating the idler arm.

[turbowine]

anyone have a link for the "kit" ?

[comanche79p]

Mopar Part 52122362AF STEERING

 

www.factorymoparparts.com

[turbowine]

thank you

[flagmanruss]

Is this kit listed above Mopar Part 52122362AF STEERING  the right one for Second Gen (2001.5) 4X4?  Thanks!  I am tired of fighting to keep it tracking constantly.  I looked at the diagram...  thought a new frame bracket is required?? 

Edited February 9, 2014 by flagmanruss

[flagmanruss]

Can anybody say definitively if a new bracket is required to do a 3rd Gen track bar on a Second Gen?  In my case 01.5?

[joecool911]

Yes. You're eliminating the ball joint and going to a bushing.

[bjytech]

BD power sells a kit for switching over to a adjustable 3rd gen style track bar for the 2nd gen 4x4 trucks http://www.dieselperformance.com/index.php/product/index/180P

[flagmanruss]

I found CPP kit  http://www.cumminsperformanceparts.com/2ndgento3rdg.html   Only works with up to 3" lift but I'm stock height.  I'm liking the all complete price.  $360 with free shipping (lower 48). 

[CTcummins24V]

Definitely upgrade the track bar to the 3rd gen style it requires a bolt on bracket on the driver side when you buy the conversion kit. It gets rid of the POS end link that wears out constantly and goes to a bolt and bushing, much more trouble free and less maintenance and hold the front axle more stable.

 

How many miles would you get out of an oem trackbar? I have just over 15,000 miles and less than a year on my moog trackbar and I just started chasing the front end again and bump steer is awful...everything was tight when the components were new last winter.

Edited February 12, 2014 by CTcummins24V

[joecool911]

Is the 3rd gen better than the Luke's link mod?

[Wild and Free]

I think I changed out the factory ones at around 50K miles and the Moogs at about half that even on my 1995 1500 I went through 1 factory and 2 moogs by the time I sold it with 110K on it but I ran 285-75-16 for about 80K of those.

 

I had the same symptoms on all three 2nd gens I had when the end link went bad it felt like someone banging on the floorboard with a hammer on rough roads, was very annoying.

 

With the lukes link on the track bar end you still have a similar pitman ball joint that needs adjusting and can still wear out if not kept up on. With a 3rd gen style it has a bushing on the end and does away with the ball socket style end link.

Edited February 12, 2014 by Wild and Free

[flagmanruss]

I've not liked the way the truck has tracked for a year or more...  around 70K original miles.  My front end shop said I had a TRE getting bad so going to do 3rd Gen track bar and align it once.  My truck came with the 265/75R16 on factory alloy wheels I'm running (still legal tread). 

Edited February 23, 2014 by flagmanruss

[Old_Sparky]

I replaced my linkage with the 2009 version.  Much tighter, much larger parts.  It was a simple bolt-on replacement from the tie rod ends to the pitman arm.  I did not replace the pitman arm.

[Ilikeoldfords]

I replaced my linkage with the 2009 version. Much tighter, much larger parts. It was a simple bolt-on replacement from the tie rod ends to the pitman arm. I did not replace the pitman arm.

Did this come as a kit? Or did you just buy the stock parts for an 09 truck and put them on?