2006 Dodge tie rod /09 upgrade

ivbinconned wrote:
When I bought the truck it needed tires and the rod ends were sloppy. I took it into a shop that I know well after installing the tires (Goodrich Rugged Trail TA). My shop was unaware of the upgrade "kit" from Dodge and instead acquired the original type parts from a parts supplier. He suggested at that time we install the "steering stabilizer kit" too, so we did.

A few weeks later is when I met a Dodge mechanic and I was telling him about the repairs and learned of the kit.
Since I was still belling aching about the handling and steering stiffness he suggested they have a look.

Well we then discovered that the upper driver side ball joint was seized. You might all like to have seen the flex in those tie rods. With the driver’s side wheel off the ground and with the turning of the wheel the New rods flexed a good two inches trying to turn the side with the seized ball joint!!

I am suspicious that while driving on surfaces that have different grip on the left or the right that those rods are flexing all the time. When rumbling down a gravel road or going over railway tracks on the highway one has to hang on with both hands. I tend to be herding the truck on the highway constantly adjusting for drifting left or right.

There is no notable uneven wear on the tires.
Sorry for the long dissertation...appreciate your interest.

Your desription sounds like a bad steering gear. Replacement is quite common on those years of trucks.
MM49

Well I finnaly did the upgrade of rods today as well as the upgraded "Mopar" gear box. They realy brag about this new "improved "box.
The output shaft to the pitman is much beefier resulting in my not being able to re-install the "stabilizer" kit that I had installed before.

I wonder...do I need that stabiliazer kit with these over all "upgrades". If so I will have to get a bigger adapter and bearing /holder etc.

I bought a 2001.5 Dodge new in June of 2001. Within a couple years I installed a aftermarket steer box brace, 3rd gen track bar, Rancho shocks, and dialed in more caster myself to make it track better on the highway and greatly decrease the chance of the death wobble issue. Chris

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/chrysler-recall-12-million-ram-trucks-20833114


Does this mean they might pay for the 09 pgrade??

45Ricochet wrote:

Mvander wrote:
I would suggest the upgraded part would last longer. I had a dodge magnum withe the worst front end i have ever experienced. Replaced every last front end joint by 100kms with no warranty help. Many were upgraded replacements from chrysler. First and last chrysler product for this guy.

LOL
I bet your Magnum has the exact same front end as the OP truck :W so your remark is kind of just bashing a brand and really of no value. I'll mark the Magnum off my list of cars though :B Actually I had a airport rental 2 years ago and wasn't really impressed whatsoever in the Magnum or the 300.
T
Mine is starting to wander also OP while loaded down so I'm watching your thread. Heck my steering box was replaced in year one but this isn't the same kind of issue. At least it's not a "death wobble" yet.

No not the same steering design. But same company with a different poor design and upgraded parts on your buck. Not bashing chrysler. Just stating from my experience with them that the upgraded parts are a good idea cause the stuff they put on at the factory is junk.

My two cents:

Definitely get your steering upgraded to the 2008.5 setup, then get your ball joints in order.

These are known issues that you are having, and really must be addressed before you go any further IMHO.

Once you get these addressed, see if the problem persists, then you can start to look elsewhere.

When I bought the truck it needed tires and the rod ends were sloppy. I took it into a shop that I know well after installing the tires (Goodrich Rugged Trail TA). My shop was unaware of the upgrade "kit" from Dodge and instead acquired the original type parts from a parts supplier. He suggested at that time we install the "steering stabilizer kit" too, so we did.

A few weeks later is when I met a Dodge mechanic and I was telling him about the repairs and learned of the kit.
Since I was still belling aching about the handling and steering stiffness he suggested they have a look.

Well we then discovered that the upper driver side ball joint was seized. You might all like to have seen the flex in those tie rods. With the driver’s side wheel off the ground and with the turning of the wheel the New rods flexed a good two inches trying to turn the side with the seized ball joint!!

I am suspicious that while driving on surfaces that have different grip on the left or the right that those rods are flexing all the time. When rumbling down a gravel road or going over railway tracks on the highway one has to hang on with both hands. I tend to be herding the truck on the highway constantly adjusting for drifting left or right.

There is no notable uneven wear on the tires.
Sorry for the long dissertation...appreciate your interest.

ivbinconned, what are your issues with the steering? maybe something we/I can help you with? are you experiencing "death wobble" ... steering wondering?

To further the upgrade discussion... not all Ram HD trucks required the upgrade it was part number/series specific to the tie rod (right outer tie-rod) which had the steering dampner attached to. the bolt hole for dampner attachment to the "specific part number/series" had tendency to crack, so Dodge did the recall on those specific/part number/series tie rods. there were two suppliers for that tie rod one was good the other had the "weak link". :W

Thank you all for your feed back...and the entertainment, artkid.