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.