Hello everyone!!!, It has been a long minute. I am posting this as a safety issue and I hope the forum will see it this way also. I have an early model Dodge dually, (2002), with a Cummings diesel. This is the issue: the front suspension wears out quickly. Mainly the ball joints, track bar, the drag links, and the two tie rods, which are specific. Take note that if you own one have it checked. The factory used parts have nylon plastic bushings (JUNK). PM me if you want to know what parts to use...this is not an easy fix but if you see the wear, you will do it tomorrow.

6 Month ago I was at Kroger near me getting into my truck and a 5-6 year old Dodge 4x4 was driving past me. I heard a loud pop and tires squealing I turned around to see the truck setting their with front wheels towed in as far as they go. The woman driver was visible shaken. I looked under the truck and the tie rod ball joint had broken on the right side.Couple months ago I was doing some welding at a job and guy had a 4x4 Dodge was backing up to a trailer then pulled up to move over begin backing up again and pop same deal broke on the right side and was laying on the ground. This truck had 80K miles on it. Was wondering then if there was something going on with them.

I've had to replace the outer tierod ends on my 06 twice. It has about 80,000 on it. We have yearly state inspections here it PA. So it prevents accidents from happening. The first set of tierod ends were replaced under warranty when the truck had less than 36,000 miles. The second set was replaced between 60,000 and 70,000. These have grease fittings, so I hope they will last.

On my previous truck, a 2002 Dodge 3/4 ton 2wd, at about 100,000 miles, I had to replace most of the front end parts, including the wheel bearing clusters. Cost was just over $2,000 to have it fixed. Now I admit I was running way over the GVW most of the 144,000 miles I put on the truck, mostly with a truck camper in the back. But the Cummins part was just fine and trouble free for the most part, once I moved the low pressure fuel pump off the side of the engine and frame mounted it. But I think most of the parts in the front end that moved had been replaced by the time I traded it in on the one ton Chevy I now have. I really liked that Dodge but couldn't find a one ton locally when I got ready to trade.

KKELLER14K wrote:Hello everyone!!!, I have an early model Dodge dually, (2002), with a Cummings diesel. It is a C U M M I N S. Cummings is a town in north Georgia.I too replaced front end parts on my 2004 Dodge Ram 2500.My son has replaced two hubs and bearings on his 2006 Chevrolet 2500 with a Duramax diesel.

KKELLER14K wrote:Hello everyone!!!, It has been a long minute. I am posting this as a safety issue and I hope the forum will see it this way also. I have an early model Dodge dually, (2002), with a Cummings diesel. This is the issue: the front suspension wears out quickly. Mainly the ball joints, track bar, the drag links, and the two tie rods, which are specific. Take note that if you own one have it checked. The factory used parts have nylon plastic bushings (JUNK). PM me if you want to know what parts to use...this is not an easy fix but if you see the wear, you will do it tomorrow.Thanks, yes these front ends are quite the mess....We added a steering stablizer bar which did take the flexing out of the frame. It helped the wandering from side to side going down the road...For 100% reliability the camper should be taken off and the box filled with spare front end parts:)

Dodge front end issue. | Good Sam Community

50 Replies

hoss9543
Explorer
May 18, 2014
mkirsch wrote:
Ah, the dreaded "death wobb
i have a '99 ram 2500 cummins with 497000 miles. last week I started the death wobble for the first time. 500.00 & my grandson cured the problem. a good alignment next week and HOSS will be good for another half million miles. Nothing beats a cummins....
le."
gwo1973
Explorer
May 17, 2014
Here's how you fix your Dodge Ram. I had a 01 and went through this.

Get ready to spend some money.

Polyurethane bushings for the 4 link.

Add dual shock absorbers to the front. That engine weighs alot. When you brake, the nose dives, stresses the front end components. This will help it not dive so much.

Steering box stabilizer brace, this will make a huge difference.

Finally replace the track bar with one from either one of these guys.

http://sourceautomotive.biz/2ndgenssi.aspx

http://www.genosgarage.com/BD-ADJUSTABLE-TRACK-BAR-KIT-94-02-4WD/productinfo/BD-1032011/#.U3cWtnaeb1U

Last I knew there never was a better ball joint.

If you want to spend the money you can change out to lockout hubs and use real serviceable wheel bearings. I forget who made the kit for it.
gwo1973
Explorer
May 17, 2014
Here's how you fix your Dodge Ram. I had a 01 and went through this.

Get ready to spend some money.

Polyurethane bushings for the 4 link.

Add dual shock absorbers to the front. That engine weighs alot. When you brake, the nose dives, stresses the front end components. This will help it not dive so much.

Steering box stabilizer brace, this will make a huge difference.

Finally replace the track bar with one from either one of these guys.

http://sourceautomotive.biz/2ndgenssi.aspx

http://www.genosgarage.com/BD-ADJUSTABLE-TRACK-BAR-KIT-94-02-4WD/productinfo/BD-1032011/#.U3cWtnaeb1U

Last I knew there never was a better ball joint.

If you want to spend the money you can change out to lockout hubs and use real serviceable wheel bearings. I forget who made the kit for it.
gwo1973
Explorer
May 17, 2014
Here's how you fix your Dodge Ram. I had a 01 and went through this.

Get ready to spend some money.

Polyurethane bushings for the 4 link.

Add dual shock absorbers to the front. That engine weighs alot. When you brake, the nose dives, stresses the front end components. This will help it not dive so much.

Steering box stabilizer brace, this will make a huge difference.

Finally replace the track bar with one from either one of these guys.

http://sourceautomotive.biz/2ndgenssi.aspx

http://www.genosgarage.com/BD-ADJUSTABLE-TRACK-BAR-KIT-94-02-4WD/productinfo/BD-1032011/#.U3cWtnaeb1U

Last I knew there never was a better ball joint.

If you want to spend the money you can change out to lockout hubs and use real serviceable wheel bearings. I forget who made the kit for it.
stumper92
Explorer
May 16, 2014
lonetow wrote:
stumper92 wrote:
I have a 2001 Ram 2500 4x4 with around 96000 miles on it. So far, I haven't had to do any frontend work. I do however have the little clunking sound in the steering from time to time. I rarely drive the truck when it's not hauling the camper, and/or towing a trailer. The biggest issue I have had to date was the infamous rear brake line failure. As far as I am concerned, this truck owes me nothing. With that said, I fully expect to eventually start seeing the frontend issues arise.

What is the rear brake line failure you speak of? Does it apply to my 06?
BTW, having to pull the unit-bearing hub on mine to get the front rotor off is about the stupidest thing I've ever run across:(

I'm not sure if it applies to a Gen 3 Dodge or not. The issue on the Gen 2 is the steel brake line running from the front of the truck, to the rear wheels, corrodes and fails where it passes between the frame rail and the fuel tank. Mine decided to give up,the ghost just as I was pulling into my camping spot in an open field. I had never heard of the issue either until I researched it online after the fact.
mkirsch
Nomad II
May 14, 2014
billtex wrote:
I thought the death wobble was a Dodge thing...that is scary...I guess this can happen with any live axle front end?
Is this likely to happen only when front end parts are worn or can this happen any time?

Too many things going wrong at once causes it. If you prevent any one of the things from going wrong, it won't happen.

You can't really prevent road conditions so you're better off keeping your front suspension in good shape and your tires properly inflated.
Bedlam
Moderator
May 14, 2014
I had the same symptom with a Super Beetle that had a worn tie rod. It's not specific to any make or model but some are more prone to accelerated wear/fatigue than others.
Jaxom
Explorer
May 14, 2014
Handbasket wrote:

The guy who posted that video to Y'allTube seriously needs to learn to edit the dang video, lest his viewers die of boredom waiting for the action to take place.

Jim, "Mo' coffee!"

I guess that's how YouTube is said in the south! :D
Handbasket
Explorer
May 14, 2014
06Fargo wrote:
mkirsch wrote:
Ah, the dreaded "death wobble."

See it live: Death wobble - brave driver does not bail out!

The guy who posted that video to Y'allTube seriously needs to learn to edit the dang video, lest his viewers die of boredom waiting for the action to take place.

Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
Handbasket
Explorer
May 14, 2014
My dad bought a new 4x4 '66 IHC Scout 800 (live axle). He drove it 66 2-lane mountain miles round-trip to & from work on Mt. Pisgah. He wrote me a letter (remember them?) about '69-'70 when I was off the coast of VN in the Navy, complaining of front-end wobble. He'd hit a bump at 55-60 mph and the front tires started oscillating uncontrollably; he had to slow way down to get it to stop.

I wrote back and suggested he replace the front shocks and add a steering stabilizer. He did, and the problem disappeared. He was very highly impressed that I could diagnose the issue from 10,000 miles away. I don't think I ever told him that it was a lucky guess.... ;)

Jim, "Mo' coffee!"