Death Wobble Dodge
I have an ’04 1-ton Dodge Ram 4x4. The frontend has had death wobble numerous times. Is there a package deal that replaces all of the problematic components? The front end of this 1-ton just does not feel like a 1-ton and I would like to make it much stiffer and not wobble. Of course I’m also on a tight budget. I feel like I’m constantly looking for any help I can get on frontend information. I have installed a BD steering box, new ball joints, tie rods, and ends, it still wobbled until I put a stock Dodge track bar on it. In your opinion, what do you think that is telling me?
Scott Slovacek
Via email
No, there is no kit that I’m aware of that includes everything you need, but I had the same issue on my ’07 Cummins Ram 2500.
I replaced the factory ’03-’08 Y-style steering linkage with newer ’08-up T-linkage from the dealership. That helped a little.
I also installed Dynatrac (www.dynatrac.com) ProSteer ball joints. That helped a lot.
Your unit bearings could be bad, but that’s not all that likely. Jack one front tire off the ground and grab a long length of tubing and (with one end of the tube on the ground) pry upward on the tire to see if there’s any movement in the unit bearing or ball joints.
On my truck I installed a new ’09-up steering box from PSC Motorsports (ww.pscmotorsports.com). You’ll need a new steering shaft from Borgeson (www.borgeson.com) to adapt the newer steering box. All of this really fixed my wobble problem.
My factory steering box had a ton of slop at the sector shaft. I also installed a hydro-assist ram from PSC since my box came drilled and tapped for the ram, but in my opinion, a regular ’09-up steering stabilizer will work fine in most cases. The ram was an experiment for an upcoming article in Four Wheeler.
If your box is worn or has slop, you should replace it with the ’09-up box, but if not, you can install a steering sector shaft brace from PSC Motorsports. Other companies carry them as well.
Some aftermarket track bars can wear quickly and they often develop a lot of slop. It’s hard to beat the factory track bar and control arms for long life. Whenever possible, I choose to retain these items. The bushings in the control arms will last over 100,000 miles easily and the track bars are forged steel with really durable tie rod end(s) and/or rubber bushings. If you had death wobble and the factory track bar fixed it, I think you found your culprit.
Christian Hazel
Editor
Jp Magazine
Hub Locked
I have a ’73 Chevy ¾-ton 4x4 with locking hubs and an NP205 transfer case. Is it bad to leave my hubs in the lock position with my transfer case in the 2WD position when I’m out at the desert in the sand.
Randy
San Diego, CA
Nope, it’s not bad at all. In fact you could even run it down the highway like that. Depending on if your 4x4 has a lift or not you may or may not notice some extra vibration from the spinning front driveshaft. You may also notice slightly poorer fuel economy because of the parasitic drag. But other than those two things you should be fine to run the sand in 2WD with the hubs locked. fw
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