Hey all, so I just went to Napa today to buy the parts (part numbers listed below) to replace basically the whole steering linkages and tie rod ends and etc on my 2004 Dodge RAM 2500 5.9L Cummins. Those parts are all Napa Chassis Parts brands and the part numbers that I bought are as follows:

269-6102 tie rod end/arm
269-6103 tie rod end/arm
269-1123 tie rod adjuster (2 of them)
SC-2964 Steering stabilizer
269-3257 Tie rod end
269-3256 Tie rod end

Now, what has me just not feeling good about these things is I opened the first couple boxes on these parts and when I compared them to the OEM parts under the front of the truck they just looked small and wimpy overall in comparison. The tie rod ends, the bar diameters, everything.

What is the deal here? There are a bunch of articles and vids online where guys are even putting these exact parts on the RAM 3500s as well so these have to be the right parts right??? Napa said they were...

I am hoping that I didn't make a mistake here on these... Should I have looked for the Moog parts instead here for this truck? I was trying to be quick about this and Napa had all the parts in stock so I just went a swooped em up. Are these parts going to be worth putting on the truck even though?

In general also, Dodge revamped the whole steering mechanism on these 3rd gens and this got me wondering too if I should went that route... These parts are not even available at the Dealership anymore as the steering setup was revamped...

Any replies appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

Aight all,

here's the scoop, so after much toil and head scratching, I come to find out that I actually somehow got the steering upgrade on this truck - which means all the parts are beefier from what was on there originally. That means that those napa parts I got (from what I listed above in the Original Post) would have been a lot more wimpy looking than the one already on this truck. I did not know this until researching the crap out of it.

What I have on the truck as we speak today is this: http://www.factorymoparparts.com/52122362ah.html

I now know this...

I was elated to see this as I now won't need to change out my pitman arm as the needed one is already on there! I simply just ordered a new linkage and stabilizer and they are on their way now! I returned the other Napa parts from the original post a couple hours ago.

Yay fer me! Finally, a break on this project... Once I get these axle shafts (that;s a whole nuther story...) by Thursday, this truck project is about to be toast!