Hey all,

I'm sure I'll get laughed at for this, but I can't identify this part. The bushings are completely rotten and I'm wondering if this is contributing to my horrible ride quality.

Thanks in advance,

Derek

 

Here is a better view of it. Sorry... the underside is filthy due to all the salt they put on the roads here in NY.

 

Those are your bump stops. They go bad regularly in these. They can cause some not so great ride quality. Mine need replaced badly. But honestly, these trucks ride horribly no matter what you do to them. Really good shocks help, but they don't fix it.

 

As Psp said, it's just a bump stop. It only gets paid to keep hard parts from banging into each other. It does not effect general ride quality at all, just keeps the noise down when hit a curb head-on at 20+ mph. Rock Auto has them for cheap.

 

Okay thank you. So let me ask another question. We'll... two questions

1: I noticed the bushings on the upper control arm look pretty compressed and cracked. Should I replace them? I see Rock Auto has a a kit of polyurethane bushings.

2: What is considered the best ride quality shocks for the Durango? I currently have Monroe OESpectrum's all around. I can't say i'm all that impressed. Then again, it may not be the shocks. My steering box is shot and for some reason I have a problem with the toe on the front wheels. A bad problem. I;m tempted to just replace the whole front end with Moog parts or whatever is good.

Thanks

 

Get a pry bar and start checking. Excessive play will tell you the bushings are shot. Polyurethane will squeak though. I've heard mixed stories about whether or not bad bumpstops will affect ride quality. Not really sure, I'll have a better answer if I ever replace mine lol. And I'm not sure. I've always had good luck with bilstein. I put 4600 series on mine when my monroes bit the dust and it's so much better, but still much worse than my other truck which is an 01. Time period taken into consideration, these trucks just don't ride good. (Btw, my 01 has 175,000 miles on bilstein 4600 series shocks and blows my Durango away with the same series shocks, BRAND NEW) so the 4600's were a huge improvement, but I don't believe anything can make these trucks ride good. And another point, I will never buy another Moog product in my life. Had a tierod end sheer in half with 12,000 miles on it. The truck was PARKED and it broke when we put it in reverse to back out. Destroyed my faith in anything that says Moog on it.

 

I've also had bad luck with moog parts. Had a moog inner tie rod end get a ton of slop and start clunking after 700 (yes, 700, not 7000) miles on it.