Just go out and grab the steering column right where it comes out the firewall, under the brake booster and see if there is any play. I find it hard to believe the gear box is going to cause a clunk.

 

hey, i replaced the gear box and the clunky feeling, noise has decreaed to about 60% so it definatly helped. before when i grabbed the steering shaft it was loose down where it goes into the gear. im also thinking about getting the ramfix steering shaft thing. but as for the gear..yes i can see a difference..it also made the sloppy feeling dissapear.

 

The new box will make the sloppy feel go away for sure(left to right steering). As far as the clunk goes, If it's loose where the column comes out of the firewall, it's going to still clunk or pop.

 

Mine has the same clunking and sloppy feel. The shaft that connects the steering box to the pitman arms has play in it, not sure if it is a bushing or bearing that is supposed to be there but I can see it move side to side at least a 1/4" when turning. Haven't figured out the clunking but every 2gen ram I have driven seems to have it. I saw some aftermarket steering box braces and steering shafts advertised in a magazine wonder if they fix this issue.

 

There's a huge thread on another dodge forum about this....and there's a guy who sells a bushing to go into the steering sharft at the bottom above the spring where the factory setup has a weakness and wears. looked like a bitch to install though.. the clunk is common to our rams steering setup...

 

It's a bitch to install with the column still in the truck, I took mine out to do it (1/2 hour to remove). If you get the replacement bushing from Rock Solid it comes with directions for doing it both ways.

 

Does anyone have any diagrams, pics or links with pics about the part, the part number and where and how it goes in etc?

 

Do you have a link to that thread you can share?

 

Dude, you see my sig? Rock Solid Ram Fix? Google it! Pretty easy huh? http://www.rocksolidramtrucksteering.com/

 

One of the mods here posted a DIY about turning the adjustment screw about a quarter turn on the top of the steering box to tighten it up as well. I did mine and it made a bid difference. I used a 16mm open end and an allen key to do it.