Finally borrowed a lift and got my truck up in the air. Sort of wish I hadn't. For some reason things look better when it's sitting on the ground.







For some of the Dodge front suspension veterans here- What do you see that needs to be replaced forthwith? I can't buy a completely new kit, I just can't afford it right now. I've got to get thru winter.

What do you guys see that absolutely needs replaced for safety/health/sanity reasons? The truck wanders quite a bit but the wheels do not move up/down/side/side so I think the ball joints are good.

 

Wiggle stuff. Stuff that moves, that shouldn't, should be replaced. Stuff that doesn't move, that should... should be replaced. Just looking at a pic isn't going to help. Need to be able to see the stuff move.

 

Nothing moved really. Of course it being on a lift I wasn't real vigorous with the wiggling. The thing in the first pic freaks me out. I don't even know what it's called.

The other problem I saw was that a lot of the bushings were rotted bad. I mean, the outside rubber was peeled off and you could see inside the bushing. I only saw four or five lube points too.

 

First pic is pitman arm/drag link joint. Looks like it got some water in it at some point, Grease everything good, and you should be ok.

Grab your tire at 3:00 and 9:00, and give it a wiggle, there should be very little if any movement. If there is some, find out where it's comin' from, and fix it.

Helps to have a friend give you a hand here, so friend can wiggle, and you can check parts. (or, if your friend is female, she can wiggle, and you can watch her........)(( no, I didn't really type that...... that was the evil HeyYou.))

 

Not enough rust under there! I'm guessing you dont live in the northeast!

 

The only thing that jumps out from the photos is that the thing hasn't seen regular lube. In the first photo there's bright blue grease on the zerk, and stuff that was grease ten years ago pushed out of the joint. You can expect failures that would have been prevented if the thing had been maintained properly.

I'm just guessing that that's the factory-installed steering stabilizer in there. If it is, it probably died years ago.

Oh the joys of buying a used truck, eh?

 

I concur with HeyYou...even with the female comment.

My additional comments:

1. first picture. Clean the grease off with a rag and inspect the boot. If its intact, then you know it will hold lube. Looks like fresh lube was spurted in, b/c I see greenish... When load is taken off the steering you can grab and it will move since its a ball joint. However, move it such that it has play would indicate wear, failed bearing, or just loosened up and not fully seated. Torque it to spec for the latter, otherwise replace it. Drag link tie rod.

2. 2nd picture -- Visually looks good to me. Steering stabilzer looks (on the outside) it has died. Those are cheap to replace and good to have in decent shape for your heavy **** 2500. But you could do w/o if needed, for a short time, unless you are plowing or doing anything with effort.

3. 3rd picture -- I see a cool torque wrench? I think I see the track bar frame mount. Same comment as first picture, clean up that grease and inspect the boot. That ball joint does like to go on vacation. Test this with the vehicle on the ground, neutral, female in the driver seat turning the wheel full lock to full lock. You underneath watching that balljoint. It should rotate and move smoothly. If it knocks, clinks, out of alignment, then torque it to spec and see if that resolves. Otherwise...it's shot and new track bar needed, if it were me. Looking at your sway bar links...hard to tell, your axle might be off center?? Hard to tell.

 

I just greased the front end before the pictures, which would explain the grease. I last greased it when I bought the truck in August/September. The torque wrench is actually a worklight.

The axle off center? God I hope not... Might be the angle I took the picture from.

 

Those sway bar links look pretty sketchy, especially the one in the 2nd pic.

 

I agree with everyone else.

1. Not much rust under there. A good pressure washing in the spring and a little Krylon goes a long way.

2. Sway bar links need replacing.

3. Find the leak in the steering box/pump/line and fix it.