No the track bar doesn't get controlled. The bottom one is your tie rods the one in the middle is your drag link. It steers the wheels

 

Oh okay I gotcha. Is the drag link suppose to look like that? Looks awful. It has always looked that way though I think at least.

 

Oh btw, when I purchase Luke's link should I get the whole track bar kit or just the track bar bushing

 

It looks normal other then the end in the pitman arm looks like the boot is torn.
the whole kit as the bushing is just for the axle end. The problem end is the frame end, but be warned j if you have a Moog trackbar it won't fit

 

Yeah that's the end that kept on stripping. It seems pretty good now that I got the tie rods replaced though. Just gotta get the ends done now, then the whole front end is pretty much brand new except the stabilizers. I had my buddy turn the steering wheel while I was underneath. It looks pretty good. Like you said just the drag link needs that new boot

 

I bought the cheapest track bar from RockAuto and put under my '99 beater work/hunting/firewood truck 2 years and 20k miles ago and it's been great. Bigger joints than stock. Grease-able upper rod end. $28. I think the brand was Mevotech.

 

Looks heavy duty, I'll have to check it out

 

I just thought the idea of a $28 track bar was too funny not to try. I fully expected it to be junk. Got it in the mail and was actually impressed. And 2 years later no issues. My friend who put a Moog bar on his says he wasted his money after seeing mine.

Now I am not a cheapskate. I have a pile of Dodge pickups and I like to tinker and experiment with them, it helps me be able to recommend what works and what doesn't to my customers. I have a $28 track bar in the '99, while the one in my '04 retails at $400.

 

Well I guess he forgot what he installed because I don't think I got the tie rods installed there before, I'm not sure. I know I got the track bar swapped out there because it stripped somehow and I lost control of my truck with my quad on the back had to get it towed over there. That was around summer time. This time it was the tie rods that disconnected but the track bar was moving a little bit because the tie rod disconnected on the right I think. So the tie rods ended up getting installed instead. I guess the threads were screwed on the tie rods or something because I don't think they replaced the ends also. So I pretty much got tie rods for $30 since I had a warranty on the track bar but the track bar is still good. . . Lol

 

Yikes, sounds like quite an ordeal. I get what you were saying now. The nut stripped off the bolt so the track bar became disconnected. That must've soiled your shorts!

Tie rods and joints used to scare me, but over the years I taught myself to do all my own work and actually installed all new T steering in a parking lot in the rain. Pickle fork is my friend. Anyway, tie rods can be junk or cheap so that's probably all the shop used. Wouldn't hurt to save up for a nice set and do it yourself so you know it's good. Once the adjuster sleeve is tight, it should never loosen or strip. I would double check all nuts down there.

Oh, and you already have a steering gear "brace"/"stabilizer" installed, fyi.