I feel like such an a**hole lol. I tightened up that bolt and it more or less fixed the problem. Still a little play, but that's probably because it's a cheap track bar, but it's not popping and jerking the whole axle anymore. I still can't believe I didn't catch that! At any rate, I wanted to say thank you again to HeyYou, AtomicDog, and everyone else. It's my wife's truck, and I told her I fixed it, but she's still not comfortable that it won't start acting up again soon, so she's having me do the solid steel upgrade, along with the rock solid steering fix. Then, when we get more money I'm looking at the Lares gear box. I can't justify the hassle, headache, and cost associated with going the redhead route. between the core charge, paying shipping to get the box, then paying return shipping on the core and waiting on the refund, that's just too much of a deal breaker.

 

Just FYI, I performed the Solid Steel track bar upgrade since I have no plans to sell my truck, didn't want to have to deal with track bar issues in the future and wanted a solid front-end since I dealt with death wobble not long after I purchased the truck from its prior owner. Tightening the bolt and/or replacing the bolt (if it's worn where it goes through the track bar) to get rid of all of the slop might fully address your issue.

 

A third gen steering is a bolt in for a 2001 4x4, 1500, 2500, 3500. I did this about a year ago on mine. I got this one.

 

Interesting. What's the benefit? Larger OD on the linkages?

 

Changes it from a crappy "T" style steering to a "Y". The Y is closer to the knuckle and beefier. Almost a crossover steering. I had 89K when I changed mine out. It was a turn the steering wheel and hope it'll drift over to the spot you want. Now it's a point and turn and not a hunt and peck steering. Look up 2001 Ram 1500 steering upgrades.

Look at the mounting for the trackbar on the axle, if that hole is wallowed out it needs to be repaired. A washer welded to the to the hole is easiest but most people don't have a welder. Mine was wallowed out on my Jeep ZJ and had to do this.