Now that Ive thought about this for a few minutes, when I first bought these tires, I rode them home on whatever psi the shop that mounted them had set them at, and it bucked like an angry horse....I dropped the pressure a TON and they suddenly rode smooth as silk... I think I need to do a rotation and some pressure testing today

 

Thanks for the compliment but I'm afraid I can't take credit for most of my knowledge as people like heyyou and moparite have been around forever and are true sages!

Anyway...I've been where you are. Stuck on a problem that should be diagnosed/cured/solved but it just isn't. Think back real hard to what the symptoms were or started at and how they felt. There is inherent danger in throwing lots of new parts on only to never know what was the culprit or cure.

Some more ideas:
1. Have you checked or replaced the link arm bushings? Mine were trashed after ten years. I got new poly bushings from Skyjacker and repainted the arms. Really tightened up suspension feel. This will also affect alignment. If the arms aren't tight at the cambolt, your caster won't stay set.
2. Hydro (water) shocks SUUUUUUUUCK. When I switched to the M95s it was like riding a whole new truck. I can't believe I suffered on hydros for 5 years. They were shot by then anyway.
3. Based on my experience with the Moog T steering, I would definitely tear them off and throw them in a land fill. I even made my own "pucks" for each side and still had tons of rollover. The AC Delco parts were much better from the get go.
4. I'm on my 4th steering gear. The last two being the great Redheads (boooo). Both had play that was barely noticeable in the sector shaft output. I had to concentrate real hard to even see it but sure enough. The long tie rod from the T setup definitely strains it from the passenger side. That's the biggest culprit for wearing out boxes. I'm on a new gear from Lares (yes, new) now and it's much better and actually returns the wheel. Good price on rockauto.
5. As for brakes, I just went through a bad set of Napa calipers. Only lasted two years before freezing up. Got their better version this time.
6. Lastly, don't forget the intermediate shaft. I got a new one on a whim and it actually made quite a difference. The rag joint can wear out and the tiny ujoint as well. Or get stiff with age. Be sure to really clamp down the pinch joint at the gear because any play there means major dead spot.

Hope this helps!

 

I haven't had as much time as I would've liked to work on this the past few days, non stop rain here. I've also been trying to find someone in my local area to mount new tires for my other truck, but they're "too big for the machines"' at every place around me.... thinking about trying to just mount them myself lol

1. I have NOT checked the bushings recently, I was focused more on steering components with the recent work, though I did plan on pulling them to get a coat of paint on them and replace the bushings as well. As far as the rest, I did replace my sway bar and end link bushings and my DT track bar bushings only have a few thousand miles on them.

2. I have been looking at bilstein 5100s all around, so I guess this is a good a reason as any to pull the trigger.. I've just been too lazy to get a measurement on my current shocks so that's really the only reason it's not done yet.

3. Is it just the rod ends at the knuckles that use the pucks or do one/both ends of the drag link have them also? I'd like to try the pucks but I have no problem sourcing the AC delco parts if needed as a last resort. Only real loss is an afternoon painting the rods (I hate rusty uncoated parts)

4. New!? Steering box!? I was under the impression they did not exist....that's why I went aftermarket...Is it prone to the same issues as the OEM boxes? Also what size tires do you run? I was thinking I'd need a bigger-than-stock box due to the lift and wheel size. The wheels are a bit offset as well, I know all this puts extra stress on the box...

5. Ordered power stop rotors, pads and calipers from rockauto, I've replace too many local parts store brands at this point..

6. I replaced this last spring with a "new-used" off a low mileage truck. Everything feels tight but I may swap it just to rule it out.

I topped off my air pressures today and it did seem to ride a bit smoother, but no major improvement to much of anything. I DID however notice one of the bolts where the column is bolted to the dash INSIDE the cab is completely sheared. I bet I'm getting a lot of bouncing in the wheel that I'm incorrectly attributing to the steering. Hopefully I can just tip the dash forward and get in there instead of pulling the whole top. The brakes will probably be the first thing I address...steering I can deal with, but the brake pull is just dangerous in this crappy weather. I will probably park the truck until the brakes come in.

 

1. Yeah, I bet those bushings are gone. They're just a few bucks IIRC.
2. Bilsteins are famous but I got a great set of Skyjacker M95s on clearance.
3. DO NOT PUT PUCKS ON THE DRAG LINK or you will not steer!!! The drag link needs to rotate on the ball joints.
4. https://catalog.larescorp.com/part/11416/
4a. They claim to build a better box. Not sure yet but seems to steer great. The Redheads (aka stepchild) boxes were terribly tight, would not bleed, and always had play.
4b. I have BFG 285/75/R16 (32.8")
5. Good call. I never plan to do brakes. It's just one of those "oh, crap" situations so I run to local napper. Brakes seem to work great until suddenly they don't.
6. Don't do it then. Should be fine. Just check the pinch bolt. When I put on the new gear, I didn't get the bolt tight enough and it had a lot of play. Went under there and it was loose. Tightened up and all good.

Not sure how the column bolt could have sheered off unless the truck was in a serious accident at some point. If the others are tight, I can't imagine it being the issue. Still something to address though.
The caliper may just be sticking. You greased the slide surfaces? Wouldn't hurt to get new hoses too as they can deteriorate from the inside causing chunks of rubber to block the flow of fluid in or out. But you already got them ordered.

What psi you running? How are the hubs?

 

I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't get the pinch bolt tight enough when I put the shaft in. Also now that I think about what the tie rod roll is actually doing, that was a dumb question about the pucks... kinda obvious now.

As far as the column bolt goes, I probably over tightened it when I put it in, kind of a tight spot...I built the truck from ground up and I didn't have a torque wrench on hand when I did the interior.

Knowing me I probably thought steering wheel?? that's important, better go tight as possible. I know now that this is not always the way now. lol.

PSI is around 25-26, these tires are soft but they ride better than anything I've ever put on here, at least before I swapped out all the steering parts. BFG KM3 35x12.5x15 on 15X10 M/T Sidebiter II wheels (3.61 backspacing / -48 offset)

Hubs are new timkins

 

I just looked up that steering gear you recommended...guess I just glossed over these because I assumed they were all re-manufactured. I see the lares you purchased on rockauto.

I'm also seeing another one made by Edelmann (PN# 3000) for about the same price but a slightly tighter ratio.... they claim "3.2" turns lock-lock vs "3.5-4" on the lares. Just wondering how much of a difference this would make and if anyone has heard of this other brand? They also claim to be 100% new.

I plan to order one right away...if the bluetop box does have play, then hopefully problem solved. If it is still good like I suspect, I have another truck that will make use of it.

 

The ratios were either wb related or 1/2t vs 3/4t

The lower ratio might make a, say, RCSB seem twitchy. Jeep does something similar with 2-door vs 4-door JLs

Typically when replacing you count your existing number of turns lock to lock and match it, but obviously you can change based upon personal preference.

 

The stock ratios are 15:1 vs 18:1 for the 2500+. This is a 1500 so it's 15:1. Thats not the difference I'm referring to here..

The issue is two manufacturers of "new" steering gear offer two different steering ratios for the 1500, both very close to 15:1, one just slightly tighter.

The lares box claims 3.5-4 turns lock to lock, the other shows 3.2. What I am wondering is how much tighter a half turn less will feel. I will probably end up trying the 3.2 to start, I was just curious if anyone had tried that brand to compare.

For reference the truck is a quad cab short bed 1500.

 

My only other thought is that I would be running around 35psi in the tires on a half ton. You're basically on big squishy balloons at this point. Terrible for steering/road feel.

Let us know what you find on the control arm bushings.

Also wouldn't buy any more parts just yet. Keep hunting down the cause. How about swapping the tires/wheels with something else in your arsenal of Rams and driving it? That would tell you if it's wheel or tire related.

 

Good catch! In my brain it's still a ratio, ie 3.5 turns to 1 cycle (lock to lock)

I service a '99 ECLB 1/2t (kinda rare, being a 1/2t LB) and it's about 3-3/8:1. I've got a Cancraft sitting on the floor. Actually eager to install it and see how these fare.....but so little time