Okay, sorry if this is answered elsewhere. My dad just bought a used '99 1500 2WD with the 5.8 liter V8. It is a shortbox and he says it is the sport package. Haven't seen it yet. He asked me if I could think of a reason it is a little squirrelly on the highway. Says it likes to drift a little and he is worried that when winter hits, and it hits hard around here, he's gonna need some weight in the back. He loves the power of the 5.8 and is impressed with the economy for a big V8.

Anyone have suggestions as to why it would be that loose on the road? I told him to have the suspension looked at and he said he had a friend look at it and they recommended a sway bar. Is this a problem with the Sport package on Rams? Or is this something that is common on all Dodge pickups? I don't own one, but I have considered one to replace my current blue oval truck.

Thanks in advance.

Chris

 

umm.. its either a 5.9 or a 5.2 .. no 5.8's


well. being squirly on the road could be a number of things.. first thing that pops into my head would , tie rod ends, bad steering box, low steering fluid, bad ball joints.. could be a number of things... best thing to do is get up underneath with someone in the drivers seet and start moving the wheel around to see where the play starts to happen at.. also could be the steering shaft.. sport package is an apperence group.. so it being a sport would have nothing to do with faulty steering.. trac bars are notorious for going bad on these things..

read the FAQ at the top of this section and it may answer alot of your qeustions.. also the search feature works good when your trying to find out specific info on a specific issue..

hope htis helps.. welome FNG!

 

Okay it's a 5.9 liter. Dad called it a 350 for you Chevy people. I told him it was a 360.

 

hope he didnt say that around his dodge.. they dont like it when you call them names.. they get upset... lol

 

Couldn't be a trac bar. He said it's a 2WD

- Tie Rod Ends
- Intermediate Shaft
- Steering Box/Gear

As shott pointed out, you have to find out where the play is in the steering.

 

hmm 350=5.7

also i would have someone turn the wheel back and forth and you look under the front end for the slop and identify the part.. would that be the best way?

 

damnit.. ya know thats the second time i did that? for some reason i always assume everyone has a 4X4 lol

sorry for the mis information..



yes that would be the best way to find out whats going on down there