Started installing Rancho shocks and Brakes last night... UGHH
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 18
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I don't think I should have to buy $500 dollars worth of insurance to keep my truck running. It should be built better in the first place.
I'm really disappointed in Dodge for the overall quality. My right window doesn't work, there's the whole suspension problems and how difficult it is to work on. The coating or bolt quality just isn't there.
And now that I know what the truck suspension issue are, I realize my daughters Jeep Liberty has similar issues where is jitters the front end when it crosses bumps in the road. I see and feel her compensating for the jitter drift just like I was for the truck.
I wasn't able to get the top bolt out of my left strut. It came all the way off but the last two threads then it wouldn't move. I twisted of the little hex extension on the shaft and took a 4" grinder and cut a slot through the shaft and nut, then it came right off.
The lower left side bolt came out harder than hell, the right lower bolt I haven't been able to get out, it doesn't move inside the sleeve, the sleeve turns a bit inside teh bushing. I'm wondering if I twist and beat the hell out of it to get it out of there that I'll damage the lower bushing and possibly have it fail 10,000 to 20,000 miles down the road! The left side has a click when it goes over bumps now, haven't been able to look into that.
I am thinking about taking a torch and cutting the bottom straps on the strut that the bolt goes through, remove the lower control arm and press the old bushing out and put a new one in. I coated the bolt on the one I was able to get out with anti seize before I put it back in.
My lifters clatter for the first 5 minutes in the morning too, not sure if that is something I should be worried about or not.
I got a my sway bars from dodgepartsonline.net, reasonable prices, $64.
If you want a TRX swaybar, I'll sell for $60 bucks plus shipping. They are $179 from Dodge, $123 from dodgepartsonline.net (which is actually a Dodge Dealer)
I'm really disappointed in Dodge for the overall quality. My right window doesn't work, there's the whole suspension problems and how difficult it is to work on. The coating or bolt quality just isn't there.
And now that I know what the truck suspension issue are, I realize my daughters Jeep Liberty has similar issues where is jitters the front end when it crosses bumps in the road. I see and feel her compensating for the jitter drift just like I was for the truck.
I wasn't able to get the top bolt out of my left strut. It came all the way off but the last two threads then it wouldn't move. I twisted of the little hex extension on the shaft and took a 4" grinder and cut a slot through the shaft and nut, then it came right off.
The lower left side bolt came out harder than hell, the right lower bolt I haven't been able to get out, it doesn't move inside the sleeve, the sleeve turns a bit inside teh bushing. I'm wondering if I twist and beat the hell out of it to get it out of there that I'll damage the lower bushing and possibly have it fail 10,000 to 20,000 miles down the road! The left side has a click when it goes over bumps now, haven't been able to look into that.
I am thinking about taking a torch and cutting the bottom straps on the strut that the bolt goes through, remove the lower control arm and press the old bushing out and put a new one in. I coated the bolt on the one I was able to get out with anti seize before I put it back in.
My lifters clatter for the first 5 minutes in the morning too, not sure if that is something I should be worried about or not.
I got a my sway bars from dodgepartsonline.net, reasonable prices, $64.
If you want a TRX swaybar, I'll sell for $60 bucks plus shipping. They are $179 from Dodge, $123 from dodgepartsonline.net (which is actually a Dodge Dealer)
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 18
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I finally got all the shocks replaced on my TRX two weeks ago. What a huge improvement!! It drives and handles great! It was a lot of hassle but in the end I have a really nice driving and handling truck... I'm pretty picky about handling. Its to bad the shocks degrade so poorly giving the truck a bad rap.
2006 Dodge TRX
Installed:
34mm front sway bar (Stock SLT swaybar)
Ram 1500 Polyurethane front swaybar bushing
Rear SLT sway bar with polyurethane bushings
Monroe front and rear shocks
Right front lower control arm because the shock bolt was rusted in place.
Dealer recommended replacing the control arm. They tried to remove the bolt but couldn't, they thought they would damage the bushing taking it out. Buying just the bushing isn't an option. They quoted $957. I bought a new after market lower control arm, did the install myself and had the front end aligned, the total came to $340.
I took a few pictures of how I replace the strut and control arm, I'm going to try to post them in a separate thread.
2006 Dodge TRX
Installed:
34mm front sway bar (Stock SLT swaybar)
Ram 1500 Polyurethane front swaybar bushing
Rear SLT sway bar with polyurethane bushings
Monroe front and rear shocks
Right front lower control arm because the shock bolt was rusted in place.
Dealer recommended replacing the control arm. They tried to remove the bolt but couldn't, they thought they would damage the bushing taking it out. Buying just the bushing isn't an option. They quoted $957. I bought a new after market lower control arm, did the install myself and had the front end aligned, the total came to $340.
I took a few pictures of how I replace the strut and control arm, I'm going to try to post them in a separate thread.
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Professional
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 151
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Yes please post details on how the lower control arm is replaced. Both of my lower control arm bushings are shot. I really don't look forward to doing that job. I noticed that rockauto sells the lower control arms complete with ball joints for as low as $137 each.
