Is my steering rack to blame?
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Professional
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 149
Likes: 1
From: Osage, IA
IT WAS A WORN SWAY BAR LINK!!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!
Now the rest of the story.....
I finally took it to the local Dodge dealer after two private shops could not fix it. Sure, they both admitted it had something wrong but didn't want to spend any money (mine or theirs) if it didn't fix the problem. My steering rack, tie rods, ball joints all came back good from all three shops who looked at it. That makes me feel good....
How did the Dodge guys find it? One laid on the ground under the front end, the other opened the drivers door and rocked the truck back and forth. Clunk, clunk, clunk went the truck. The sway bar link (right next to the front shock if you don't know) had alot of play in the bottom bushing allowing the clunking noise when turning or hitting bumps at low speed. Never could really hear it at hyway speeds. The other shops put the truck on the lift and tried to find play in all the parts but didn't find any. Might be because the sway bar link had alot of weight on it with the tires off the ground? I don't know but it's fixed. Oh yah that link it sure small but still costs $115 or so. Just a chunk of threaded rod and two bushings.
Also, had a sweek in the front end. Looked all over hell to find it. Turns out a little plastic tad from the grille was rubbing on the radiator frame area as the paint was all rubbed off. Alittle grease and we are good to go. Sigh....it's nice to have all these little stupid problems fixed! Going to keep and eye on my steering rack as it might need replacing soon. Thanks for the replies!
Now the rest of the story.....
I finally took it to the local Dodge dealer after two private shops could not fix it. Sure, they both admitted it had something wrong but didn't want to spend any money (mine or theirs) if it didn't fix the problem. My steering rack, tie rods, ball joints all came back good from all three shops who looked at it. That makes me feel good....
How did the Dodge guys find it? One laid on the ground under the front end, the other opened the drivers door and rocked the truck back and forth. Clunk, clunk, clunk went the truck. The sway bar link (right next to the front shock if you don't know) had alot of play in the bottom bushing allowing the clunking noise when turning or hitting bumps at low speed. Never could really hear it at hyway speeds. The other shops put the truck on the lift and tried to find play in all the parts but didn't find any. Might be because the sway bar link had alot of weight on it with the tires off the ground? I don't know but it's fixed. Oh yah that link it sure small but still costs $115 or so. Just a chunk of threaded rod and two bushings.
Also, had a sweek in the front end. Looked all over hell to find it. Turns out a little plastic tad from the grille was rubbing on the radiator frame area as the paint was all rubbed off. Alittle grease and we are good to go. Sigh....it's nice to have all these little stupid problems fixed! Going to keep and eye on my steering rack as it might need replacing soon. Thanks for the replies!
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 24,686
Likes: 21
From: South Georgia/East Florida
Bushings can sound HORRIBLE when they go bad and NOBODY looks for them to be the issue. Glad it wasn't anything major.
BTW, I haven't priced Ram swaybar links, but I just bought a set for my Grand Cherokee to cut and weld longer to accommodate a lift I just put on. Mopar ones were $70 each, I bought Moogs (very good brand) online for $23 each...
I wasn't about to spend $70 just to go to cutting on them, besides I'm sure the bushings on the Moogs are as good if not better.
and yes, before anybody b*tches, I painted them! They were too hot still when I snapped the pics...
BTW, I haven't priced Ram swaybar links, but I just bought a set for my Grand Cherokee to cut and weld longer to accommodate a lift I just put on. Mopar ones were $70 each, I bought Moogs (very good brand) online for $23 each...
I wasn't about to spend $70 just to go to cutting on them, besides I'm sure the bushings on the Moogs are as good if not better.
and yes, before anybody b*tches, I painted them! They were too hot still when I snapped the pics...
Last edited by HammerZ71; Nov 24, 2011 at 06:43 PM.
