05 2500 alignment

[r strickland]

Hey, I have a 05 Dodge diesel Ram I bought new in 05,still only has 42000 miles on it , I never have liked the way it drives ,it's four wheel drive ,I installed steering box stabilizer a couple years ago, seems i'm always chasing the steering or it's pulling to right, i have always kept it inside garage,never wrecked, I've never had it aligned because tires wearing good, just replaced tires because of age afraid they would blow out,I was reading on here that with 4x4 front axle align specks were different, anyone else had this problem and found a fix to make it drive better?
Tahnks

 

[Ozymandias]

Put a T-steering linkage in it and align ut to Thuren Specs. Problem solved.

The whole steering problem comes right from factory with a stupid toe-in alignment that is a pest combined with a solid axle. Zero toe - Zero problems. Simple said.

Going straight down the road is caster setting, toe is more or less for tire wear and agility.
But wrong toe messes up everything, tires fighting each other.
Worst case is DW.

 

[Regcabguy]

https://www.thurenfabrication.com/pages/2003-2009-ram-2500-3500-alignment

 

[Darkbloodmon]

Synergy T Link on my 03 with free spin hubs. It's very point and shoot. No complaints besides the price. It used to be 750.00 now its near a grand iirc.

 

[Regcabguy]

Synergy T Link on my 03 with free spin hubs. It's very point and shoot. No complaints besides the price. It used to be 750.00 now its near a grand iirc.

Same here but with the upgraded tie rod ends that don't flop forward.

 

[Ozymandias]

Still very pleased with the OEM 08.5 upgrade after 100k, I wouldn't go aftermarket here.

 

[jghflys]

I did similar work as Ozy did. Used Moog problem solver T-link system with stabilizer and pittman arm, part number DS800980A. Also aligned to Thuren specs. Drives straight down the road.

 

[r strickland]

Thanks for the help, I'm old school so the toe is set dead straight,right? what does the .05 degree come to in inches?

 

[r strickland]

been reading about the pitman arm, whats the advantage of changing?

 

[jghflys]

what does the .05 degree come to in inches?

.05 degrees is .0105 inches per foot. So if you are measuring from centerline of the hub, in 2 feet .050degrees would measure .021 inches. At 10 feet it would be .105 inches. Hard to measure on a garage floor.

I recommend asking around and find a good alignment shop with a dedicated alignment bay and electronic equipment (Hunter), and have them align the truck with the Thuren specs. Print the attached file and bring it to them. Note that the specs are for T steering only, ify you have Y steering, use the factory specs,.

 

[jghflys]

been reading about the pitman arm, whats the advantage of changing?

The new pitttman arm has a different angle better suited to the Moog T-steering conversion. Warning: I had to use a grinder with a slitting disc to get the old one off. I have a puller but did not want to risk damaging the steering box after the puller got really tight. I did not want to hammer on the sector shaft to knock the pittman arm loose.

 

[Ozymandias]

If you still use the y-steering I highly recommend to convert it to T.
Dodge figured it out that the Y isn't a good setup and therefor went back to the T with the Gen4.
And even better they made a conversion kit for the Gen3 to use that too.

Straight ahead is right.

 

[Ozymandias]

Forgot about the steering box, they made a new one too, much beefier then the undersized one that our trucks came with from factory.

 

[Darkbloodmon]

Slightly off topic, but I've got 241K on my OEM box (no leaks) and I built a custom power steering filter using @seafish 's design with Amsoil ATF.

I did have to tighten up the adjustment nut on the sector shaft (its a miracle I didn't have death wobble) and its been nice and tight. I did install a new Mopar updated pitman arm when I put my T Link in (came with the Synergy kit)

 

[Regcabguy]

Slightly off topic, but I've got 241K on my OEM box (no leaks) and I built a custom power steering filter using @seafish 's design with Amsoil ATF.

I did have to tighten up the adjustment nut on the sector shaft (its a miracle I didn't have death wobble) and its been nice and tight. I did install a new Mopar updated pitman arm when I put my T Link in (came with the Synergy kit)

Synergy has upgraded tie rod ends for the drag link if you have the ones that flop forward.

 

[Darkbloodmon]

Synergy has upgraded tie rod ends for the drag link if you have the ones that flop forward.

Mine came with the updated links, less than two years old on my unit.

 

[r strickland]

what you fellas think about thishttps://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/64140/10002/-1?ltk_offer=EM3757WBQ&ltk_offer_expiration=5/31/2020%2011:59:00%20PM&trk_msg=OQQPHN4MM8G4T28I0AAR5484NS&trk_contact=B5DE6BH7CCUH46F2QGL2IL3BMK&trk_module=bna&trk_sid=JJ2SK8EIU94RO3G64VMIUO4NJ8&trk_link=DSUA0DPJH7LKN77A7FBEQM36B8&ltk_offer=EM16981IRH&ltk_offer_tier=%24100+OFF&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Product&utm_campaign=GXP+Product+Browse+Abandonment&utm_content=Message+1

 

[Regcabguy]

Mine came with the updated links, less than two years old on my unit.

I just got them. No more clunk. I chucked my Kore clangers too for some Carli's coils. Nice and normal up front now.

 

[Darkbloodmon]

what you fellas think about thishttps://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/64140/10002/-1?ltk_offer=EM3757WBQ&ltk_offer_expiration=5/31/2020%2011:59:00%20PM&trk_msg=OQQPHN4MM8G4T28I0AAR5484NS&trk_contact=B5DE6BH7CCUH46F2QGL2IL3BMK&trk_module=bna&trk_sid=JJ2SK8EIU94RO3G64VMIUO4NJ8&trk_link=DSUA0DPJH7LKN77A7FBEQM36B8&ltk_offer=EM16981IRH&ltk_offer_tier=%24100+OFF&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Product&utm_campaign=GXP+Product+Browse+Abandonment&utm_content=Message+1

I don't like Moog, their quality control has fallen off a cliff. Parts don't always fit, part numbers don't line up with a picture, etc. Mopar or Synergy would be my recommendation.

 

[jghflys]

I don't like Moog

I use Moog for most of my suspension replacement parts on my vehicles. I have had as many as 13 vehicles but down to nine now. I get good service from Moog at a reasonable price. Moog also reengineers parts to fix problems the OEM parts have, their problem solver line. FYI, Mopar t links are not greaseable. So, whatever you get, make sure it has grease zerks.