2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission 03 Trac Bar Conversion: 4500 Mile Test Drive

[RJWEST]

4500 miles, Fl-Maine-Fl;

The steering is TIGHT , STRAIGHT, NO WANDER.

It ain't a Dodge, Big differance

Best upgrade so far... .



Just one problem, it's to tight, Takes a lot of steering force to get the least

bit of turn started...

SO: Now I need a new High Pressuer steering Box.....

 

[FULL TILT]

I am thinking about doing this converion to my truck. Is it worth it or should i just stay with the oe track bar and deal with it every 50,000 to 100,000 miles??

 

[jkalchik]

I missed this post the first time around. Personally, I don't see how a 3rd Gen trackbar retrofit bracket could cause your steering to tighten up, all by itself. I'd suspect that something else is happening.

 

[jkalchik]

I am thinking about doing this converion to my truck. Is it worth it or should i just stay with the oe track bar and deal with it every 50,000 to 100,000 miles??

I put 30k miles on my CTD annually. I *HIGHLY* recommend the retrofit kit, without reservation.

 

[RJWEST]

Jkalchik; Just back from a 1500 mile trip.
It does make the steering pressure increase.
I think, by removing the Sway
( It Killed much of the sway induced by the truck camper weight).
Both wheels stay planted to the road, before it drove like a
motor boat. Rear sway would unload a front wheel.
Now it feels like a completely different truck.
Than again, it may be to some other unknown reason, but now , it requires quite a bit of pressure to make a slight steering correction . High pressure Steering box next ?>

 

[jkalchik]

[scratches head] Seriously, I'm not trying to be offensive. I just do not see how a 3rd Gen trackbar kit will do anything that would make the steering effort increase. I'd be looking at TREs and balljoints first.

 

[HCannon]

I did the balljoints and the TREs and it didnt help. I have received my order of the trackbar kit from Genos. I am like you Jkalchik, I dont see how this could fix it. I hope to get it on this week and see what happens.

 

[RJWEST]

Fine by me, My guess.
Before I could turn the steering wheel without truck turning( slack in trac bar joint ) , Wheels turn ,truck still goes straight
No Load on steering box,
than when slack was taken out of the track bar, truck turned .

H cannon, I think you will be pleasantly surprised how much difference the trac bar makes...

 

[HCannon]

Got it on and it does make a lot of difference. I cant tell that it made any on the turning pressure, if it did it wasnt much. It went on easy without a problem, well built. Should have been purchased when I bought the pickup. Thanks everyone.