2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Front End Play

[hilda]

Had this truck for almost a year, lots of front end play. Finally had the wife move the steering wheel as I was under the front end---#@$%! Track bar, and two out of the three tie rod end are very worn.



My questions 3rd gen track bar or Lukes link. Replace the tie rod end with moog and stay with the stock set up, or switch over to the 97-98 set up? Is the 97-98 front end on the 2500 and 3500 the same? I will also install a DSS while I'm at it.



I don't mind spending a little more if the fixes are more long term.



Thanks



Hilda

 

[Dave M]

Which of your trucks is this for? I assume the 01. 5 3500.



I went with the 3rd gen TB for my 97 3500 5spd 4x6 as you see in my signature. The way I see it the Lukes Link still uses the crappy ball joint of the old style but the 3rd gen replaces the ball joint with a straight bolt thru... no more joint problems. I put in the PSC 3 turn box and DSS and WOW... what a difference in steering... one finger steering! Of course none of these fixes will help if something else is loose also like ball joints, tie rods, control arm bushings, shocks, rotors, hubs... you get the idea.



Go with the 3rd gen if you can spend a little more.



Dave

 

[Sandifer]

I highly recommend Thuren Fabrication's track bar. I had horrible death wobble. I had my front-end checked and the only thing worn was the track bar. I installed Don Thuren's track bar and no more death wobble. excellent product.

 

[Dave M]

I highly recommend Thuren Fabrication's track bar. I had horrible death wobble. I had my front-end checked and the only thing worn was the track bar. I installed Don Thuren's track bar and no more death wobble. excellent product.

The Thuren TB is a great product but you either use the 2nd gen bar with heim joint or the 3rd gen bar with his weld on conversion bracket. I did not want a heim joint (just my preference) or a weld on conversion bracket. Since I don't weld I went with the bolt on SS conversion bracket. And as far as the heim joint I preferred eliminating the ball joint/heim joint entirely and go with the bolt thru 3rd gen design. Both are good products.

 

[JKinney]

Your a very lucky person to live in Long Beach! Go find Don ThurenOo.



He lives and works down there someplace. I gotta call clean from Maine and pay shipping :{

 

[JKinney]

The Thren TB is a great product but you either use the 2nd gen bar with heim joint or the 3rd gen bar with his weld on conversion bracket. I did not want a heim joint (just my preference) or a weld on conversion bracket. Since I don't weld I went with the bolt on SS conversion bracket. Both are good products.

I dont know what your talking about He sold me his adjustable track bar that bolts on right where the oem bar went, no bracket, no welding. Sixty thousand on his trackbar thus far and the rig still steers great. I realize it has a heim joint, but it is not what I would call a second gen track bar, its a thuren track bar.

 

[Dave M]

I dont know what your talking about He sold me his adjustable track bar that bolts on right where the oem bar went, no bracket, no welding. Sixty thousand on his trackbar thus far and the rig still steers great. I realize it has a heim joint, but it is not what I would call a second gen track bar, its a thuren track bar.

Sorry for the confusion. I'm just saying its a heim joint in place of the OEM ball joint if you didn't add the conversion bracket. I prefer the 3rd gen TB that eliminates the joint altogether and bolts onto the conversion bracket. Just my preference and I agree it is a good TB and much better than stock.



Edit: Sorry about referring to the heim joint tB as a 2nd gen bar. It replaces the 2nd gen bar that has a ball joint with a new designed bar with a heim joint. Also, using the Thuren TB is alot cheaper than the SS conversion bracket and SS adj TB that I installed. Again, either of these products are very good mods especially over the stock design in my opinion which may be worth 2 cents.

 

[DPrew]

You don't see a lot of Diesel trucks in Maine. I'm amazed at how most of the 3/4 & 1 ton plow trucks and work trucks are gassers in the central Maine. I realize an extra $5-6K for an oil burner doesn't fit in many budgets in the Augusta area where I'm from.

Down here in Texas where I live now you get a lot of people who don't even own a trailer who have a Diesel! Do you need 650 foot pounds of torque to drive to the office? Texas is definitely truck country!

 

[hilda]

I'm going with the 3rd gen TB. Does anyone else make the bracket besides SS. The trucks going to Carli's for springs and shocks so I'm going the get the adj TB.

Thanks

Hilda

 

[WPeschel]

Had this truck for almost a year, lots of front end play. Finally had the wife move the steering wheel as I was under the front end---#@$%! Track bar, and two out of the three tie rod end are very worn.



My questions 3rd gen track bar or Lukes link. Replace the tie rod end with moog and stay with the stock set up, or switch over to the 97-98 set up? Is the 97-98 front end on the 2500 and 3500 the same? I will also install a DSS while I'm at it.



I don't mind spending a little more if the fixes are more long term.



Thanks



Hilda

I just installed my DSS from PSCmotorsports, worth every penny, I cant wait to drive in to work tomorrow 73 miles one way... I will be buying the 3rd gen trackbar bracket very soon... Thanks Dave M for your suggestions... . I will probably buy the PSC steering box too later to top it off... . I have searched Lukes links and have read more unsatisfied users than satisfied. .

 

[SLouke]

My front end wanders all over the road, but unlike most people here I don't have the capability to do the repairs/upgrades myself. Can someone suggest a shop near Portland, OR that can diagnose and correct the problem?

 

[Dave M]

My front end wanders all over the road, but unlike most people here I don't have the capability to do the repairs/upgrades myself. Can someone suggest a shop near Portland, OR that can diagnose and correct the problem?

Try Source Automotive. They do install stuff. Source Automotive -- SERVICES



I just bought my SBC clutch from them. Rip is a nice guy to deal with. They sell DSS and other SS front end stufff.



Dave

 

[PPettit]

Also might look up Leonards 4 wheel drive out in Hillsboro. Very good guy.

 

[SLouke]

Dave, thanks for the info. I sent an email to Rip and I'll be taking it to him next week for a good goin' over to see what can be done for it. By the way, his updated web address is: Source Automotive - Light Truck Diesel Performance - Home
Oo.

Sam

 

[Dave M]

Yeah. I was on Source Automotives site and seen it was updated and it looks better. I talked to the guys there yesterday on a problem I had and they are always helpful and they know our trucks. They helped me out on questions I had when I got the SBC clutch a month or 2 ago. They've been selling the Solid Steel front end parts for a long time now.



I fought the "Death Wobble" for 2 years and finally fixed it. One of the best things you can do is use the SS 3rd gen conversion bracket and go to the SS 3rd gen adj track bar. Then add the DSS and a PSC 3 turn steering gear and the truck will steer with one finger. I love driving this truck now. It handles like a sports car. You still need to address any bad front end parts first. Rip and his guys should be able to help you there.



Tell them the guy (uh... hum... . yeah... it was. . uh. . me) who called Friday asking about changing NV4500 fluid and had a piece of the plastic fluid transfer tube fall into the transmission says Hi. By the way, I pulled the PTO cover and was able to remove the piece of plastic. Don't ask... its a long story. Took a 1 hour simple fluid changed and turned it into 1/2 day. They said they never heard of that happening before... . boy do I feel stupid.



Good Luck,

Dave

 

[Joe Mc]

Fought the same demon on my 99 since I bought it in 01. 3 POS Moog stock design trackbars later I finally went with the 3rd gen conversion Bracket & adjustable trackbar and the DSS steering stabilizer (bracket & bearing for the steering box sector shaft) BINGO! Highly recommended tight as a turtles butt! Still need to get alignment done (about 3k miles since install) tires are wasted anyway so I'm putting it off till the new ones are installed. It's about $500 +/- for the parts and a 4 - 6 beer install job but worth every penny and burp!

 

[hilda]

All right guys I took the plunge, ordered the bolt on 3rd gen bracket from Rip, and the 3rd gen adj TB from Don Thuren. Now I just need the time to bolt them on. Can't wait

Hilda

 

[tippytoes]

I highly recommend Thuren Fabrication's track bar. I had horrible death wobble. I had my front-end checked and the only thing worn was the track bar. I installed Don Thuren's track bar and no more death wobble. excellent product.

i have noticed that my Dodge is steering more and more like my old '87 K5 Blazer (6" lift on 35 BFG muds). lots of play, on the interstate at higher speeds (70+) the front end vibrates/wobbles. does this sound like that "death wobble"? i had it checked, it did need a new tire rod and ball joints, which were completed, but the steering is the same



i took it to the shop for those repairs bc my college classes this semester don't allow me time to screw with the truck like i could with the Blazer (the good ol days). after reading this thread... perhaps it would be the TB and the shop didn't look for it bc they stopped after they found the worn ball joints (they were legit bad, i looked at them before they R&R)?



i'm not much good at diagnosing steering & suspension problems, but if someone could tell me how to check my TB i'm going to jack it up and check here at home. if it does need to be replaced, can someone tell me about how long/complicated of a job it is? i'm dang tired of taking it to the shop!



~tiff

 

[hilda]

i have noticed that my Dodge is steering more and more like my old '87 K5 Blazer (6" lift on 35 BFG muds). lots of play, on the interstate at higher speeds (70+) the front end vibrates/wobbles. does this sound like that "death wobble"? i had it checked, it did need a new tire rod and ball joints, which were completed, but the steering is the same



i took it to the shop for those repairs bc my college classes this semester don't allow me time to screw with the truck like i could with the Blazer (the good ol days). after reading this thread... perhaps it would be the TB and the shop didn't look for it bc they stopped after they found the worn ball joints (they were legit bad, i looked at them before they R&R)?



i'm not much good at diagnosing steering & suspension problems, but if someone could tell me how to check my TB i'm going to jack it up and check here at home. if it does need to be replaced, can someone tell me about how long/complicated of a job it is? i'm dang tired of taking it to the shop!



~tiff



I just had the wife get behind the wheel and turn it just a few inches in each direction, while I was underneath the front end. What i saw was the TB (on the frame end) and the tie rod ends moving up and down. I did not realized how bad mine was. I'm not that surprised, when I'm driving down these wonderful freeways here in LA my truck tracks like a jet boat, I'm constantly correcting the wheel.



I used to have an early Bronco that has the same front end, and before I fixed it, it would do a lane change on it's own. All you had to do on that TB in chance the bushings... lol



Hilda

 

[tippytoes]

i had a brain burp and forgot for a min that i no longer have a 4wd, its a 2wd... with IFS. no TB. everything else in suspension has checked out, and my guess is steering box (feels similar to my Yukon when it needed one). makes the most sense at this point, and i've heard thet're the weak link in the 2wds.



time to do is figure out how hard/much that'll be, and if its something i can do or if that darn shop will be seeing more of me.



if there are any other suggestions of what could be causing the loosey-goosey of the wheel, pls throw them at me!



~tiff