[Big Red]

Everybody knows that Dodge's steering sucks, so why not just bring the truck somewhere and have them hack out the whole steering system and fabricate something that works. I have a $400+ trac bar and have been down this road too many times...It's either try Borgeson Steering shaft or buy a different truck. I had a fabricator cut out the steering in my 1976 Toyota Landcruiser and start over. He converted it to PS and I can turn it with one finger and it goes down the road straight. Period. Never had one problem. Dodge steering sucks. What would you do? I haul and pull masonry materials as needed, it's not like everyday but I have had enough.

 

[Guest]

Yes the steering sucks, but its not terrible.

I have the DTProFab adjustable track bar. I'd recommend that to anyoine, simply based on two things. 1) It is adjustable, allowing compensation for aging springs. 2) It has a relocated pivot point, giving the track bar better geometry.

I've also installed a Borgeson intermediate shaft. I cannot say how much better it is than the stock unit, it is that much better. First is that it has full spline, rather than the half spline coupler at the box end. Second, it fits the steering column end much better than the stock unit.

Next, the steering box is a problem, and I'd recommend the AGR box based on what I've seen of it on lifted trucks. However, there are others out there. Anything other than the ealer stock or a bad reman will get you better steering.

Cutting out the suspension and redesigning the entire thing seems far more costly than these three items.

The next itme seems overkill, but I'm told its a great add on, the steering box brace. THis will stiffen the entire front end. I do not know how well it works, but the reaction to installing any one of about half a dozen different brands on the market is that it was a good addition.

 

[Big Red]

Do you have the AGR box then? I have the DSS on their already. It seemed to help a little. How much for the steering box and Borgeson if I may? It gets frustrating fixing all of Dodge's design flaws. Can you say ridiculous!! Fuel pumps, lift pumps, cracked dash's...I'll stop b4 this goes into another rant.

 

[get vert]

Do you have the AGR box then? I have the DSS on their already. It seemed to help a little. How much for the steering box and Borgeson if I may? It gets frustrating fixing all of Dodge's design flaws. Can you say ridiculous!! Fuel pumps, lift pumps, cracked dash's...I'll stop b4 this goes into another rant.

It could be worse you could be driving mine and it has the worse steering on this forum.

Go ahead and rant over the small stuff, because if you had a Ford you would really be ranting.

 

[Guest]

Do you have the AGR box then? I have the DSS on their already. It seemed to help a little. How much for the steering box and Borgeson if I may? It gets frustrating fixing all of Dodge's design flaws. Can you say ridiculous!! Fuel pumps, lift pumps, cracked dash's...I'll stop b4 this goes into another rant.

The AGR box is on a friends V10 dually with a 10" lift. He reports great things. I believe it cost him about $400

The Borgeson shaft cost about $225 IIRC, and is an excellent unit.

Dodge's flaws include an AC system that seems to empty itself... I'll be removing the dash a third time this year. Had the AC charged in May of last year, and its not working again.

 

[DIESELMAN3500]

yeah w/e u do watch out for the reman units sometimes they arent worth a dime. mine lasted about a year. as far as the steering front end brace i dont think it is mandatory unless you have oversized tires. its supposed to prevent the pitman arm from beating on the bearings. and it also braces the front frame section bc some people have reported frame flexure.

 

[BigBlue]

Get thuren's track bar and cross over steering kit and a DSS and if you can find it, theres a replacement bushing that supports the shaft as it goes through the fire wall that helps a lot. I'd stay away from PSC as their quality control doesn't seem all that great. I went through 3 or 4 boxes in 2 years and each box had it's own seperate problem (wouldn't correct turning to the left, puked fluid when backing trailers, wouldn't correct when turned to the right, lots of slop when steering wheel was centered). PSC has great customer service but I got tired of swapping boxes. I went with an o'reilly's reman and haven't looked back.

 

[Mad Dog]

I think the bushing BigBlue is referring to can be found at 'Rock Solid' Ram Truck Steering ! I ordered one and will be installing it. I'm not going to submit results, because I'll be adding a new Borgeson shaft as well and the one in there now is so sloppy.

FWIW this bushing is pretty straight forward. If you had a lathe you could probably turn one with some polypropylene stock. I have a lathe, but I learned soon after I bought it that it's a lot cheaper to buy parts than to sit at the thing for hours on end trying to make something!

 

[BigBlue]

It's actually harder than you think to get it to fit on the auto's. Tried that one and went through a few different one's and we still couldn't get it to fit. Bought the one from them and it fit like a glove and was actually larger in size than the one's we were making. Don't know how they did it but they got it figured out. The sticks are easy though cause they don't have the shift column. Mine worked alright.