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Can a Worn Steering Gear Box Cause Death Wobble on an 06 Ram 2500 UPDATED

Can a Worn Steering Gear Box Cause Death Wobble on an 06 Ram 2500

Contrivance Death Wobble: Causes and Cures

March 25, 2019
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It's a phenomenon that can rear its ugly head on any solid forepart axle vehicle, merely perhaps no other automobile (other than Jeeps) experiences it more than 2d and 3rd-generation Dodge Rams. It's chosen death wobble and it can requite even the nigh seasoned drivers a case of the heebie jeebies. While the verdict is however out on the exact cause of death wobble, most instances can be traced dorsum to worn out or damaged steering and break components. This includes the rails bar, steering stabilizer, tie rod, drag link and even ball joints. However, a front-end that's out of alignment, loose fasteners, improperly balanced tires and even over-or-under-inflated tires tin can also contribute to this uncontrollable shaking of your steering wheel.

To ensure your '94-'08 Ram never enters the equivalent of its steering expiry throes, go along close tabs on the vital components mentioned below.

Attention ALL Lifted Trucks

Kickoff and foremost, if your Ram is lifted or sporting a large wheel-and-tire package, your chances of experiencing death wobble are vastly increased. This is because larger tires are harder on items similar runway bars, tie rods, steering dampers and wheel bearings, causing them to wear out quicker. In add-on, lift kits (and lowering kits) alter caster, which is commonly disregarded when elevator systems are installed.

Track Bar: The Mutual Culprit

As the link that locates the beam nether the truck, the track bar connects to the beam at ane terminate and the frame on the other. Every bit such, it's a key part of both the steering and break organisation—and is arguably the most important component under the front end of a solid axle Dodge. Not surprisingly, much of a Dodge Rams' expiry wobble problems tin can stalk from the track bar. Be information technology from shot bushings, a loose bolt on either end or a failing mount (at the welds or mounting holes), the runway bar can permit for the kind of play and oscillations that eventually lead to expiry wobble. In our opinion, if you're lifting your '94-'08 Ram, an adaptable track bar isn't a suggestion, it's a requirement.

Buy a Steering Box Stabilizer

Another common source of problem occurs at the steering box. From the factory, a significant amount of give is present on '94-'08 trucks where the steering box mounts on the frame. Thanks to their ability to eliminate this flex, steering box stabilizers are a hot item in the aftermarket. On elevation of tying both frame rails together, about bolt-on steering box stabilizers add an extra bearing to the output side of the steering box sector shaft as well, which quells any play that exists in the steering box.

Inspect Your Tie Rod Ends (and Upgrade if Necessary)

With the necktie rod assembly being the link between your steering knuckles, worn out tie rod ends can enable the kind of steering play and wandering that result in death wobble. A bent tie rod can do the same. One time once again, lifted trucks with larger wheel and tire packages are going to be much harder on factory tie rods, so it's wise to entertain the thought of upgrading to heavier duty aftermarket versions. Full disclosure though: Before you spend a dime buying parts to correct your death wobble issues, always inspect the necktie rod ends. A healthy unit will let for nothing side-to-side or upwards-and-down motion, but will let sufficient rotational motility.

Check the Drag Link

The drag link is the component that makes steering inputs from the steering box a reality at the steering knuckle. The drag link spans betwixt the pitman arm and steering knuckle, but like many other forepart-cease components information technology makes use of a joint at each stop—a joint that can wear out. Similar to necktie rod ends, there should never exist whatever up and downwards motion in the elevate link'south joints. For lifted trucks that see off-road use, a more robust drag link is a adept thought to keep it from bending (Dodge Off Road'south heavy-duty steering kit is shown above, which comes with a thicker wall, 1026 DOM tubing necktie rod and elevate link).

Bad Brawl Joints (i.e. Aiding and Abetting)

As third-gen and especially second-gen Dodge Rams continue to historic period, worn out parts are a office of life for the 2nd-and-third-hand owners of these trucks. Believe it or non, even bad ball joints (upper and/or lower) can contribute to death wobble past allowing for involuntary wheel motility and transferring vibration direct into the truck's chassis. Someday you tin can tighten up the front-stop (exist it by replacing worn components or physically tightening a loose bolt), you're reducing your chances of experiencing expiry wobble. Carli Suspension's ball joints for '03-'13 Rams are shown to a higher place, which make use of attainable grease zerk fittings and carry a lifetime warranty.

Failing Bike Bearings Don't Help the Situation

Wheel bearings that are on their fashion out tin also boot-first a expiry wobble event. Side-to-side play is a telltale sign they're in need of replacing. While the unit of measurement bearings (i.e. hub bearings) on '94-newer Contrivance Rams aren't exactly cheap (or rebuild-able), these commodities-on assemblies have come downward a lot in price over the years. If you haven't noticed a tendency in the last several paragraphs, it's primarily fail of the components on an crumbling forepart-stop that spur most instances of death wobble.

Runway Straight, Get a Proper Alignment

If you lot've replaced everything or are sure all the steering components in the front-end are in sound working order, take the truck professionally aligned. You would be amazed how easy information technology is for ane boosted 4x4 launch, 1 sled pull or 1 off-route excursion to tweak the front end-end out of alignment. A proper alignment will set up both the truck'south toe-in and caster correctly. Owners of lifted trucks, make sure your store of choice has feel doing alignments on lifted trucks, equally defaulting to OEM settings will not suffice.

Improper Tire Pressure(s)

A commonly overlooked ingredient in death wobble is tire pressure. Under-inflation, over-aggrandizement and drastically unlike pressures in tires tin all contribute to a death wobble episode. Always run the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure and too remember to cheque your pressure level every once in a while.

Go on Them Rotated and Balanced

Let'southward face it, the day you bought your tires was the final fourth dimension they were run on a bicycle balancing machine. As the tread on your tires wears down, their overall shape and weight is gradually altered. After a while, and fifty-fifty though you lot may non discover it in the cab, your tires slowly become further and further out of balance. A worn out set of unbalanced tires can hands spur a death wobble incident if the conditions are right. To guard confronting this, go along your tires rotated every iii,000 to 6,000 miles and, if y'all can swing information technology, accept them re-balanced regularly too.

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