# Suggestion For Dodge 2500/3500 4x4 Owners



## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

I just put in a set of front ball joints in my dually. I have been having some tire bouncing over 70mph. I also have been having some loose and wondering steering at highway speeds while loaded.

I have been closely watching the up and down movement at each oil change. I would jack up the front end and shove a 2x4 under the front wheel for a pry bar. I finally decided my truck needed ball joints when I had 1/4 inch of up and down movement in the ball joints. The factory specs are about 1/10 of an inch of up and down movement. I had more than that at 28k but the dealer said nope, they are fine. I never did have any side to side movement in the joints.

Dodge uses a captured king pin for the top joint and then they use an actual ball joint for the lower one. Since the top joint is a king pin, it must move up and down to work freely when the tire turns/steers. Its a poor design and most are wore out at 50-75k miles.

I installed 1 degree off set uppers and the standard lowers. I installed them to give me 1 degree more positive castor. I also got greaseable ones.

What a difference it made. It steers so much better down the highway its amazing. I knew I needed my castor settings at max. To do this, you must rotate the differntial for adjustment. This causes more wear on the front driveshaft, front u joint. Using an offset joint allows more castor without rotating the axle.

By having max castor settings it will steer much more straight down the highway, much like a bigger truck. The tires will lean over more in turns. This will give some better handling, and ease of steering around corners.

So if your big dodge has loose steering, get you some adjustable/or offset upper ball joints and then have the alignment guy max out your positive castor settings.. Much better stability.

To date, dodge is still using this captured ball joint/king pin. So even a new 2008 can have this problem. Dodge has very weak ball joints and also has poor mounting of the steering box, causing lower bearing failure in the steering box.. If you get 100,000 miles out of either you are lucky.

To have the work done will be in the 12-1500 dollar range. I done it myself for 350 bucks.. It is a pretty big job, but renting a good ball joint press makes it a doable DIY job.

Carey


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

I'm not sure what all that means -- but BOY AM I IMPRESSED FOR SOME REASON... of course you're talking to a guy who has only opened his hood twice in order to put water in his windshield washer bottle-thingy...

Heck - on these new trucks -- its hard to even find the engine... let alone do that thing that you did...


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## Collinsfam_WY (Nov 9, 2006)

Carey has done so many mods to his dually I think that the brand should be "Colorado~Dirtbikers 3500".

-CC


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## GlenninTexas (Aug 11, 2004)

My 2000 Dodge CTD 4x4 has 115k miles. I had to adjust the steering box set screw to remove some slack that developed in the steering wheel, but other than that i I've had no problems at all. No tire cupping, shimmy or tire bounce. I also run 305/70 tires. 
Regards, Glenn


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Maybe more of a problem with 3rd gens.

Carey


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Just put down 1200 miles on the new alignment settings... What a difference! Much less work to keep the truck goin straight.. Steering wasnt ever really loose.. Just had ball joints that had too much up and down clearence... Now with that extra degree of Castor angle the truck just cruises super straight down the road... Doesnt wonder around after hitting those dang potholes on I-80 thru Illinois..

Just what I needed!

Carey


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