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:D

I was scratching my head over it when I first installed it. There is no real obvious reason to be getting better steering. Other than what I guessed with the steering blocks.

I don't think I am out steering the box. I just checked yesterday as I thought the truck was either out of alignment or my steering shaft was having an "episode" But sitting in the driveway I was able to hit the steering lock when I should have in both directions.

I get approx 4.38 rotations from lock to lock, which is what I got before the ram. And the ram is not slipping on the tie rod. I used Dicks method of clamping it which did cause a head ache, but I added some tack welds on the tie rod to keep it from slipping and that stopped that. When aligning it, I just have to grind down the tack weld (maybe a 3 minute procedure) and move on. (the tack weld is not on the clamp. but rather is a "stop" for the edges of the clamps. I have seen where some have welded tubes outside the tie rod to stop the clamp from sliding back and forth excessively, this is just a modified version of that concept. Basically the welds are there so the clamp can have some friction for better grip)

I am going to check the TRE's this weekend, just because. But I don't think there is anything wrong with them. My truck is handling fine no vibes or shakes that haven't always been there (our roads are not the greatest so they have to be taken into account) I can get it on the highway and cruise 75-80 mph with one finger on the steering wheel.

I am putting new tires on it this weekend as well. so I am going to be double checking the toe to make sure I don't start off the new tires on a bad note. <Maybe the new tires will further increase my steering.:D they are slightly wider than what I have on there now.ha ha !
 
I'm not sure where I read you welded to the Tie Rod... sorry! I did something similar to Dicks setup, cut a piece of tube down the middle, about 1/2" wide and welded it to the Tie Rod on either side of the clamp. Doesn't move and I can still adjust Toe by loosening the Clamp.

Hrm... yeah Maybe your knucle studs are loose? Fawk I don't know... I know toyota axles... not this dana stuff! Do you have knuckle studs that hold your knuckle to the diff? Or ball joints? :confused:

I feel pretty dumb right now! LOL
 
Dick Foster said:
Don't wanna do that shit or you'll be going through balljoints and TREs like there's no tomorrow.
Do what shit?
 
Ahh, ok. No worries for me- I get stumps to do all my bending shit up.
 
Discussion starter · #29 ·
Dick Foster said:
Fucking XTerrains are pieces of shit so that could be your problem right there. Have they cupped yet?

Pretty funny! Actually X-Terrains arent my first choice in a tire, but that is what the truck had on it when I bought it. Incidentally, the previous owner said that the shimmy wasnt a real issue with 35" tires. The X-Terrains made it feel really bad. So it really could just be shitty ass tires for all i know which is why I wanted to start there first. I need someone with smaller tires I guess, then i could test them out and see.
 
Wgasa84 said:
I'm not sure where I read you welded to the Tie Rod... sorry! I did something similar to Dicks setup, cut a piece of tube down the middle, about 1/2" wide and welded it to the Tie Rod on either side of the clamp. Doesn't move and I can still adjust Toe by loosening the Clamp.
I was going to set my ram up as you have yours. My buddy that was there helping me fab up the brackets and such wanted to weld the mount to the tie rod, but before he actually did it, (it was funny) He realized that you can't adjust the toe afterwards... He asked are you sure you want to run a ram? I just told him that yes...that is why I bought the extra tubing. With a puzzled look on his face, he asked what are you going to do with the tubing? Make stops for the bracket. We ended up compromising and just made weld "stops" on the tie rod.

Wgasa84 said:
Hrm... yeah Maybe your knucle studs are loose? Fawk I don't know... I know toyota axles... not this dana stuff! Do you have knuckle studs that hold your knuckle to the diff? Or ball joints?


I feel pretty dumb right now! LOL
I thought about the steering arm studs being loose, that is one thing I am going to check out. but I doubt that they are, but you never know.

The dana 44 uses ball joints, I put the stock shafts and ujoints back in when I installed the axle, thinking that I would be replacing that stuff soon enough...might as well wheel it as is and upgrade when it breaks. but the damn stuff won't break! I am not complaining but it is doing better than I thought it would!
 
I always get them crossed up! caster can be fixed by positioning the spring pads correct? that was what I was talking about.

We re-welded the spring pads and got a better positive angle, which in turn helped the axle return to center better and stopped the wheels from trying to "fight each other"
 
Sorry to disappoint your ole sorry ass! :D I did it right the first time. no learning the hard way for me on this one!

clamp to tie rod, build stops into tie rod for ability to adjust toe! Got it! You see I am not todays generation, I listen to my elders! :flipoff1:
 
I figured it would be better to be short than too long! At least that is what I have been told in other facets of life!:D I was always told being "too long" got painful!:bhump:
 
Discussion starter · #36 ·
Well I didnt get a chance to work on the truck this weekend. All I was able to do was inflate the front tires to a good psi, and equal them out. (1 was down to 18psi). It actually helped, so I am wondering if Dick is right and that these damn tires are the culprits.
 
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