[Cartman]

Saw a neat thread over on pavement sucks (which is down currently)
Rams had factory HD steering in 98, if you buy all the goodies for a 98 (TREs, drag link, adjusters etc) they are all way bigger than the stock crap.
Tha zone, Napa, Advance, all of them list these parts. Just make sure you get the "HD" stuff, since apparently it was an option.
Only thing that sucks is there is no provision for a steering stabilizer but this can be easily solved with a bolt on rancho or other brand...

Just completed the swap this weekend and my steering is much improved. Even took it out for a good 2wd (front driveshaft MIA) thrashing Saturday night...ask Hacksaw about that :sonicjay:
Nothing like touching the Cummins off at 3K in 3rd gear from a standstill

 

[PavementPounder]

Uh, I have a 98 2500HD and I have no idea what you are talking about regarding "no provision for a steering stabilizer". My truck certainly came with one, but it got ripped off the last time I wheeled. :tonka:

I've only had to replace my linkages once years ago (due to wear, not damage or bends) and I went with Moog.

 

[Cartman]

You can probably purchase the mount from DC....but grab your ankles.
There is NO MOUNT for the stabilizer. It clamps on from the factory

I noticed that on Hack's truck too..his is a 98' 3500 and I did notice the stabilizer....the mount could also be a junkyard acquisition.

 

[PavementPounder]

Okay, I guess I just don't understand then. Isn't the stabilizer supposed to just clamp on to the linkage at one end and to a fixed point at the other in a Ram inverted-T system? Its not supposed to come with the steering parts.

PS isn't down (anymore?). Here's the thread. They're throwing around the term "HD" a lot when its just switching from an inverted-Y to an inverted-T. Think I'll register over there. I have a set of the AAM's they have discussed swapping in.



Edit: Maybe not. My username is already taken over there.

 

[Cartman]

Ram inverted T (94-97, 99-2002?) Has a hole specifically for mounting the stabilizer...the inverted Y (98) does not have this. It just relies on a u-bolt style clamp to hold the stabilizer onto the steering linkage, and the mount for this stabilizer (frame end) differs from the mount for the 94-97 & 99-2002.

Hope this helps explain...I'm not 100% sure if the 99-2002 (or non-HD equipped 98s) used the inverted T or what the dealio was there but I would venture to guess its the same style as the 94-97s....

Yeah its not really "HD" steering since it was stock equipment, but it is so much beefier than the stuff I removed that I think the term fits quite well.

I like this setup a lot more than what others are running on Pavementsucks. They have all drilled their knuckles for stupid heim joints...sigh

 

[Cartman]

PP..what ratio are your AAMs?
The only reason they like swapping to the AAM as opposed to a Dana 80 is that they can run the caps on H2 wheels...lol

Did they use AAMs in 2nd gens? Just curious to know if it is a direct swap in or if perches need to be relocated..

 

[PavementPounder]

They are 4.10 and did not appear until the DR's came out. The last year of the BR's had a non-disco D60 front, bu that was the only difference.

I haven't spent much time on Pavementsucks, but i heard that's where people are posting about running the 925 in BR's and I was told its pretty much just a bolt-in deal since the coil pads and control arm mounts are basically right where they need to be. Sharing info on that topic is the other reason I wanted to register. I was going to do the swap, but I decided that I'm going to hold out and search for a 1025 front instead and maybe save the 925 for an XJ (shortened, of course). I'm thinking 1050/1150 for the Ram and the 925 with a 1050 I found for an XJ.

I have ran H2's on my Ram in the past. They have such high backspacing that they looked retarded bolted right on and made the tires rub the control arms. After adding spacers to get the track where it needed to be, I was able to fit the 98 center caps on the Dana axles with the 2005 rims perfectly. I don't know if spacers would be enough to get the H2's flush on AAM's, but you'll probably need them to fix the track anyway. After seeing the H2's covered with mud with the hub sticking through in the rear, I thought they'd look better painted black with the hub painted black to match and just left that way. H2 caps are ghey.

 

[Cartman]

H2 caps are ghey.

agreed. Thanks for the info dood

 

[PavementPounder]

I emailed the Admin on PS and he hooked me up since that clown had 1 post in 4 years, so I'm over there now. :tonka:

 

[Cartman]

oh crap...bar the doors!

That's a pretty good forum. It seems like it is 90% dodge related and I dig it.

 

[halycon]

Hell yeah. The forums here are funny as shit, but the Dodge Tech section here is pretty weak compared to there (no offense CC!). This site is just very Jeep centered.

Glad to hear the boss hooked you up, he's a cool guy.

 

[PavementPounder]

Hell yeah. The forums here are funny as shit, but the Dodge Tech section here is pretty weak compared to there (no offense CC!). This site is just very Jeep centered.

Yeah, but once I start absorbing stuff there, I'll be able to direct people here on GL to the shit they're looking for.

Glad to hear the boss hooked you up, he's a cool guy.

Much better than when I made the same request to Lance over on Pirate. There's some guy out in Idaho over there with my User Name that hasn't posted in years. Lace pretty much said "fuck you", but much more nicely. :sonicjay: I even offered to make a donation, not that he really needs me to give him money.