MudMagnet
Jeeper
heckler
covering Cape Breton, one Rock at a time!!!
Posts: 1,453
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Post by MudMagnet on Apr 29, 2013 20:17:10 GMT -4
5th wheel rails are not install legaly... dot is cracking down on them here, heard of a few ppl getting fine for it... but if your not using them then its fine ;D
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Creepy
Administrator
Dartmouth
Posts: 18,718
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Post by Creepy on May 31, 2013 20:28:11 GMT -4
needs rear caliper on other side now. You know you should do them in pairs..but it costs money you may not have that week.....and here i am, stinkin up the driveway after a CT run.
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Creepy
Administrator
Dartmouth
Posts: 18,718
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Post by Creepy on Nov 27, 2013 4:40:54 GMT -4
10K later........ - oil change - fuel filter change - axle u-joints - rebuilt front d-shaft If the truck sits a few days in the cold, it won't start. The first time it happened, I pulled the (original?) batteries, cleaned the lugs, and charged the batteries in the shop on the charger. Worked great if ran every day. It sat for the last 2 weeks, and wouldn't start after the cold spell. Batteries look original (and it lived in Que and northern NB) so they have had lots of cold start cycles and are overdue to be replaced. I got 2 new Motomaster Eliminator AGM's with a 760CCA at -18C. Should do the trick. they have a 5 year free replacement warranty, no prorating crap. On sale too. after tax, they were just shy of $200 each. Its deathwobbling bad enough I won't drive it, think I'm gonna kill somebody or myself. Potholes on one tire, or highway expansion joints, only over 90km/h. To try to fix this - I replaced one bad TRE at the pitman, and 2 new upper balljoints. (10000kms old) The TRE was obvious so it got done first. Truck still wobbled. The upper balljoints let the tire click in/out at 12/6 quite noticeably, so I changed them out Scott's, thinking 'this has got to fix it' even tho I have been advised earlier in the thread they can have .060" play. I find that ridiculous, but am learning its true. The bottoms seemed fine, no movement. This truck prompted me to buy my own balljoint press. Still wobbling. I looked it over, Scott looked it over, and I even took it to CVO and had Craig look at it on the hoist. None of us can find anything wrong except what looks like the sector shaft on the steering box is moving. Its very expensive.....but this is where I was last week. 3 opinions of "All good, probable bad box". Dealer price $850 for the same piece of junk. No fawking way. rebuilt Napa's have a terrible internet rep., coming in around $450. One guy had to put 3 on, to get one good one. so I went looking aftermarket. Settled on Redhead aftermarket rebuild box. They have been around since the 60's and I liked their 'about us' section on their website. looked like a good quality shop run by enthusiasts. Ordered it from Diesel Performance Products online, last night. upfront price was lower than the Napa's, but shipping/core return is going to put it on par with the dealer. So basically same price, much better quality. Also ordered a steering box sector shaft support that bolts between the framerails and captures the sector shaft in a bearing. Got it from BD Diesel Performance in BC. There are 5 or 6 companies on the market who make these, but they are all the same unit with slight differences and no advantage of one over the other, so I bought it from the Canadian company. I can't recall ever paying this much money for parts for one of my rigs before, besides tires. I build my own lifts, fab my own parts, buy used, etc. There was just no avoiding shelling out for this steering box. Its all in the mail, I want to have the truck SAFE to drive in time for Xmas vacation. I'll post some pics once the parts start rolling in. PS - we have all experienced deathwobble on our Jeeps, if you've been wheeling a few years. trail damage, worn parts, etc. If you can imagine 3X the weight on top of the same type of suspension system, that huge heavy Cummins engine.....the deathwobble is brought to a whole other level of 'scary as hell'. It is violent in the cab!!!!!! I'm scared the sector shaft is going to snap, so the truck sat in the yard as I got the gumption up to throw a couple thousand bucks at the thing. That killed the batteries. All those things they say about Dodge truck front ends is true. the steering links suck, the balljoints suck, and the steering boxes suck. You know what tho? - the Cummins makes up for it. If I do this aftermarket steering stuff ONCE, and its fine for the rest of its life, I'll be happy and say it was worth it. Wish me luck!
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Post by itsakeeper on Nov 27, 2013 6:22:04 GMT -4
Every now and then everyone gets into a vehicular nightmare; I guess its your turn. PITA but what do you do ? I had a Chev 2wd through work that ate brakes every 3 months after the first set; luckily it Was through work. I had emails all the way up to the vehicle manager for Canada asking why the expenses were so high. If it was mine I would have traded it in but we got stuck with the thing for 3 years.
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Creepy
Administrator
Dartmouth
Posts: 18,718
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Post by Creepy on Nov 27, 2013 6:56:59 GMT -4
At least I knew what I was getting into, All this stuff is well documented on the forums. I wanted the Cummins, this is the price.
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Post by SocialWheeler on Nov 27, 2013 7:43:13 GMT -4
You are right though, once you do it with the right parts the first time for the big upfront $$$, you will save more than that in the long run.
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Post by 8 inches longer, again on Nov 27, 2013 8:39:43 GMT -4
I hope that fixes the problem. Forgive me for asking, I haven't read all of the prior 4 pages...how many km on it?
I can imagine death wobble in a fullsize must be scary as hell. I'm glad my Tundra is IFS.
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Post by chefted on Nov 27, 2013 12:14:41 GMT -4
After you get all these parts in, check the alignment. Make sure the cam bolts for caster are free before you bring it in. Too much +toe combined with too much +caster will cause DW every time, different on every vehicle depending on the wheel base. If everything is tight, including control arm bushings, set the caster 3-5, no more than 5, and keep going out on the toe until it stops DW, max of 0 toe. We install the DB diesel braces all the time, if your box is good, it makes a big difference. I would have went with a borgeson box myself, I have never heard of the company above.
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Creepy
Administrator
Dartmouth
Posts: 18,718
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Post by Creepy on Nov 27, 2013 12:50:23 GMT -4
I hope that fixes the problem. Forgive me for asking, I haven't read all of the prior 4 pages...how many km on it? got it at 287000kms and rebuilt the front end all TRE's, balljoints, wheelbearings. now at 297XXX and replaced pitman TRE, upper balljoints, new steering stabilizer. Box might have been bad the whole time. Ted - thx for advice, will do an alignment. I have checked the caster and it is laid back 5deg both sides. Toe is 1/8" in. Tire air pressure was only 40-50psi, I put it to 70psi. The tires max load at 80psi. Firestone Destinations, mild all terrain. Here's a link to the Redhead box guys. www.redheadsteeringgears.com/the box: www.redheadsteeringgears.com/inventory/2003-2008-dodge-4x4-steering-gearthe brace: www.dieselperformance.com/index.php/product/index/151P
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dan
Jeeper
Membership Co-ord - Valley
Posts: 3,397
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Post by dan on Nov 27, 2013 18:11:38 GMT -4
I don't envy you Jan. lots of money and work being done, all for piece of mind. I hope for your sanity's sake.. and your wallet's sake that this solves your issues.
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Post by chefted on Nov 27, 2013 18:22:57 GMT -4
1/8th toe is too much, for the size tire you are running. Range for that vehicle is only .05-.10 degrees+, not much
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Creepy
Administrator
Dartmouth
Posts: 18,718
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Post by Creepy on Nov 28, 2013 8:32:22 GMT -4
Some pics workin' the Ram this past season. First to Jam, hauled the LJ and the camper. Honeymoon in PEI, haulin the camper. Mopars on the side of the road. The red one is a 440 6pack 4speed car. Valley Crawl dragging the CJ back from Cape Breton, with 500lbs of plow in the back. All of that was done economically, reliably, in comfort and style! So its 10 years old and gets used......steering box ain't that big a deal. Didn't want the thread to sound like I was whining or hated my truck. I love it! Just needs some work.
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badwithcomputer
Jeeper
You have DC2's? You just made a new best friend.
Posts: 2,863
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Post by badwithcomputer on Nov 28, 2013 10:40:25 GMT -4
looking at those bends made my thumbs hurt. Good call.
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Creepy
Administrator
Dartmouth
Posts: 18,718
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Post by Creepy on Jan 12, 2014 6:47:44 GMT -4
Here's the steering box and install. RedHead Steering gears. www.redheadsteeringgears.com/BD Diesel Performance steer box brace www.dieselperformance.com/index.php/product/index/151PAt the dealer picking up fluid w the new batteries installed. First drive. parts the key to the stabilizer. Machined nut for sector shaft. box Took it all out to Scotts and did the work on the lift. THANK YOU SCOTT. oops, busted off the return line for the power steer cooler. New at dealer was $108 plus tax, overnight. Strickly Hyd. in Burnside did it in an hour for $60. Brace goes under the swaybar mount. Pretty easy install really. The steering box install was same as any other rig. Watch out for clockspring is all. sector shaft support bearing See how it works? The machined nut slips down into the lower bearing, so pitman is supported on both sides. No lever effect on steerbox bearings. Should be good for life of truck. ...and a big fat sticker that makes it look like I'm running some wicked shit under the hood. Twin snails! lol That sticker is like 25Hp. The truck has been getting run around this week, it seems good and the always previously present hint of deathwobble is gone. Feels safe again. Going to be tender putting a few more miles on it before calling it done, bit I'm pretty confident it is fixed. Thx again for the lift Scott. Man, it was cold those few days!
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