If you're exhausted of chasing your own truck across three lanes of motorway, it's probably time to take a hard look in your 2007 ram 2500 steering box . These heavy-duty trucks are absolute workhorses, but let's be honest—the steering sense from the manufacturer was never specifically "sports car razor-sharp. " After fifteen-plus years on the particular road, most of these rigs have developed a mind of their own own. You change the wheel two inches left, and the truck simply keeps going directly until it suddenly decides to dart over. It's stressful, it's frustrating, plus frankly, it may be a little questionable when you're carrying a heavy truck.
Why These types of Steering Boxes Give Out
The 2007 model year is a bit of an fascinating beast for the particular Dodge Ram. It was the end end of the particular third generation, and while the five. 9L and six. 7L Cummins motors were busy being legendary, the steering components were striving to keep upward with the weight. The stock 2007 ram 2500 steering box wasn't always "bad, " yet it was undersized for the huge loads these trucks often carry.
Inside the box, you've got a series of seals, bearings, and also a sector base. As time passes, the industry shaft—the part that connects to your pitman arm—starts in order to develop side-to-side have fun with. This happens mainly because the heavy top end of the particular Cummins puts the massive quantity of influence on that individual shaft every time you turn the steering wheel. Once those internal tolerances get bad, no amount associated with "tightening the realignment screw" is heading to truly fix it. In truth, messing with that will top screw as well much can in fact bind the equipment create your steering feel even weirder.
Identifying the particular "Dodge Wander"
Before you drop several hundred dollars upon a new box, you want in order to be sure that's actually the problem. The "Dodge Wander" is usually a collective hard work from several components. It could be your ball bones, your tie fishing rod ends, or even the monitor bar.
A quick method to test your 2007 ram 2500 steering box will be to have a pal sit in the taxi with the motor off. Have all of them wiggle the steering wheel back plus forth while a person watch the insight shaft (the part coming from the steering column) as well as the pitman hand (the part heading to the wheels). If you observe the input shaft spinning but the pitman arm isn't moving immediately, the slack is in the box. If you view the sector shaft shifting side-to-side rather compared to just rotating, the particular internal bushings are shot. At that point, you're looking at a replacement.
Replacement Choices: OEM vs. Auto aftermarket
When this comes to picking a new 2007 ram 2500 steering box , you have a few different paths. You could navigate to the local parts shop and grab an inexpensive remanufactured unit, but a lot of guys in the particular Cummins forums will certainly tell you that's a gamble. Occasionally those "reman" units are just cleaned out up and resealed without actually fixing the internal tolerances. You might finish up best back where you were only available in six months.
The "Big Bore" Upgrade
Many owners choose for the Mopar 6-bolt upgrade. Originally made for the this year and newer trucks, it is a much bigger, beefier box that can be retrofitted towards the 2007 models. It's often known as the "Big Bore" box. It uses a larger sector base and has more internal fluid capability, which helps along with heat and longevity. Just remember that if you go this route, you'll generally need a brand-new pitman arm since the shaft dimension is different compared to the stock 2007 version.
Superior Remanufacturers
Manufacturers like Redhead or even Blue-Top are tales within the Ram community. What these guys do differently is usually they actually piece of equipment the housings plus install oversized bearings to take away all the factory-spec "slop. " When a person bolt one of them on to your truck, the difference is usually night plus day. It's regarding as close since you can get to creating a seven, 000-pound truck sense like it's in fact connected to the road.
The particular Install: What to anticipate
Replacing the 2007 ram 2500 steering box isn't the most specialized job in the world, but it is actually demanding. These containers are heavy—usually around 35 to forty pounds—and you're working in a cramped space.
You're going in order to need a great pitman arm puller. Don't try to defeat it off using a hammer; you'll just end up discouraged and might damage something else. The energy steering lines can also be a literal pain. They've been sitting generally there for a long time, likely obtaining hit with street salt and muck, so they might be seized. A bit of going through oil the night time before goes a considerable ways.
Once the old box is away and the new one is in, you have to bleed the system. This isn't like bleeding brakes. You fill the particular reservoir, jack the particular front end up therefore the tires are off the floor, and turn the particular wheel lock-to-lock lots of times without the engine running. This coaxes the air bubbles from the ranges. If you begin the truck too early with air within the system, the pump will foam the particular fluid, and you'll have a loud, jerky steering wheel for a few days.
Don't Forget the particular Steering Box Backing
If you're replacing your 2007 ram 2500 steering box , you should think about adding a steering box stabilizer (sometimes called a field shaft brace). This particular is a simple metal bracket that bolts across the particular frame rails and holds underneath of the sector shaft in a showing.
It's possibly the best $150 you can spend upon these trucks. It stops the framework from flexing and prevents the field shaft from twisting sideways. By having this particular brace, you're safeguarding your new steering box from the particular same forces that killed the authentic one. It's one of those "while you're in there" jobs that makes sense off over time.
Final Thoughts for the Drive
Right after you've swapped the particular box and maybe added a support, the first drive will be always a revelation. That will terrifying dead place in the middle of the wheel should be eliminated. You won't need to "saw" at the particular wheel just in order to stay in your own lane.
It's easy in order to forget how properly these trucks can handle once the steering is tight. While a new 2007 ram 2500 steering box won't make it generate like a luxury car, it will certainly make your weekend hauls or even your daily commute a whole lot much less stressful. If you're on the fencing about whether in order to spend the money, just think about the next time you're caught within a crosswind with a trailer—you'll become glad you do have a box that actually listens to your advices.
Keep an eye upon your fluid ranges for your first several days, look for leakages at the line connections, and appreciate possessing a truck that actually goes exactly where you point this. It's a large job, but for anyone who plans on keeping their 5. 9 or six. 7 for another decade, it's a good essential upgrade.