Dodge heavy-duty trucks are known for a lot of things, but unfortunately, precision steering isn't one of them. If you own one of these trucks, you've likely experienced sluggish steering, road wander, or worse yet, the dreaded "death wobble." These problems are more prevalent in the '94-'02 trucks (but common to some degree in almost all solid front axle trucks), and can worsen when larger tires and/or weight are added to the truck.
The BD Steering Box Stabilizer kit for '94-'02 two- and four-wheel-drive trucks and '03-'08 four-wheel-drive Dodge heavy-duty trucks includes the steering box brace, mounting hardware, and greasable bearing assembly.
While you might think that the steering box was the culprit, most of the issues experienced by Dodge truck owners can be attributed to flexing or deflection at the steering box mounting point on the frame. Put simply, if the box moves, your steering inputs won't be reflected in the way the vehicle responds.
The obvious solution is to stop the steering box from moving with some form of reinforcement. The new Steering Box Stabilizer (SBS) from BD Diesel Performance is designed to do just that. Made in Canada from mild steel and powder-coated in a silver vein finish, the SBS is a brace that ties the driver- and passenger-side frame rails together using the stock front sway bar mounting points. At the same time, a steel plate encompasses the sector shaft and secures it using a longer nut that rides in a heavy-duty bearing assembly.
The first step is to remove the bolts that secure the front sway bar. Here the driver-side bolts are removed, as viewed from the front passenger side of the vehicle.
We recently stopped by BD Diesel Performance to have its SBS installed on an '06 Dodge heavy-duty truck. The installation requires no drilling or welding, and the whole process took less than half an hour, even with us stopping to take photos. Once completed, the steering did indeed feel more precise in low-speed turns, and seemed to track more accurately on the highway.
The SBS is available for '94-'02 two- and four-wheel-drive models, and '03-'08 four-wheel-drive Dodge trucks. At only $205, it's a worthwhile investment for your Ram's steering.