O'Reilly part # K060825 is the belt. Just did it on mine and it works perfectly so far. I faced the ribs inward and put a little silicone grease on the smooth part (outside) if the belt. This helped slide it in as well as keep it from rubbing or squeaking in the future. Cut the belt to 6 inches exactly. I also had to use a flat blade screwdriver to push the belt into the opening.
DUDE!! I never post comments on youtube, but this video blew my mind. I have put around $5k into the front end of my '01 2500 Cummins, replacing everything related to steering and suspension. I did not have play where the "Rock solid ram" steering shaft bushing would go, but I did have a ton of play in the same place you addressed a little farther up the column (around the shifter assembly). Instead of using a belt, I used a piece of radiator tubing, as it was already shaped correctly. I cut about 1/2" of tubing then cut it so I could slide it on without removing any steering parts. Added a thin layer of bearing grease so the shifter would move smoothly, then a big ass zip-tie to hold it in place. I've towed my trailer around 200 miles, and been all over town and freeway. No more wander, very little bump steer, and it tracks straight with the camper in wind. For anybody with steering play: Keep in mind that other parts may need to be addressed first, and my truck already has a Borgeson steering shaft, red head close ratio steering gear, new ball joints, tie rod, drag link (all 1-ton), a Rare Parts oversized track bar, new wheel bearings/axle seals and anti-sway bar bushings, sinister diesel steering brace, a 2.5" leveling kit and a new OEM steering stabilizer. I have -12 offset 17'' rims and 33x12.5 A/Ts. For the money and ease of install, this is hands down the best mod I've done, I only wish I had known about this for my '90 and '93 first Gens, they had the same issue in the same place but I couldnt find any suitable options for a fix. Thanks again!!
Im in the same boat you have. I have a 07 2500 and upgraded everything you just said. Only thing i havnt done was the steering shaft itself. Feels like i still have a little slop when at highter speeds. Do you think this is what i need to do too?
It is so hard to say. Could be slop in a bushing again. Sometimes play can be an alignment off and it just feels like it is darting also. These trucks are hard to diagnose.
@@Schneids15 yeah. Everthing i did helped but just not tightest can be. My over size wheels and tires may need the double stabilizer too. When i bought the truck it was good, nice and tight. After the lift and 22" rims and 35" tires my headache began. I replaced everything that could be replaced with upgraded parts. Drives better but not like new
good stuff i had play be hide the Rock solid ram" steering shaft bushing" spot and this fix worked great so far!, you most of had a lot of play i only got about 3- 3 1/2" of belt in but worked great idk if it fix any steering wheel play but it was bugin me how looose it was thanks, 2nd gen rams 4life!
I literally did this same thing yesterday finally discovered it, even after having replaced other shaft with rock solid ram bushing. And now I see someone posted video.I have same Red Ram 4x4 mine has 360 Gasser..but GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE. It did in fact take some play out of the nasty engineering flawed steering system in the 2nd Gen Ram. But expect a couple more possible contributing issues to chase after as well, intermediate steering shaft, sloppy gearbox etc... But this is a must do along with Rock solid polymer bushing upgrade. Good video bro.
wow brother your steering was clapped out ! dam you must be driving alot of washboard dirt roads .my truck at 200k and did the gearbox brace and all new moog steering rods tie rod ends etc and an adjustable trasckl arm was the best im running 35 inch and it was real loose but not the coulmn like yours
Does serpentine belt work better than black rubber hose? You think? And was serpentine belt easy to insert in Gap? I also would recommend maybe a larger zip tie to fill that void so the tie itself can't slip out along with belt/bushing...I used the largest type I have, the big white colored ties, harbor freight sells them.
Dammm every body has the same dam issues with this beautifull trucks lol mine have play especialy over 50mph if i hit a bump or something i feel like tge front end moves to the opossite direccion i took it to different places and cant find out whats the problem ill check mine and hope i thats rhe fix i aprecciate any help from you guys thah have fix some issues thanks
I did it as well. It will in fact help, I used Radiator hose, but maybe gonna consider serp belt if it works better...seems more precise when steering especially at cornering and rounding road curves and less side to side drunk driving crap that just annoys the hell out of ya
Perfect. I was just watching your other video about the clockspring because the column being loose here I thought it was the upper bearing but it wasn't loose so I googled it and this is what I was thinking of doing. Thanks for the videos.
So I just tried your fix today I ended up using a piece of rubber bushing I caught from plumbquik 11/2 coupling and worked well but I have a question should I cut it flush
Good video .......... Ive got a 98 Ram 2500 4x4 I bought for my son to drive his senior year. I just ordered the Rock Solid Ram Steering Fix and will try the belt remedy you just posted as well. As of right now it sits on 38’s with a skyjacker lift but i cant get it over 40 mph.....it has a bad case of the death wobble. Hopefully this will solve my issue after all the money spent on all the front end parts.
Thanks! Most likely this won’t solve death wobble because it is above your steering box. I would get all the joints tightened up and put a good set of steering stabilizers on if it is on 38’s.
Schneids15 Yes Sir I have already installed a pair of skyjacker hydro 7000’s as of yesterday but now I will be reviewing all the steering parts. Thanks again friend ....
Great! Hope that works. I have never had death wobble but i always keep on top of my joints too. Hopefully it works for you. Let me know if you have any other questions👍🏻
i used a piece of rubber screen door tube or string i guess it's called , it's the piece that wedges in the grove around the door where the screen goes in , perfect fit , used a zip tie to keep it in place .
It was not terrible. My steering shaft was seized to the column shaft and it was a pain. Note that this takes all preload off the bearings that spring puts on it. My column got very loose and would rattle on bumps. Had up and down play. My bushing this was replacing was not worn anyways.
My truck wanders like a bitch too. I’m going to try this this weekend!! I’ve done steering box, tie rods, all 4 ball joints and I have the dual steering box stabilizer as well and i got an alignment done as well. Still major play in steering. So hopefully this will help
This helped. The biggest addition to my steering was do the track bar upgrade. I have the 3rd gen conversion but i find i go through bushings like a bitch. Maybe get s system with Heim joints. I replaced all 4 ball joints tie rods and box also
Thx for this vid, I just ordered a belt to try your fix from rockauto for my 95 ram, the steering wheel is a bit loose from left to right but I don't hear any super bad rattling or anything....if this doesn't fix it I'll order that rock solid ram fix....I got the truck used a couple months back and the springs and shocks and ball joints look fairly new on it and the steering itself is accurate, just has some play in the wheel left and right, it could possibly need a new steering box being so old with 224k miles on it but I'll try one thing at a time....pretty soon this thing will pretty much have all new parts at this rate and hopefully last me a lifetime lol, love these trucks
I am at the same point trying all these little fixes myself. best fix for me was XRF ball joints and the 3rd gen track bar conversion. how did the fix help for your column?
I’m super late but if you see this how’d the fix turn out? Mines got all new front end and the gear box tightened but I can slap my wheel and make turn accurately due to alignment new front end and tight box
@@jamalthomas1724 I actually never got around to doing this, life has been crazy and I just drive the truck around town and to the grocery stuff and occasionally haul stuff. Only ever needed to do a tuneup and replaced a dying fuel pump at 225k. I don't know the exact name but it might be called the steering box nut you can loosen if you take off the fan shroud with a wrench then tighten it with some star bit I saw in another vid, that's one thing I could try for free to tighten up the slop. After so long in having the truck I'm actually used to it being loose LOL. On any long trip we just take the much better mpg 4 cylinder car so it hasn't been a huge pressing concern. I don't put very many miles a year on a vehicle as well, $30 in gas lasts me at least a month if not more
WhiteSnake9191 see I had a 00 and it didn’t have this issue. On a 3 in ch lift. But my 97 on 6inches does and I’ve tightened the box nut twice so I guess it’s time for a new one. And I definitely feel you on the gas saver I’ve got one too😂
Ok I was a sceptic. This didnt fix the wondering steering wheel for me but it you have a clunk noise in the wheel this very well could fix the problem. My clunk noise went away and did not effect my shifting at all. Only thing I had to do was take a sanding disk and smooth out the belt to make it fit. Thumbs up bubba thanks for the video!
@@Schneids15 I meant to give everyone the heads up it took like 5 mins tops to do this and cost me absolutely nothing to get rid of the clunk noise in my column. And I took it on a road trip today (50 plus miles) and just got home and it did take away some of my steering wheel wondering. And it has not had any kind of negative side effects. If anything it made my shifting seem tighter (which felt sloppy after my transmission rebuild). Thank you so much for taking the time to make your video and sharing it with all of us :)
Wondering check the shocks and bearing Man. Just hold on to the shock while slowly spinning the wheel. I did it with Autozone replacement shocks and my whole shock moved got that fixed ... after replacing my third wheel hub bearing . 2nd gen fun
Did you have any clunking going over wash boards or did your generally feel like the end of your colum would bounce up and down? I've been chasing loose, and clunking, the center shaft with the factory spring still feels tight, and I have a borgeson intermediate shaft but the colum still knocks and rattles going on bumpy dirt roads
@@Schneids15 I kinda thought it was I looked at it and I dont think that's y mine has the play. I have bought everything new but the upper and lower ball joint I mean everything. It still has that 2 inches of play :'(
I swear i go under mine every 2 weeks or so and i still have play. Tried to beat it but just can’t. Guy i bought my truck from said the truck wanted to go off the road when it was bought new.
@@Schneids15 thanks bubba I think thats what I needed to hear. Ive put about 1k in it just in the last week and still isn't right. I'm at the point that either the frame is bent or the guy that designed the front end on these trucks figured they wouldn't be road worth after being a year old lol
@@Schneids15 I bought a new less than a week ago :'(. I will look into the heim link ends thought. I can for see this truck being a weekend toy. I should have not touched the front end and bought a car to run around in. Ive had 2 front end alignments in a week and I couldn't tell you how many hours going over this truck. Just being honest I feel like the car behind me think I'm drunk lol
While turning does your wheel feel any different in the bottom most adjustable position verses the uppermost? Mine feels tighter with the wheel all the way down. I've got the Rock Solid bushing but I haven't installed it yet because my steering shaft has really worn joint so I'll replace them simultaneously. I'll also go ahead and do this fix as well. Can you give me a width measurement of the belt you used? I threw away the old one off my truck but I have a few others laying around that I could use.
Colby Darrow hey colby it is more firm especially in the shifter. Unfortunately i don't have the belt anymore. To know the width and i dont wanna pull out my fix to check it.
Lots of dodge guys go straight to the rock solid busing kit, but not many address this issue here. I had this problem on mine, i machined a piece of UHMW plastic to make a legit bushing for this area
I was once a new dodge owner and bought the rock solid bushing. Worst money i ever spent. It took the preload spring off the bottom of the shaft and ruined my steering column. Had so much play up top in the bearings not being loaded anymore. It rattled and everything. I swapped it for a manual column when i converted my truck to a 5 speed and got rid of this issue but this was by far the best upgrade.
I did this modification back in the spring from ramsteeringfix.com. It sucks. It's cold out now and the plastic bushing contracts so much when cold, the steering is so ungodly stiff, and hard to shift into gear. When turning the wheel in a turn, and you manually straighten the wheel back straight, it will yank it out of gear. Took it out and installed my original parts back in. I'm gonna live with my popping feel in the wheel.
I am swapping my truck too a manual and putting in a new column that came with the swap. My column was popping and in bad shape and the rock solid fix did not make a bit of difference. I will be leaving it stock when it goes in.
Larry: First, thanks for trying our Rock Solid Ram Truck Steering Fix ! Sorry it's too tight when cold. That suggests the bushing is set in about 2mm too deep. The column center shafts in our Rams can vary in size around 10-20 thousandths, so if your Ram has a slightly oversize shaft, the bushing fit will be ideal when NOT placed all the way to the lip. So, you can try pulling it down slightly and that should lessen the resistance so the feel can be ideal. Also, using a bit of spray lube like CRC white spray lithium grease, right where shaft goes thru bushing, will smooth out the operation. In rare cases like with an oversized shaft and a constricted column entry, it may be required to make a 'custom' sized bushing and we are glad to do this for any customer. If you feel this is your situation, or for any other concerns please contact us at the phone # on our website anytime. www.rocksolidramtrucksteering.com/
O'Reilly part # K060825 is the belt. Just did it on mine and it works perfectly so far. I faced the ribs inward and put a little silicone grease on the smooth part (outside) if the belt. This helped slide it in as well as keep it from rubbing or squeaking in the future. Cut the belt to 6 inches exactly. I also had to use a flat blade screwdriver to push the belt into the opening.
DUDE!! I never post comments on youtube, but this video blew my mind. I have put around $5k into the front end of my '01 2500 Cummins, replacing everything related to steering and suspension. I did not have play where the "Rock solid ram" steering shaft bushing would go, but I did have a ton of play in the same place you addressed a little farther up the column (around the shifter assembly). Instead of using a belt, I used a piece of radiator tubing, as it was already shaped correctly. I cut about 1/2" of tubing then cut it so I could slide it on without removing any steering parts. Added a thin layer of bearing grease so the shifter would move smoothly, then a big ass zip-tie to hold it in place. I've towed my trailer around 200 miles, and been all over town and freeway. No more wander, very little bump steer, and it tracks straight with the camper in wind. For anybody with steering play: Keep in mind that other parts may need to be addressed first, and my truck already has a Borgeson steering shaft, red head close ratio steering gear, new ball joints, tie rod, drag link (all 1-ton), a Rare Parts oversized track bar, new wheel bearings/axle seals and anti-sway bar bushings, sinister diesel steering brace, a 2.5" leveling kit and a new OEM steering stabilizer. I have -12 offset 17'' rims and 33x12.5 A/Ts. For the money and ease of install, this is hands down the best mod I've done, I only wish I had known about this for my '90 and '93 first Gens, they had the same issue in the same place but I couldnt find any suitable options for a fix. Thanks again!!
I am glad i helped you. Rad tube is a great idea. The dodges are damn hard to fix the steering.
Glad you did comment, thank you for sharing that info, helping diagnose my situation. Congratulations on the fix!
Im in the same boat you have. I have a 07 2500 and upgraded everything you just said. Only thing i havnt done was the steering shaft itself. Feels like i still have a little slop when at highter speeds. Do you think this is what i need to do too?
It is so hard to say. Could be slop in a bushing again. Sometimes play can be an alignment off and it just feels like it is darting also. These trucks are hard to diagnose.
@@Schneids15 yeah. Everthing i did helped but just not tightest can be. My over size wheels and tires may need the double stabilizer too. When i bought the truck it was good, nice and tight. After the lift and 22" rims and 35" tires my headache began. I replaced everything that could be replaced with upgraded parts. Drives better but not like new
good stuff i had play be hide the Rock solid ram" steering shaft bushing" spot and this fix worked great so far!, you most of had a lot of play i only got about 3- 3 1/2" of belt in but worked great idk if it fix any steering wheel play but it was bugin me how looose it was thanks, 2nd gen rams 4life!
You sir are amazing,I could hug you right now
I literally did this same thing yesterday finally discovered it, even after having replaced other shaft with rock solid ram bushing. And now I see someone posted video.I have same Red Ram 4x4 mine has 360 Gasser..but GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE. It did in fact take some play out of the nasty engineering flawed steering system in the 2nd Gen Ram. But expect a couple more possible contributing issues to chase after as well, intermediate steering shaft, sloppy gearbox etc... But this is a must do along with Rock solid polymer bushing upgrade. Good video bro.
Thanks a ton! Great minds do think alike!
wow brother your steering was clapped out ! dam you must be driving alot of washboard dirt roads .my truck at 200k and did the gearbox brace and all new moog steering rods tie rod ends etc and an adjustable trasckl arm was the best im running 35 inch and it was real loose but not the coulmn like yours
I figured out what happened. The steering shaft slide joint seized and then ruined the column due to the slide joint not working.
Does serpentine belt work better than black rubber hose? You think? And was serpentine belt easy to insert in Gap? I also would recommend maybe a larger zip tie to fill that void so the tie itself can't slip out along with belt/bushing...I used the largest type I have, the big white colored ties, harbor freight sells them.
Mine has been in a couple years now and never moved. Yes the serp belt is harder and would work better.
Dammm every body has the same dam issues with this beautifull trucks lol mine have play especialy over 50mph if i hit a bump or something i feel like tge front end moves to the opossite direccion i took it to different places and cant find out whats the problem ill check mine and hope i thats rhe fix i aprecciate any help from you guys thah have fix some issues thanks
Side to side it is either a bad steering stabilizer or a trac bar. I bet the track bar bushings are pooched.
I'm gonna try this tomorrow, I've put so much into my trucks front end and I'm just never satisfied.
That was me also. It does help that is for sure.
I did it as well. It will in fact help, I used Radiator hose, but maybe gonna consider serp belt if it works better...seems more precise when steering especially at cornering and rounding road curves and less side to side drunk driving crap that just annoys the hell out of ya
On another channel
He used a Moog K9891 and cut it to fit
Where he used the belt
Perfect. I was just watching your other video about the clockspring because the column being loose here I thought it was the upper bearing but it wasn't loose so I googled it and this is what I was thinking of doing. Thanks for the videos.
So I just tried your fix today I ended up using a piece of rubber bushing I caught from plumbquik 11/2 coupling and worked well but I have a question should I cut it flush
Good video .......... Ive got a 98 Ram 2500 4x4 I bought for my son to drive his senior year. I just ordered the Rock Solid Ram Steering Fix and will try the belt remedy you just posted as well. As of right now it sits on 38’s with a skyjacker lift but i cant get it over 40 mph.....it has a bad case of the death wobble. Hopefully this will solve my issue after all the money spent on all the front end parts.
Thanks! Most likely this won’t solve death wobble because it is above your steering box. I would get all the joints tightened up and put a good set of steering stabilizers on if it is on 38’s.
Schneids15 Yes Sir I have already installed a pair of skyjacker hydro 7000’s as of yesterday but now I will be reviewing all the steering parts. Thanks again friend ....
Great! Hope that works. I have never had death wobble but i always keep on top of my joints too. Hopefully it works for you. Let me know if you have any other questions👍🏻
thanks bro i wish i found this video sooner ive dumped thousands into my front end this ended up being the actual issue.
i used a piece of rubber screen door tube or string i guess it's called , it's the piece that wedges in the grove around the door where the screen goes in , perfect fit , used a zip tie to keep it in place .
Was the ram stewing fix u bought easy to install I want to try it
It was not terrible. My steering shaft was seized to the column shaft and it was a pain. Note that this takes all preload off the bearings that spring puts on it. My column got very loose and would rattle on bumps. Had up and down play. My bushing this was replacing was not worn anyways.
thanks for sharing man
No problem. Hope it helped
My truck wanders like a bitch too. I’m going to try this this weekend!! I’ve done steering box, tie rods, all 4 ball joints and I have the dual steering box stabilizer as well and i got an alignment done as well. Still major play in steering. So hopefully this will help
This helped. The biggest addition to my steering was do the track bar upgrade. I have the 3rd gen conversion but i find i go through bushings like a bitch. Maybe get s system with Heim joints. I replaced all 4 ball joints tie rods and box also
I have another video on the trac bar and it was by far the cheapest upgrade for the money.
Nice I’ll have a look at that too. Thanks
Did you replace the trackbar? Did you install a steering box brace?
Thx for this vid, I just ordered a belt to try your fix from rockauto for my 95 ram, the steering wheel is a bit loose from left to right but I don't hear any super bad rattling or anything....if this doesn't fix it I'll order that rock solid ram fix....I got the truck used a couple months back and the springs and shocks and ball joints look fairly new on it and the steering itself is accurate, just has some play in the wheel left and right, it could possibly need a new steering box being so old with 224k miles on it but I'll try one thing at a time....pretty soon this thing will pretty much have all new parts at this rate and hopefully last me a lifetime lol, love these trucks
I am at the same point trying all these little fixes myself. best fix for me was XRF ball joints and the 3rd gen track bar conversion. how did the fix help for your column?
I’m super late but if you see this how’d the fix turn out? Mines got all new front end and the gear box tightened but I can slap my wheel and make turn accurately due to alignment new front end and tight box
@@jamalthomas1724 I actually never got around to doing this, life has been crazy and I just drive the truck around town and to the grocery stuff and occasionally haul stuff. Only ever needed to do a tuneup and replaced a dying fuel pump at 225k. I don't know the exact name but it might be called the steering box nut you can loosen if you take off the fan shroud with a wrench then tighten it with some star bit I saw in another vid, that's one thing I could try for free to tighten up the slop. After so long in having the truck I'm actually used to it being loose LOL. On any long trip we just take the much better mpg 4 cylinder car so it hasn't been a huge pressing concern. I don't put very many miles a year on a vehicle as well, $30 in gas lasts me at least a month if not more
WhiteSnake9191 see I had a 00 and it didn’t have this issue. On a 3 in ch lift. But my 97 on 6inches does and I’ve tightened the box nut twice so I guess it’s time for a new one. And I definitely feel you on the gas saver I’ve got one too😂
Ok I was a sceptic. This didnt fix the wondering steering wheel for me but it you have a clunk noise in the wheel this very well could fix the problem. My clunk noise went away and did not effect my shifting at all. Only thing I had to do was take a sanding disk and smooth out the belt to make it fit. Thumbs up bubba thanks for the video!
Thanks bud! Also thanks for the subscribe! Really appreciate it!
@@Schneids15 I meant to give everyone the heads up it took like 5 mins tops to do this and cost me absolutely nothing to get rid of the clunk noise in my column. And I took it on a road trip today (50 plus miles) and just got home and it did take away some of my steering wheel wondering. And it has not had any kind of negative side effects. If anything it made my shifting seem tighter (which felt sloppy after my transmission rebuild). Thank you so much for taking the time to make your video and sharing it with all of us :)
No problem! Thanks for the feedback! As you know any little improvement goes a long way on these old trucks!
Wondering check the shocks and bearing Man. Just hold on to the shock while slowly spinning the wheel. I did it with Autozone replacement shocks and my whole shock moved got that fixed ... after replacing my third wheel hub bearing . 2nd gen fun
@@InSaNeAssAss1n I replaced all of that 3 times in 3 years lol I guess I'll never pop a top in this rig lol
Did you have any clunking going over wash boards or did your generally feel like the end of your colum would bounce up and down? I've been chasing loose, and clunking, the center shaft with the factory spring still feels tight, and I have a borgeson intermediate shaft but the colum still knocks and rattles going on bumpy dirt roads
I have that also. you will need a new column. i need one also. Grab the wheel and pull it straight up and down and you will hear it knock.
hello a question
Yes what is the question? Josh
I'm going to try this tomorrow. Fingers cross. Was that 60 dollar bushing really worth it?
Honestly that 60$ bushing was a waste of money and was wore out in 3 years when i swapped it out for another column.
@@Schneids15 I kinda thought it was I looked at it and I dont think that's y mine has the play. I have bought everything new but the upper and lower ball joint I mean everything. It still has that 2 inches of play :'(
I swear i go under mine every 2 weeks or so and i still have play. Tried to beat it but just can’t. Guy i bought my truck from said the truck wanted to go off the road when it was bought new.
@@Schneids15 thanks bubba I think thats what I needed to hear. Ive put about 1k in it just in the last week and still isn't right. I'm at the point that either the frame is bent or the guy that designed the front end on these trucks figured they wouldn't be road worth after being a year old lol
@@Schneids15 I bought a new less than a week ago :'(. I will look into the heim link ends thought. I can for see this truck being a weekend toy. I should have not touched the front end and bought a car to run around in. Ive had 2 front end alignments in a week and I couldn't tell you how many hours going over this truck. Just being honest I feel like the car behind me think I'm drunk lol
While turning does your wheel feel any different in the bottom most adjustable position verses the uppermost? Mine feels tighter with the wheel all the way down. I've got the Rock Solid bushing but I haven't installed it yet because my steering shaft has really worn joint so I'll replace them simultaneously. I'll also go ahead and do this fix as well. Can you give me a width measurement of the belt you used? I threw away the old one off my truck but I have a few others laying around that I could use.
Colby Darrow hey colby it is more firm especially in the shifter. Unfortunately i don't have the belt anymore. To know the width and i dont wanna pull out my fix to check it.
Lots of dodge guys go straight to the rock solid busing kit, but not many address this issue here. I had this problem on mine, i machined a piece of UHMW plastic to make a legit bushing for this area
I was once a new dodge owner and bought the rock solid bushing. Worst money i ever spent. It took the preload spring off the bottom of the shaft and ruined my steering column. Had so much play up top in the bearings not being loaded anymore. It rattled and everything. I swapped it for a manual column when i converted my truck to a 5 speed and got rid of this issue but this was by far the best upgrade.
From what vehicle did you use the serpentine belt. The one that I tried was a little to big.
This one was from a 2000 or so grand caravan.
Brand: MOPAR PARTS
Part Number: 04861322AC
Was that an old belt from your truck thanks.
actually off an old caravan. The truck belt would work too i imagine.
I did this modification back in the spring from ramsteeringfix.com. It sucks. It's cold out now and the plastic bushing contracts so much when cold, the steering is so ungodly stiff, and hard to shift into gear. When turning the wheel in a turn, and you manually straighten the wheel back straight, it will yank it out of gear. Took it out and installed my original parts back in. I'm gonna live with my popping feel in the wheel.
I am swapping my truck too a manual and putting in a new column that came with the swap. My column was popping and in bad shape and the rock solid fix did not make a bit of difference. I will be leaving it stock when it goes in.
Larry: First, thanks for trying our Rock Solid Ram Truck Steering Fix !
Sorry it's too tight when cold. That suggests the bushing is set in about 2mm too deep.
The column center shafts in our Rams can vary in size around 10-20 thousandths, so if your Ram has a slightly oversize shaft, the bushing fit will be ideal when NOT placed all the way to the lip.
So, you can try pulling it down slightly and that should lessen the resistance so the feel can be ideal.
Also, using a bit of spray lube like CRC white spray lithium grease, right where shaft goes thru bushing, will smooth out the operation.
In rare cases like with an oversized shaft and a constricted column entry, it may be required to make a 'custom' sized bushing and we are glad to do this for any customer.
If you feel this is your situation, or for any other concerns please contact us at the phone # on our website anytime.
www.rocksolidramtrucksteering.com/