"Dirty Deb" My 95 Dodge Cummins Build & Adventures

[t.Sparks]

It was time that we needed to test the camper shell. So we just took a night trip to one of the local beach camping spots in Santa Barbara. Shell is so much better. With the addition of the bubble rap insulation you can get at home depot it made for a really comfortable night out.

In addition to the big boxes I also got some communication stuff. The group I go traveling with all uses ham radio. Shortly after going on my first trip with them I saw the extreme value that ham radio offers. EVERY ONE SHOULD HAVE THIS FOR GOING OFF ROAD! I got my license and use it every morning going to work.

Also got a hand held ham radio for when I'm on foot or out hiking. Both radios stay in the truck at all times.

Before I put the 35's on I wanted to do something about the steering. if you have had the privilege of driving you know the steering on these older dodge truck(anything MOPAR for that matter) is great!.... MORE LIKE TOTAL BULLSH*T! It was time to do something. So I upgraded to the 99 HD dodge steering. Now the stock steering is the y-type, but the 98 and 99 used the t-tyep which is better... but not perfect(that gets addressed later). Got all Moog parts for around $320. Bye bye old steering!

Hello new parts! The difference with just putting new parts one was noticeable. Not quite perfect yet, but better.

After an alignment it was time for tires! The look of this thing is so much better! I coulndt be happier with the choice of the walker even wheels and the tires. :wings:

Shortly after putting the wheels and tires on I decided it was time to test it. Went up to pine mountain above Ojai to find some snow after a rain fall and cold temps over night. Was to late for the snow but found mud instead. First time driving on mud in a 4x4 truck and I was happy with the traction as long as I kept the wheels spinning.

 

[01BURB]

Hey Tyler, great looking rig you got there. Curious as to what wheels those are. I can't quite make out what brand but I like them. If you could let me know and maybe where you got them from, I would greatly appreciate it. Keep up the great wirk and I can't wait to see where you take this!!!

 

[t.Sparks]

Now on to that bit about making the steering perfect.

The t-type steering helps with what y-type steering fails completely at... tie rod roll What I mean by this is when you turn the wheel back and forth in small motions(as in on the freeway in the straight line) the drag link will move then the tie rod will roll then move the tires. If you have an old jeep of dodge truck go out and grab the bar in between the tie rod end. You can rotate the whole thing by hand. This contributes to steering slop. Here is an prime example. Better yet on a dodge cummins!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zyXGKwveOo

Solution?... Wobble stoppers. Made these one day at work.

In essence, they are big washers to take up the space so the tie rods cant roll. Take the tie rods off, remove the dust cover, put these on and bolt back up. 20 minute job and what a world of difference it makes!

Put them on and went for a drive. Still had a slight bit of slop so my friend looked under the truck while i was steering back and forth in small turns. He looked at me and said "Go look at your axle when I steer." One quick look and the axle was moving back and forth.... I looked at him and said "yeah it's not supposed to do that right?..." The tie rod on the end of the track bar was toast. So that was next.

And that takes me up to where the build is now. Waiting to get my roof rack sides from the water jetter, and for the holidays to be over so I have some more cash flow. Maybe I should start a go fund me page... lol

 

[t.Sparks]

Hey Tyler, great looking rig you got there. Curious as to what wheels those are. I can't quite make out what brand but I like them. If you could let me know and maybe where you got them from, I would greatly appreciate it. Keep up the great wirk and I can't wait to see where you take this!!!

01BURB,

They are Walker Evens. I got them in BB wheels online. Was a really good experience with them, highly recommended. Free fast shipping and no tax!

http://www.bbwheelsonline.com/

 

[01BURB]

Awesome!!! Thanks for Link Im gonna go look at it now!

 

[Teh_VIking]

Wheels and tires look great, I am going to make the same style 80/20 rack for the camper shell here soon, was going to use the 1 x 2 extrusion, and some 3/8 or 1/4 thick 3 inch flat stock aluminum, I figured I would need about 7 crossbars for 6 ft of rack.

 

[silvrcummns]

I'm not an expert on steering stuff, but you may want to fine tune your wobble stoppers. You do want some deflection in your tie rod while turning or it may bind. Assuming those wobble stoppers are large enough to clear the tie rod stud you may have excess force on the tre bushings leading to quicker wear.

There's a company that makes an HD steering set with rebuild able tre's and I believe uses only 1 wobble stopper on the drag link end. I also think wobble stoppers are usually made of a delrin or type of poly bushing to allow small movement but still keep the joint level.

Again I'm no expert, and if I'm wrong I would like to know; but your set up makes me feel uneasy

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[Teh_VIking]

I'm not an expert on steering stuff, but you may want to fine tune your wobble stoppers. You do want some deflection in your tie rod while turning or it may bind. Assuming those wobble stoppers are large enough to clear the tie rod stud you may have excess force on the tre bushings leading to quicker wear.

There's a company that makes an HD steering set with rebuild able tre's and I believe uses only 1 wobble stopper on the drag link end. I also think wobble stoppers are usually made of a delrin or type of poly bushing to allow small movement but still keep the joint level.

Again I'm no expert, and if I'm wrong I would like to know; but your set up makes me feel uneasy

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Something like this ?

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/R1768.html

 

[t.Sparks]

I'm not an expert on steering stuff, but you may want to fine tune your wobble stoppers. You do want some deflection in your tie rod while turning or it may bind. Assuming those wobble stoppers are large enough to clear the tie rod stud you may have excess force on the tre bushings leading to quicker wear.

There's a company that makes an HD steering set with rebuild able tre's and I believe uses only 1 wobble stopper on the drag link end. I also think wobble stoppers are usually made of a delrin or type of poly bushing to allow small movement but still keep the joint level.

Again I'm no expert, and if I'm wrong I would like to know; but your set up makes me feel uneasy

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

I will always hear people out when they think something could be better, so the advice is welcomed! I have designed them so there is a little play in the I.D. of the through hole and the over all thickness is a little less then the gap. They can spin so it isnt an interference fit between the TRE and the knuckle. The taper of the TRE if fully mated to the taper of the knuckle. I based my idea off of Synergy Manufacturing on how they make their wobble stoppers for their steering.

There is always room for improvement but for 10 minutes at the lathe the concept is working great! I have been monitoring to see if there is any wear in the wobble stoppers.

 

[t.Sparks]

Something like this ?

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/R1768.html

Those are pruuudy! I always love cool machined parts, but for $20 hot damn that isnt cheap!

 

[NORDFORD]

Have you seen this? http://www.dodgeramsteeringstabilizer.com I saw it on CL the other day and your thread made me think of it. No idea if it works and I have no affiliation!

 

[toastyjosh]

Check out this site they make some cool ****.
http://dodgeoffroad.3dcartstores.com/

 

[silvrcummns]

t.Sparks, OK that's awesome. It was the synergy kit I was referring to. Thanks for clarifying your wobble stop solution, sounds like you found a solid answer to your steering looseness.

Excited to see your build progress.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[t.Sparks]

Have you seen this? http://www.dodgeramsteeringstabilizer.com I saw it on CL the other day and your thread made me think of it. No idea if it works and I have no affiliation!

Nordford, Indeed I have! not that particular one but there are many other companies that make them. I have one on order from synergy... which reminds me it was backordered and supposed to ship the first week of December and no word... Will have to send an email tomorrow. They work but putting a special nut that has a shank on it on the pitman arm. Then the metal brace is bolted to the frame and the shank goes in a pillow bearing. This reinforces the steering box exponentially! After this the only parts that could be replaced in my steering would be ball points and steering box. Some day.

Check out this site they make some cool ****.
http://dodgeoffroad.3dcartstores.com/

toastyjosh, Oh I have heard of them! I want there flip shackles for my truck but its $550 for shackles and the bracket....:Wow1::yikes: Makes me cry how expensive that is!

t.Sparks, OK that's awesome. It was the synergy kit I was referring to. Thanks for clarifying your wobble stop solution, sounds like you found a solid answer to your steering looseness.

Excited to see your build progress.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

silvrcummns, Thank you sir! And absolutely! I always enjoy taking the time to explain something if someone doesnt understand. Knowledge is power!

First ones I made did have a problem. I only measured one side. I could fit a 3/8 drill in as a feeler gauge with just a little wiggle room. I thought perfect! Just need to make 2 .370(5 thou of clearance) washers and home free..... WRONG! Put both on and went for a drive. Decided it would be a good idea to see if the taper was seated on both. Driver side(the side I measured) perfect. Passenger side.... NOT EVEN CLOSE! Took the nut started loosening the nut on the TRE and the whole thing came out.... Took the wobble stopper off and measured the gap.... it was under 1/4"....... So the taper wasn't even close! that one went back on the lather the next morning.

 

[t.Sparks]

Build has slowed down justr a little bit with the holidays. Funding has all wend out of my wallet from buying presentments and such.... I enjoy the holidays but at the same time I dont. But anyway....

Was able to have a local machine shop that has a water jetter cut out my new roof rack side rails. Came out really good, edges are razor sharp! Crossbar material will be the next item for the build.

My work the other day had a ton of BRAND FREAKEN NEW PALLETS that they were just going to throw away. I grabbed all of them. 9 pallets in total with 5 of them being 6 feet long! Shoudl be good for something in the future.

My girlfriend thought it would be nice to have a "build list" of things to buy/make for the truck in the garage. I promptly filled it to the max. Hopefully I get to cross most of that stuff off next year.

I finally got the last part of my steering upgrades for the time being the other day. Only have been waiting over a month now for it so I was excited to have it! More on this later. Also with a trip comming up soon to death valley it was time to get chains. Picked these up for fairly cheap! Not the heaviest of duty but something is better then nothing.

Also starting to get supply for the drawer system. Picked up a pocket jig today. This along with dowel joint method will build the drawer system.

More in the next day or two.