Synergy steering issues-4th gen Ram HD

[kieferbotz]

Hello everyone,
About 3 months ago I installed Synergys drag link and tie rod steering upgrade kit, and immediately had the truck aligned after install.
The first alignment was terrible, the shop totally screwed it up,so they redid it and according to the printout they gave me it was spot on- but it still has really weird bump steer on highway transitions and its inconsistent in pulling right or left depending on highway lanes. And I've been hearing a popping sound backing out of my driveway at full lock.

So I was under the truck rechecking torqued hardware, and noticed I could grab the drag link and twist it 30 or so degrees either direction until it clicks against the ball joint stops.

So I figure thats where my popping sound is coming from- and wouldn't this also constantly change my steering wheel being centered as it rotates while driving down the road?

I've got a few Thuren bits and all that stuff is rock solid- but this Synergy bar has quite alot of slop.

Any others notice this or have trouble?
Thanks in advance

Truck is 2017 Ram 2500-50k miles
Thuren sway bar, track bar, rear track bar
Synergy tie rod and drag link

 

[CFMGarage]

Are you on the stock springs? Any tire size changes?

This sounds a lot like the alignment is still an issue somehow. You should have to steer into the road crown a bit depending on the highway lane, but it should never feel unstable.

The other thing to look at is the steering stabilizer. Are you running the stock one?

I'd be interested regarding your tire size, just to confirm the popping you're hearing isn't the tires rubbing the control arms. If you don't see this being the case, I would park somewhere at full lock with a bit of a load on the suspension and check to make sure nothing from Synergy is touching as the suspension cycles some.

 

[Buliwyf]

The Ford link not only spins, it moves up and down. I doubt it's the spinning link. Check for length play with a prybar. That's what the link controls, length. Spinning doesn't affect such. Popping at full lock in reverse, isn't unheard of.

Check your track bar. Check hubs for play.

Add camber and lots of toe in.

Felt bump steer, or actual bump steering? Generally shock quality. People often mistake ''improved steering feel'' with bumpsteer. What exactly did they expect to ''feel''? Lolz. I'd have to drive it.

Have someone wobble the steering wheel while you're under the truck. Sometimes loose components are so bad it's visible.

 

[kieferbotz]

Still on factory springs, tire size is 285/60r20, not far from stock sizes.
Tires have been on for 30k, problem is recent with the install of Synergy bars.

I have seen posts elsewhere about synergy drag link "flop" and its basically what I'm experiencing. A jamb nut on the pitman arm double adjuster would stop the bar from turning inside the threads, and all the movement would be contained to the ball joint on the knuckle.

 

[Buliwyf]

It's turning on the adjuster? Yeah, that ain't right. Will eat the threads eventually if not fixed.

 

[kieferbotz]

That's what I thought also. The ball joint threads on the pitman arm side will turn inside the double adjuster sleeve. Pinch bolt is tight and the sleeve doesn't turn inside the drag link bar.

On another forum a guy just added a jamb nut and moved on with life. But for a $800 steering "upgrade" I expected better

 

[kieferbotz]

Here are pictures of both ends of the bar flexed fully either direction. Turning the bar that much is about a quarter turn on the ball joint thread, which I would think will wear the threads out and never really feel solid

 

[csj]

The pinch bolt on the drag link is only going to lock the outer adjuster so if the pinch on the knuckle side is holding the ball joint it won't be able to back out. If you can grab the drag link, pitman side and push/pull on it and notice movement (besides twisting on threads) between the outer adjuster and ball joint than something needs fixing. If it were me I would go with the Jam nut. I don't have the synergy steering yet but plan to, I have done quite a bit to my ram for mods and find that about half of the time these things need fiddling with. Something else to look at that might go with the symptoms you describe are the knuckle ball joints, mine have developed play after just 45k miles.

 

[Adventurous]

If that's indeed the case, that is not right. The drag link should be able to rotate, but only at the ball joints; the adjuster sleeves should be fixed in the link by those pinch bolts. The adjuster sleeve should have slots milled into it that allow the pinch bolt to snug both itself, and the tie rod end.

My Synergy drag link has been rock solid, outside of one of the boots splitting.

 

[csj]

If that's indeed the case, that is not right. The drag link should be able to rotate, but only at the ball joints; the adjuster sleeves should be fixed in the link by those pinch bolts. The adjuster sleeve should have slots milled into it that allow the pinch bolt to snug both itself, and the tie rod end.

My Synergy drag link has been rock solid, outside of one of the boots splitting.

Does your adjuster sleeve have a slot milled in it to allow it to squeeze? could it be that the OP's adjuster is screwed in too far and not allowing the pinch bolt to squeeze the slotted adjuster? Just an idea but if that adjuster sleeve was all the way in the pinch bolt might have a hard time putting the squeeze on it.

 

[kieferbotz]

The instructions speciy to line up the mill slot on the adjuster sleeve to the pinch bolt if possible,but it wasn't a requirement. I can adjust it and see if that changes anything.
The single plane joint should only be able to move axially pitman arm to knuckle, and not flop over engine to tailgate?

 

[Adventurous]

There's mine. Adjuster sleeve is further out than on your truck, and the slot is not lined up.

Might want to dial the adjuster sleeve out a bit and try again, see if that helps.

 

[TrailTestedMFG]

I agree with above. Whoever aligned this didn't understand how the double adjuster works. The adjuster sleeve needs to have about as many threads showing as the tie rod end.

 

[blackdmax15]

Hey brother not an expert here but I bet you a cold adult beverage it’s the top nut of the track bar. I forget the size but its on the “troubleshooting” section on the Thuren website. I had a similar issue. It called for 230#/ft of torque so tough to get tight enough even with a 250# torque wrench. Try it out and let me know.

 

[blackdmax15]

To be specific my comment was for the popping noise. Agree with alignment shop may be issue With drag link adjustment.