jeepsuck

so i broke the part that holds my stearing box to the frame. dude at dodge says its one with the stearing box? im hoping its just a bracket. have not had a chance to tear it apart yet. can somone enlighten me?

Big Rich

I'll assume yours is the same as mine. Box + pressed mounting plate then to frame.

I'd suggest dumping the adapter plate and fab a boxed frame set-up

Rich

wannadiesel

Just a bracket. Check the frame for cracks while you have it apart.

jeepsuck

thanks for the info. parts guy got it figured out and sent me a picture. PN# 52037876. list $16.50. fabbing a stronger piece does sound enticing but more than anything i need to get back on the road ASAP. amazingly cheap for a chrysler part.

Big Rich

I replaced the stock part 2x in 40,000 miles running 35" tires. Of course I've put 180,000 miles on it in 3 years, so it made sense for me to upgrade the frame and mount the box straight to it.

Big Rich

jeepsuck

im running basically stock tires (lil wider). im pretty sure the part has been on its way out for a while now, but i gave it a somewhat violent push into the realm of pretzeldom. i was in a drive through that was too small and i got blocked in by some lady behind me. had no choice but to go up on the curb and turn the wheel with the vehicle stationary. tire got caught on the other side of the curb and i turned the wheel and heard a snap. as im pulling out of the parking lot i noticed my right turned seem wider than usual, which is WIDE . next turn i was pretty much positive i destroyed something. now im just hoping i didnt take anything else out with it.

Big Rich

I'm pretty rough on my truck.

I've bropken 3 pitman arms and replaced that plate 2x. I run 35x13.5r18's and dont try and miss pot hole's

Each time the plate needed replacement I had to weld up more of the frame as well. So we boxed the frame added inserts for the pass through bolts and lock tighten the edit out of those bolts and the nuts. It's been 30,000 plus without another problem with the steering box. Cured the pitman problem with crossover steering and instead of the skyjacker drop pitman arm, I went to the superlift ford drop pitman are with is twice as thick in constuction.

Now I just have to get the dents out of the back of the cab, the ones where the bed corners hit during my biggest landing

God I love my truck

Ace

I'd really like to see how you did that, any pics? Sounds like a good upgrade to do if you need it or not. Seems like a common problem on these trucks.

Big Rich

Sorry no pictures, I don't even have any of the truck itself...

But we cut small tubing to length and welded them in place to match up on the frame. boxed a plate to the open end then drilled out the plate through the holes and tubes on the frame. found bolts long enough to go through the plate to the box. It's held up great.

Big Rich