steering upgrades?

**KiloCummins04** · 10-10-2019

alright guys...
with my previous problems solved im looking to upgrade some steering components. I'm looking at the synergy heavy duty steering kit (tie rod and drag link) and also the synergy adjustable track bar. I'm going to do ball joints at the same time. my wife has not been a fan of driving it back when we put the boat in somewhere because the steering kind of sucks. I'm very used to it and it doesn't really bump steer or anything. its just one of the only things I have yet to really upgrade. I'm going to get rid of the trash stabilizer I have for something else, not sure yet. I want to do ball joints at the same time and get it all over with. the synergy ones run about 550, the Carli ones are much more. I also see emf and dynatrac. has anyone used any of these? can anyone explain the hundreds of dollars in price difference? im not trying to do it cheap, a couple hundred extra is worth it to make it right just want to know the differences. synergy boasts a lifetime warranty, as well as some others. any help is much appreciated guys. truck info is in signature.

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**Moses42ak** · 10-10-2019

I’m in.

I have nothing to add, just interested in the suggestions.

Gonna need em.

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**KiloCummins04** · 10-13-2019

Originally Posted by Moses42ak

I’m in.

I have nothing to add, just interested in the suggestions.

Gonna need em.

Hahaha my steering isn't the worst I have ever seen, but its definitely got some room for improvement.

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**DIESELWRKS** · 10-15-2019

what are you known issues with your steering. what do not like. How is your trac bar with the 6 in lift. is your axle centered? how are all the joints on the links from the drop pitman
to the steering knuckles? loose? are these stock? or something that came with your lift kit? Do you have a lot of steering wheel free float from left to right ( can you move it left and right and it doesn't turn the wheels while driving. a steering shaft brace can help, a bigger , quicker ratio steering pump will help.
I suggest looking at Thuren Fabrication and or DOR they make some beefy links and trac bars. Do some research and then talk to one of the Vendors on this site.
are you ball joints loose? I never paid 500 for ball joints but not sure if i really would. i had really good history with XRF ball joints in my older dodge pickups. but on those years I did the ball joints because I replaced the Hub assemblies.

side note. if and when you get whatever ball joints put in. when you service/grease them. take the weight off the joints. lift the truck up and turn the wheel left and right when you are putting in grease.

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**RamIt** · 10-15-2019

Carli costs more because they over engineer everything they make. I'm a Carli fan, so I'd buy Carli and then not worry about ball joints again for a long time. (They use a uniball style, or whatever it's called, so they should last a significant length of time)

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**DIESELWRKS** · 10-15-2019

Dynatracs no longer are lifetime warranty its a 1 year warranty, rebuild kit for this is about 200$
XrF have a lifetime warranty and cost 130 to 190 pending year/model. so you would have to pull out old and put in new if under warranty.
Carli cost 800$ for set. you show proof of a certain amount of play and then Carli sends you new joints, you send them back the back joint. (lifetime warranty)

the moogs I have used in the past i got anywhere from 15k to 30k miles in them. the less if i had bigger tires and lift. the XRF fit the bill for me because they are built better then factory replacements, better design and i got over 75k miles on them with 37" tires. I can replace them so that wasn't a issue so no cost with labor when i swapped them out.

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**RamIt** · 10-16-2019

https://carlisuspension.com/product/...e-ball-joints/

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**KiloCummins04** · 10-16-2019

my steering wheel just has play in it mostly.. just looking to beef it up. my tires are getting a little uneven wear like a weird cross pattern. I have a dual steering stabilizer and the steering brace already. the track bar right now is stock... and I definitely know it needs replaced but my axle is dead center. got a Pittman arm with my lift. the steering linkage is ok but I want to upgrade it too, its factory and im sure its adding to the play. and looking at the ball joints im thinking they are factory even... truck is an 04 and it doesn't look like they've ever been replaced i.e no marks around them from pressing and they don't look aftermarket. but I know I definitely need a track bar the bushing on the frame side is cracked, Carli and synergy were what I was debating on. the thuren fab one is nice too. I've just had good luck with synergy stuff in the past

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**Rhinopkc** · 10-19-2019

A lot of your steering play may just be a worn track bar.

Get under the front end while the truck is idling and have your wife turn the steering wheel back and forth while you watch for movement in each steering joint and the ends of your track bar.

Also watch for play in your pitman arm to sector shaft interface.

Sometimes, the extra torque of a dropped pitman can work itself loose.

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**RamIt** · 10-21-2019

Originally Posted by Rhinopkc

A lot of your steering play may just be a worn track bar.

Get under the front end while the truck is idling and have your wife turn the steering wheel back and forth while you watch for movement in each steering joint and the ends of your track bar.

Also watch for play in your pitman arm to sector shaft interface.

Sometimes, the extra torque of a dropped pitman can work itself loose.

May not necessarily be wear or age.

My 2019 has major steering wheel play...the guy doing my lift kit didn't even get out of a parking space before he was like "holy **** that's bad".

I agree about getting underneath and seeing what moves around though.

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