Ram 4500/5500 Heavy Duty Steering Linkage Kit

Description

A heavy-duty replacement for the factory steering linkage, now available as a fully bolt-in setup. The tie rod uses 2″ OD x .250″ wall DOM tube and the drag link uses 1.5″ OD x .250″ wall DOM tube. Both bars are bent for clearance and better angles. 7/8″ chromoly heims are used at the ends of both bars, and all hardware needed to install the linkage is included.

This setup is much stronger than the OEM linkage, the heims are safer and easier to replace than a standard tie rod end, and Grade 8 hardware secures it all to your truck. To run a steering stabilizer, add the optional stabilizer clamp — there is no provision on the tie rod to attach a stabilizer otherwise.

Why upgrade

Factory tie rod ends wear and are expensive to replace, and OEM parts can be backordered for months. The only parts of this linkage that will ever need replacing are the rod ends themselves. Heim joints typically last at least 5 years in severe conditions and can be replaced with basic hand tools in minutes, without realigning the truck. Because the heim is fully captured, the steering stays intact even if one were to come apart.

No adjuster sleeves are used anywhere. Initial alignment takes a little longer, but once toe is set and the jam nuts are torqued, it stays set. DOM tube will bounce back into shape after hitting rocks, logs, or stumps in all but the most extreme cases, where an OEM tie rod would stay bent.

Drill-out vs. bolt-in

Drill-out kit: the knuckles and pitman arm are drilled to a 7/8″ straight bore. Knuckles take about 5 minutes each; the forged pitman arm takes about 20-30 minutes and can be done on the truck. Use a sharp bit and cutting oil, go slow, and start with a 13/16″ bit before stepping up to 7/8″.

Bolt-in kit: no drilling or modification. Stainless tapered sleeves convert the knuckle and pitman arm holes to a straight bore, and 5/8″ Grade 8 hardware bolts the heims and custom-machined misalignment hardware in place.

Common questions

DOT: Heims are not DOT stamped; most tie rod ends are not either. DOT approval is a certification, not a requirement. Some states may require it for commercial applications — it is up to you to determine what is allowed under your state’s laws.

Alignment: Only toe and caster are adjusted (camber is not adjustable without adjustable ball joints). With the truck on flat ground, remove the factory steering and adjust the heims until the tie rod, then the drag link, slide into place. At the alignment shop, check that the jam nuts are tight against the tube, not the heim, before you leave.

Tip: On these trucks the track bar often wears faster than the steering. If you have loose steering, consider the adjustable track bar too.