If you're noticing some extra slop in your steering, your own 2013 ram 3500 track bar may be the reason behind that unfastened, wandering feeling. These types of trucks are absolute workhorses, especially along with the 6. 7L Cummins under the hood, but that will massive weight places plenty of stress on the front-end components. When that track bar starts to move, you'll know it. It usually starts along with a little little bit of play whenever you're cruising down the highway, but it can quickly escalate in to the dreaded "death wobble" that makes you feel like the front of your own truck is trying to shake itself apart.
Let's talk about precisely why this specific part is really important plus why the manufacturing plant one often leaves a lot to be desired after a few years of hard work.
What Does the Track Bar In fact Do?
In the solid-axle setup like the one on your own 2013 Ram 3500, the track bar has one principal job: it keeps the axle centered under the frame. Whilst your control hands handle the forwards and backward movement of the axle, the track bar stops it from shifting side-to-side.
Imagine you're using a sharp switch or hitting the pothole. With no solid 2013 ram 3500 track bar , the particular axle would like to slip left or correct independently of the truck's body. Once the bushings in that bar get soft or the bolt holes start to oval out, that's when you obtain that "vague" steerage feeling. You turn the wheel, but the truck takes a split 2nd to determine which way it's actually heading. It's annoying in best and dangerous at worst, specifically if you're carrying a heavy trailers.
Signs Your own Factory Bar Is definitely Giving Up
A person don't always require to be the master mechanic to tell when things are getting south. Usually, the truck will inform you. One of the most common signs is really a loud clunk or put that you can experience through the floorboards whenever you're turning the controls while parked or moving at low speeds. That's often the sound associated with the track bar shifting because the bushing is completely chance.
Another huge red flag will be the "wandering" impact. If you find yourself constantly cutting at the steering wheel just to remain in your lane on a direct road, your track bar is most likely toast. On these types of 2013 models, the factory bushings are made of a relatively soft rubber. As time passes, heat, road sodium, and the sheer torque of the particular engine cause that rubber to weaken. Once there's also a millimeter associated with play in that will joint, the causes of the road will certainly exploit it.
Why the 2013 Model Year Is Special
The 2013 Ram 3500 was actually a bit of a transition year. This was the entire year Ram updated the front suspension to a "radius arm" style rather than the older four-link setup found on earlier heavy-duty models. Since of this change, the 2013 ram 3500 track bar is beefier than the ones used in 2012, yet it still experiences from the exact same old rubber bushing issues.
If you're purchasing for a substitute, you need to be careful. A lot of parts listed for "2010-2013" might not really fit the 3500 due to that mid-year suspension overhaul. Always double-check that the particular part is particularly rated for the 2013+ radius arm suspension.
To visit Adjustable or Not?
This is the question I realize all the time on the forums. When your truck is totally stock height, a high-quality non-adjustable substitute will do simply fine. However, if you have a leveling kit or even a lift, a person almost have to go having an adjustable 2013 ram 3500 track bar .
Here's why: when a person lift the entrance of the pickup truck, the angle from the track bar boosts. Because the bar is really a fixed length and it moves within an arc, raising the truck drags the axle more than to the driver's side. This can make your auto tires wear unevenly and mess with your alignment. An adjustable bar allows you to "dial it in" so the particular axle sits flawlessly centered again. Plus, most aftermarket adjustable bars are built with much fuller steel and much better joints than the OEM version.
Choosing Between Bushings and Bearings
When looking from upgrades, you'll observe two main types of ends: heavy-duty polyurethane bushings and spherical bearings (often known as Heim joints).
- Polyurethane Bushings: These are excellent for daily drivers. They're stiffer compared to the factory silicone, so they tighten up the steerage, but they nevertheless soak up some of the road vibration.
- Spherical Bearings: These are the "pro" option. There's zero deviation, meaning your steerage will be as precise as feasible. The downside? They could sometimes transmit a bit more "road noise" to the cabin, and these people may need more frequent greasing to keep them from squeaking.
The Set up Process
Changing your 2013 ram 3500 track bar is in fact 1 of the easier DIY jobs you can do on the driveway, provided you have a few big tools. You're going in order to need a heavy-duty jack, some durable stands (don't have confidence in just the jack! ), and a huge torque wrench.
The bolts on these bars are usually torqued to an incredible amount—usually close to 200 to 285 foot-pounds according to the specific hardware. In case you don't get them tight enough, the bar will vibrate, plus you'll ruin your part in the matter of weeks. I always recommend using a bit associated with blue Loctite upon the threads for peace of brain.
The pro tip to get the holes in order to line up: possess a friend sit down in the cab and turn the controls slightly while you're underneath. This particular will shift the body relative to the axle, making it simple to slide the bolt via without needing an enormous pry bar.
Don't Forget the particular Hardware
If you're replacing the bar, look from the bolts. On a 2013, those mounting bolts have seen a lot of kilometers and probably a reasonable amount of corrosion. Some guys like to upgrade to a "Grade 8" bolt kit that will fits tighter in the mounting brackets. If your factory mounting holes have become somewhat "oval" because the old bar had been loose for as well long, you might need to appear into a bracket encouragement kit. There's simply no point in putting a $400 track bar into the hole that's currently rounded out; it'll just keep clicking on.
Is This Worth the cash?
You might see some cheap replacements online for under a hundred bucks. The advice? Avoid them. You're driving a 52 pick up that weighs in at nearly 8, 000 pounds. A inexpensive, thin-walled track bar is a recipe for disaster. Investing a bit even more on a solid steel bar from the reputable brand—something that uses high-quality bushings—is an investment in your safety plus the longevity of the tires.
When you lastly get that fresh 2013 ram 3500 track bar installed and torqued down, the distinction is night and day. The truck can feel selected and planted, the "death wobble" fears will disappear, and you won't feel like you're wrestling a carry each time you hit a bump upon the interstate.
It's a single of those repairs where you'll finish quality drive plus think, "I ought to have done this particular a year back. " So, when your steering seems a little "loosey-goosey, " get below there with a flashlight and check those bushings. Your Ram—and your forearms—will thanks.