Tick the boxes as you go, or print this page (the menu and footer drop out when printed). Intervals here are general suggestions. Your service manual and the instructions supplied with your parts take priority.
Work safely. Use rated jack stands on solid, level ground. Never rely on a jack alone. Chock the rear wheels. If anything is cracked, bent or loose and you're not equipped to fix it properly, have a qualified mechanic do it.
Quick look: every few fill-ups
2 minutesEvery oil change
15–30 minutesAfter off-roading or a hard hit
Before the drive homeAfter installing new steering parts
First drive & first few hundred milesReplacing worn parts?
Browse Dodge Off Road's steering parts and track bars, and check their install guides for installation and maintenance notes on their products.
Frequently asked questions
Will a steering stabilizer fix death wobble?
Usually not by itself. A stabilizer damps movement, so it can reduce or mask wobble, but the cause is almost always something loose or worn (often the track bar or a steering joint), sometimes combined with alignment or tire balance. Find and fix that first; then a good stabilizer is a sensible addition.
What causes death wobble on a Ram?
It's a self-sustaining oscillation of the solid front axle, usually triggered by a bump. Common contributors on Rams are a worn or loose track bar, worn tie rod or drag link ends, ball joints, wheel bearings, loose steering box mounting, low caster, and tire balance problems. See the symptoms page.
Should I tighten my steering box adjustment screw to remove play?
Be cautious. Over-tightening can cause binding, poor return to center and faster wear, and most play is elsewhere in the system. Rule out the shaft, pitman arm and linkage first, and follow the factory service manual's adjustment procedure if you do adjust it.
Do I need an alignment after replacing steering parts or lifting the truck?
Yes. Replacing a tie rod or drag link changes toe and steering wheel centering, and a lift changes caster and axle position. Get an alignment from a shop familiar with lifted solid-axle trucks.
How often should I check steering bolts?
Follow the instructions supplied with your parts and your service manual. As one example, Dodge Off Road's install guides say steering and suspension parts should be checked for proper tightness and torque after the first 100 miles and every 3,000 miles after that. Check again after any hard off-road use.
What torque should I use?
Use the values in your factory service manual for factory parts and the values in the instructions supplied with aftermarket parts. Specs vary by year, model and part, so we don't list them here.
Is a track bar drop bracket or an adjustable track bar better?
They solve different problems. A drop bracket corrects the bar's angle; an adjustable bar re-centers the axle. Many lifted trucks benefit from both. What you need depends on your lift height and your truck; see the lifted-truck page.
Does this apply to my Ram 1500?
Early Ram 1500 4x4s with a solid front axle share many of the same concepts. Later Ram 1500s use independent front suspension and different steering, so the linkage-specific advice won't apply.
Is this site run by Dodge or Ram?
No. This is an independent resource from the folks at Dodge Off Road, an aftermarket parts company. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by FCA US LLC, Stellantis, Dodge, Ram or Mopar.