Dodge Ram 3500 Tie Rod Problems?

Question

This last Wednesday at work, I was hauling a 1000 gallon propane tank on a goose-neck trailer when I lost the tie rod joint on the passengers side tire, therefore sending me in a straight path to the guard rail, because the joint went south, I know have over $10,000 in body damage on the drivers side of the truck. The thing I don't understand is this truck is this is a Red 2006 Ram 3500 dually, four wheel drive, with the Cummins H.O. Turbo Diesel motor, and it ONLY has 56,000 miles on it! Can anyone help me figure out why the tie rod went south on me like it did? Or has anyone ever seen anything like it???? Anything would be apprecaited

The ball joint right at the knuckle actually came apart, seperated, no breaks and no shearing, just the cup popped right off the ball. It was about 75 degrees outside and there wasn't a lot of weight put on the front axle, manly the motor and about 70+ gallons of diesel at the front of the bed, the trailer added a bit but really a good portion of that weight was on the trailer. It's hard to say, but I agree, they were very cheaply made...

Answer 1

As the other person said keep both broken parts. Examine them closely. Did it fracture or did it bend and shear. A fracture will look as if you hit an ice cube with a hammer. A clean separation if you will. That would indicate that the tie rod end was too hard or it had pi*s poor metal in it. A quick peek and hardness test by a metallurgist could give you an exact answer. A shear would look like it actually did some bending before it broke. For instance when a grade 3 bolt bends long before it breaks.

I'd certainly replace them both with TRW or Moog grease-able tie rod ends.

It's nasty to say this but any OEM parts like your tie rod end was made by the cheapest bidder.

Answer 2

Depends on the type of shear that occured, where it broke, and what kind of road conditions, ambient temperature, and many other factors.

Go to the shop or where ever your truck is and get the broken piece before anyone else does, and KEEP IT.
That's the only thing you have to show faulty equipment possibly.

Answer 3

Either a faulty part or wasn't put in right at the factory, or you are loading (putting too much weight on) your front axle to get legal.
Other factors can that can cause that is having to be drug into locations (job sites) but Cats.

Answer 4

maximum any areas keep ask for tie rod for 2006 steer clean of ram would desire to do it not frustrating to place in at homestead form into seek field a thank you to eliminate tie rod a thank you to place in tie rod uncomplicated job possibly a hour paintings