1998.5-2002 Dodge 5.9L Cummins Steering Boxes

The steering box on the 1998.5-2002 Ram 5.9L Cummins

Second-gen Rams with the 24-valve Cummins use a Saginaw recirculating-ball steering box mounted on the frame rail. The sector shaft is supported top and bottom inside the box only, so the shaft and housing carry the tie-rod load by themselves. Dodge TSB 19-10-97 is the factory procedure for adjusting box preload. The power steering pump that drives the box also supplies the brakes on hydroboost-equipped trucks, so a box swap is a good time to look at the pump and fluid too.

What fails and why

With miles, the over-center and worm-bearing preload loosen. You end up making extra wheel movement to hold a straight line, you may hear a clunk, and side play in the sector shaft lets the box weep at the lower seal. Before you condemn the box, check two look-alikes. The lower column bearing and intermediate shaft develop rotational slop that feels like box play; pull on the shaft below the master cylinder to feel for it. A worn track bar ball stud causes wander on its own and is the leading cause of death wobble on these trucks.

Adjust, replace or brace

If the box is dry and only a little loose, the TSB adjustment is the first step. If it is weeping at the sector seal or still loose after adjustment, the XDP XD754 Stock+ power steering gearbox is a new box listed for 1994-2002 5.9L Cummins. Either way, a steering box stabilizer is worth adding: it fits an outboard bearing that carries tie-rod load from the sector shaft to the frame rails, which reduces stress on the shaft and stiffens the frame. Skip the idea of a 2003-up box. The Delphi gear that replaced the Saginaw in 2003 has its own reliability issues, and third-gen parts do not carry back.

What we carry

Steering boxes and braces here come from BD Diesel and XDP: the BD Diesel steering box stabilizer in separate 2WD and 4WD versions, and the XDP Stock+ new power steering gearbox.

Fitment notes

Order the BD stabilizer by drivetrain: 1032002 is the 2WD part and 1032004 is the 4WD part, each listed for 1994-2002 Cummins. The XDP gearbox is listed for 1994-2002 5.9L Cummins. A 2002 2500 or 3500 is still a second-gen truck and uses second-gen steering parts; 2003 parts do not fit back. When you disconnect the steering shaft to swap the box, strap the wheel so it cannot spin and damage the clock spring. Verify by VIN or call the shop.

Frequently asked questions

Should I adjust my steering box or replace it?

If the box is dry and the play is mild, start with the preload adjustment in TSB 19-10-97. If it weeps at the lower sector seal or stays loose after adjustment, replace it. Check the column, intermediate shaft and track bar first so you fix the right part.

Which BD Diesel steering box stabilizer fits my truck?

BD 1032002 for 2WD and BD 1032004 for 4WD, each listed for 1994-2002 Cummins Rams. Based on the listings, the split is by drivetrain, so a 1998.5-2002 24-valve truck uses the same part as an earlier second-gen with the same drivetrain.

Is a 2003-up steering box an upgrade for my 2001 Ram 3500?

No. The 2003 third-gen trucks switched to a Delphi steering gear that has reliability issues of its own, and 2003 steering parts do not carry back to the second-gen chassis. Stay with a box built for 1994-2002.

Not sure what fits? Call the shop at the number in the header, or use the fitment checker on any product page. We install everything we sell.