2010-2018 Ram 6.7L Cummins Steering Parts

Steering on the 2010-2018 RAM 6.7L Cummins

Every fourth-gen Ram HD with the 6.7L Cummins steers the old-school way. A recirculating-ball steering box sits on the frame, a pitman arm rides on the box's sector shaft, a drag link and tie rods carry the motion out to the knuckles, and a track bar keeps the solid front axle centered under the truck. It is a stout layout for a heavy-duty pickup, but it has a lot of joints, and every one of them wears. The 2013 overhaul brought a wider, stronger front suspension with revised steering gear and linkage, plus a front-axle disconnect on 4x4s. That is why a 2012 Laramie and a 2014 Laramie that look alike at the curb often take different steering parts.

What fails and why

Death wobble is the one owners talk about. It is a violent shake of the front end that starts after a bump somewhere between 45 and 74 mph and does not stop until you slow down. The track bar leads it: soft factory rubber bushings let the axle shift side to side, then a weak steering damper and tire construction pile on, with ball joints and tie rod ends as secondary causes. Owner reports put it anywhere from 40,000 to well past 200,000 miles. On the 2013-and-later radius-arm front end, at least one suspension specialist expects the factory track bar to need replacing around 20,000 miles.

The steering box is next. Sector-shaft play builds with mileage and with larger wheels and tires, and you feel it as wander, a dead spot on center, or wobble at highway speed. The 2015 trucks were also recalled for weak front track bar frame bracket welds (16V-559), which shows up as popping, clunking and wandering.

Two linkage recalls matter. On 2008-2012 4x4 trucks the left tie rod ball stud could fracture in tight, low-speed turns (recall 11V-350, superseded by 13V-529). On 2013-2018 3500s and 2014-2018 2500s, the outboard drag link jam nut can loosen and let the drag link separate (recall 19V-021). Check your VIN for open recalls before you buy linkage.

Stock replacement vs. upgrade

If the truck is at stock height on stock-size tires and one part is worn, a direct replacement is fine. If you run bigger tires, a lift, or you have already chased wobble, upgrade the parts that locate the axle. The proven order is a rigid aftermarket track bar first, then a quality steering damper, then heavier-rated tires. For the damper, look for an internal floating piston (IFP) design with a gas charge of 100 psi or more; a cheap damper can make wobble worse. For box play, a steering box stabilizer adds a greaseable bearing support at the sector shaft. And if your drag link jam nut was welded under the recall, a replacement drag link assembly gives you adjustment back.

What we carry

BDS Suspension supplies dual steering stabilizer kits with FOX 2.0 or NX2 shocks, a dual stabilizer mounting kit, and 5.25-inch drop pitman arms. BD Diesel covers the track bar side with an adjustable track bar for earlier 4WD trucks, a track bar kit for 2013-and-later trucks, bushing sleeves and a replacement bushing kit, plus the BD steering box stabilizer. XDP MFG offers new power steering pumps with reservoirs and the XD752 Stock+ power steering gearbox. Bilstein B8 5100 Series steering dampers come as a single damper for 2008-2012 4WD trucks and a dual kit for the later trucks. Apex Chassis adds an extreme duty tie rod and drag link kit, and Lucas Oil power steering fluid rounds it out.

Fitment notes

Steering parts split at 2010-2012 versus 2013-2018, and some builders split further: 2010-2013 for the 2500, 2010-2012 for the 3500, then 2014-up for the 2500 and 2013-up for the 3500. That is why many titles here read 2014/13 or 2013/12. Most stabilizer, pitman arm and gearbox listings in this collection call out 4WD trucks, so 2WD owners should confirm before ordering. Power steering pumps split too: the XDP XD737 is listed through 2010 and the XD734 from 2011 to 2018. Aftermarket lift parts have had their own steering recalls, so match linkage to your exact setup. When in doubt, verify by VIN.

Frequently asked questions

What causes death wobble on a 2010-2018 Ram 2500 or 3500?

The track bar is the main cause. Soft factory bushings let the axle shift side to side, and a weak steering damper and tire construction add to it. Ball joints and tie rod ends play a smaller part. A rigid track bar is the first fix, then a good damper.

Will a new steering damper cure death wobble by itself?

Not by itself. The track bar leads death wobble and the damper is second in line, so fix worn track bar parts first. Then add an IFP damper with a gas charge of 100 psi or more. A budget damper can make the shake worse.

Why does my Ram wander and feel loose on center?

On these trucks the usual suspect is sector-shaft play in the steering box, which grows with mileage and with larger wheels and tires. On 2015 trucks, a weak track bar bracket weld covered by recall 16V-559 can also cause wandering. A steering box stabilizer supports the sector shaft, and a new gearbox is the answer when the box is worn out.

Were there steering recalls on the fourth-gen Ram HD?

Yes. Recall 11V-350 covered the left tie rod on 2008-2011 4x4 trucks, and 13V-529 superseded it to cover 2008-2012. Recall 19V-021 covered the drag link jam nut on 2013-2018 3500s and 2014-2018 2500s, and 16V-559 covered track bar bracket welds on 2015 trucks. Run your VIN to see whether yours was done.

Do 2012 and 2013 steering parts interchange?

Usually not. Ram revised the steering gear and linkage for 2013 along with a wider front end, so track bars, dampers and linkage are listed by year range. Check the year notes in each product title and use the fitment checker.

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.