thundergunder
Getting it done
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2010
- Messages
- 206
I got my NEW 2nd gen Synergy steering put on yesterday! Its pretty awesome...
They Factory Y style vs the Syngery MFG T style steering. This picture makes it easy to see how the factory Y style steering can have drastic toe in and toe out changes through out the suspension cycle.
The amount of BEEF built into this system is also obvious. The Drag link is built form 1.5" solid 1018 Bar! And the Tie Rod link is built from 1.5" .188 wall 4130 Heat Treated Chromoly tube.
They also employ their own Double adjusters, one on the Tie Rod and one on the Drag Link. This means there is no need to disconnect anything to make toe or steering wheel adjustments. Not something many, or any that I'm aware of, after market steering kits do.
On top of that on the passenger side tie rod end, they use a pinch adjuster on, and a jam nut. So there is almost zero chance of this Tie rod end coming loose.
The Tie rods them selves are their own heavy duty metal on metal design. No plastic cups to wear out like so may other tie rod ends. They are also greasable. The drag link ends come with high misalignment boots and the tie rod ends come with anti wobble grease boots to help negate any unwanted tie rod roll that is often found in T style steering.
Here the system is installed. Plenty of clerance for everything. Currently this truck is sitting on stock suspension. No leveling kit or anything. The only addition to the factory suspension is a Dodge Off Road Extreme Duty Track Bar.
A view on why a bend was placed in the tie rod to clear the pitman arm. A straight bar would have had next to NO clearance for up travel.
A full turn to the right. Plenty of sway bar link clerance!
A full turn to the left. And again, plenty of clearance around the sway bar link. A very common issue on the 08+ Mopar steering junk.
The tie rod ends also clear factory 16" wheels. Another common issue on other upgrades, is you either need a larger wheel, or to grind away at the ball joint stud to clear the wheel. Not so with the Synergy MFG steering kit.
All the joints are also laser etched with a part number...although when searched on the Synergy MFG site nothing comes back...?
[ame="http://s766.photobucket.com/user/Legendsofthelawn/media/02%20Cummins/0816161506_zpsfd2tcudu.mp4.html?sort=3&o=0"]0816161506_zpsfd2tcudu.mp4 Video by Legendsofthelawn | Photobucket[/ame]
A quick video of the steering wheel being turned. (CLICK THE LINK) Notice THERE IS NO TIE ROD FLOP!!!! Any tie rod flop in a T style steering will result in a dead spot in the steering wheel. There is non of that going on here!
Ive had a chance to put a few miles on the truck and i have to say my initial impressions are that I love it.
My steering is much tighter than before. BUT i did have a little slop in the tie rod end at the pitman arm so having new tight joints probably has alot to do with how much tighter my steering is now.
What the Synergy MFG steering has done with out a doubt, and can only be contributed to it, is how much less vague the steering is now, when applying the brakes, going over a swale in the road, and cornering.
Before when the suspension would cycle up and down in the truck, the toe in and out would change drastically. This would create a really sloppy wandering feel. Not something that would create much confidence in a driver pulling a trailer behind them every day.
The steering is so much more predictable and solid now, its unreal how much of a difference its made.
Thank you Synergy!
They Factory Y style vs the Syngery MFG T style steering. This picture makes it easy to see how the factory Y style steering can have drastic toe in and toe out changes through out the suspension cycle.
The amount of BEEF built into this system is also obvious. The Drag link is built form 1.5" solid 1018 Bar! And the Tie Rod link is built from 1.5" .188 wall 4130 Heat Treated Chromoly tube.
They also employ their own Double adjusters, one on the Tie Rod and one on the Drag Link. This means there is no need to disconnect anything to make toe or steering wheel adjustments. Not something many, or any that I'm aware of, after market steering kits do.
On top of that on the passenger side tie rod end, they use a pinch adjuster on, and a jam nut. So there is almost zero chance of this Tie rod end coming loose.
The Tie rods them selves are their own heavy duty metal on metal design. No plastic cups to wear out like so may other tie rod ends. They are also greasable. The drag link ends come with high misalignment boots and the tie rod ends come with anti wobble grease boots to help negate any unwanted tie rod roll that is often found in T style steering.
Here the system is installed. Plenty of clerance for everything. Currently this truck is sitting on stock suspension. No leveling kit or anything. The only addition to the factory suspension is a Dodge Off Road Extreme Duty Track Bar.
A view on why a bend was placed in the tie rod to clear the pitman arm. A straight bar would have had next to NO clearance for up travel.
A full turn to the right. Plenty of sway bar link clerance!
A full turn to the left. And again, plenty of clearance around the sway bar link. A very common issue on the 08+ Mopar steering junk.
The tie rod ends also clear factory 16" wheels. Another common issue on other upgrades, is you either need a larger wheel, or to grind away at the ball joint stud to clear the wheel. Not so with the Synergy MFG steering kit.
All the joints are also laser etched with a part number...although when searched on the Synergy MFG site nothing comes back...?
[ame="http://s766.photobucket.com/user/Legendsofthelawn/media/02%20Cummins/0816161506_zpsfd2tcudu.mp4.html?sort=3&o=0"]0816161506_zpsfd2tcudu.mp4 Video by Legendsofthelawn | Photobucket[/ame]
A quick video of the steering wheel being turned. (CLICK THE LINK) Notice THERE IS NO TIE ROD FLOP!!!! Any tie rod flop in a T style steering will result in a dead spot in the steering wheel. There is non of that going on here!
Ive had a chance to put a few miles on the truck and i have to say my initial impressions are that I love it.
My steering is much tighter than before. BUT i did have a little slop in the tie rod end at the pitman arm so having new tight joints probably has alot to do with how much tighter my steering is now.
What the Synergy MFG steering has done with out a doubt, and can only be contributed to it, is how much less vague the steering is now, when applying the brakes, going over a swale in the road, and cornering.
Before when the suspension would cycle up and down in the truck, the toe in and out would change drastically. This would create a really sloppy wandering feel. Not something that would create much confidence in a driver pulling a trailer behind them every day.
The steering is so much more predictable and solid now, its unreal how much of a difference its made.
Thank you Synergy!
