Dodge Ram 1500 question

[hanoverphist]

i know the 2001 dodge ram is pretty much the same all the way back to 1994, but do they share the same steering gear box? mine is leaking like a sieve at the top where the shaft goes in. a new part is hella expensive, and id like to try to find a good used one but dont know if the different years all use the same one or not. i havent had much luck with google-fu as of yet either.

any of you gearheads know the answer to this one? tyia

 

[Iron Woode]

can't the autowreckers cross-reference this for you and find you the correct part?

or just get the old one rebuilt?

 

[hanoverphist]

can't the autowreckers cross-reference this for you and find you the correct part?

or just get the old one rebuilt?

thats who ive been trying to get answers from, some say sure, it'll fit too quickly, others say "not sure, ill have to call ya back". getting frustrating. as for rebuild, ive been told the rebuild kit is about the same cost as buying a reman for 175 to 250. thats not much savings over a new.

reason im thinking that finding a used one will be "good enough" is due to my truck having about 175k miles on it.

 

[kornphlake]

As repairs go $175-250 is pretty inexpensive, especially if you've had the vehicle for any amount of time. How much would you be saving buying one from a junk yard? If it's no good are you going to pay to have it rebuilt or try and find another from a junker? I'd personally go with a rebuilt/remanufactured or new unit just for the piece of mind that I'm not going to have to spend more than one weekend digging through junk yards trying to find a part that will fit and function properly, unless of course you could get one off a junker for <$10, that makes it worth the gamble.

 

[hanoverphist]

doing the repairs myself makes it inexpensive, 350 for a new part is less than half the labor ive heard for it. i dont need someone else to do it for me, i can do it myself. im just cheap and didnt want to pay full price.

 

[Evadman]

If you do it yourself, remember to get an alignment afterwords. You may inadvertently change the toe.

<-- has '99 2500 Ram that was nearly rebuilt from the ground up by me.

 

[Arkaign]

Car-part.com is awesome, and has located many an obscure part for me as well as motors/trannies at very good prices.

 

[Vette73]

only $135 (118" wheel base) or $157 (134" wheel base) at rockauto.com