If your Ram 3500 has a lift kit but still rides on the factory track bar and sway bar end links, you are leaving stability and control on the table. Core 4x4 builds heavy-duty replacements designed for lifted trucks — and they just released a brand-new line of sway bar end links available in Town, Trail, and Tow series to match your driving style.
In this video, Spence from Core 4x4 installs an adjustable heavy-duty front track bar and a set of Tow Series sway bar end links on an 08 Ram 3500 with a 5.5-inch Rough Country lift. This is part of an ongoing series upgrading this truck from top to bottom — last week covered the universal trailing arm kit for the rear axle.
Fitment: Dodge Ram 2500/3500 2003–2024 (3rd, 4th, and 5th gen) | All cab and bed configurations
What the Track Bar Does on Your Ram
Your track bar is the single component that holds your axle centered left to right under the truck. It is literally the only thing — besides your steering linkage carrying some load — that keeps your body and axle in alignment side to side. When that bar is worn, bent, or too short for your lift height, you get a wandering front end, death wobble triggers, and uneven tire wear.
This Rough Country lift came with a drop bracket to compensate for the geometry change at 5.5 inches. Spence leaves that bracket in place because it helps with drivability, and it also appears to have an aftermarket pitman arm that brings the drag link angle down to match. You can install the Core 4x4 track bar with or without a drop bracket — it works up to six-plus inches of lift on factory mounts.
Core 4x4 Adjustable Heavy-Duty Track Bar
Here is what sets this track bar apart from the factory piece or basic aftermarket replacements:
- 1.5-inch cold rolled steel construction — significantly heavier duty than factory
- Turnbuckle adjustment with clamps and jam nuts — adjust it while installed on the truck, then lock it down so it never moves
- Polyurethane bushings at both ends — greaseable and rebuildable
- Available for all 3rd, 4th, and 5th gen Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 models
New Product: Heavy-Duty Sway Bar End Links
Core 4x4 is introducing sway bar end links for the Ram 2500 and 3500 in three series, each built from 0.75-inch cold rolled steel:
- Town Series: Polyurethane bushing at both ends. Best for daily driving, towing, and around-town use
- Trail Series: Johnny Joint on one end, polyurethane bushing on the other. A step up in flexibility for light off-roading
- Tow Series: Johnny Joint at both ends. Maximum flexibility, easiest to maintain, built for heavy use
If you are lifted and your factory end links are maxed out or worn, or if you are experiencing excessive body roll, these are a direct bolt-on upgrade. Even if you are at stock height with worn links, the upgrade is worth it for the durability alone.
Track Bar Install: Step by Step
Ground-Level Work First
The track bar swap is easiest done on the ground with the truck under its own weight. This is important — you need the weight of the truck on the suspension so the axle stays in the correct position while you work.
- Turn the steering wheel all the way to the passenger side to expose the axle-side bolt
- Remove the two track bar bolts (axle side and frame side)
- Match the length of the new track bar to the old one before installing — the truck was aligned and driving straight, so match that dimension
- Install the new track bar in the same mounting points
Clamp Orientation Matters
The turnbuckle on this track bar has slits cut into it. Your clamps must line up over those slits so everything seats correctly when you tighten down. Get this right on the bench before you crawl under the truck. The order of operations:
- Bolt both ends in
- Tighten the clamps to 65–70 ft-lbs
- Tighten the jam nuts last to 250 ft-lbs — use a 1-5/8-inch crow’s foot wrench
Spence says you really cannot go too tight on the jam nuts. Do not be afraid to get them locked down hard. Once the clamps and jam nuts are set, this track bar will never move on you.
The 07-and-a-Half Bolt Size Issue
Spence discovered during the install that this truck is actually an 07.5 model year. Here is the breakdown on bolt sizes:
- 2002–2007: 14mm bolt on both ends of the track bar
- 2007.5 (split year): 5/8-inch (16mm) on the axle side, but 14mm (9/16-inch) on the frame side
- 2008 and up: 5/8-inch (16mm) on both ends
For the 07.5 trucks, the recommendation is to drill out the frame-side bracket to accept the larger 5/8-inch bolt so you can run matching hardware on both ends. This is a quick mod with a drill bit and gives you a stronger, more consistent setup.
Grease Before Install
Every bushing gets a coat of grease before it goes in. This is not optional — it makes installation smoother, eliminates the break-in period where the bushing works grease out to the wear surfaces, and just makes everything go together easier.
The Steering Wheel Alignment Trick
When you remove the track bar, the body and axle shift relative to each other. That means the bolt holes will not line up perfectly when you try to install the new bar. Instead of wrestling with ratchet straps or having someone push the truck:
Have someone turn the steering wheel. The drag link uses the truck’s own leverage to shift the axle exactly where it needs to be. Hold the wheel once the holes line up and drive the bolt through.
This trick works on the ground or in the air and saves a huge amount of frustration.
End Link Install
The sway bar end links are straightforward — unbolt the factory links and bolt the new ones in. If you are doing this at home, you do not need a lift. The install can be done in the driveway with basic hand tools.
For this build, Spence is using the Tow Series end links (Johnny Joint at both ends) in matching Illusion Cherry powder coat. The Johnny Joints provide maximum articulation and are rebuildable when they eventually wear.
Torque Specs
| Component | Torque Spec |
|---|---|
| Track bar end bolts (5/8-inch) | Per vehicle spec (see service manual) |
| Track bar turnbuckle clamps | 65–70 ft-lbs |
| Track bar jam nuts (1-5/8-inch) | 250 ft-lbs |
| Sway bar end link bolts | Per vehicle spec (see service manual) |
Order of operations: Bolt ends in first, tighten clamps second, jam nuts last. Always use a calibrated torque wrench on the jam nuts.
Why Upgrade Your Track Bar and End Links?
If your Ram 2500 or 3500 is lifted, the factory track bar and end links are working at angles and lengths they were never designed for:
- Steering stability: A properly adjusted track bar eliminates front-end wander and reduces death wobble triggers
- Body roll control: Heavy-duty end links keep your sway bar doing its job instead of flexing on worn bushings
- Adjustability: The turnbuckle design lets you center your axle perfectly without removing the bar — critical after a lift or alignment change
- Durability: 1.5-inch cold rolled steel on the track bar and 0.75-inch on the end links — these are built significantly heavier than factory
- Serviceability: Greaseable polyurethane bushings and rebuildable Johnny Joints mean you maintain the parts instead of replacing them
Tools Required
- Socket set (14mm, 9/16-inch, 5/8-inch / 16mm)
- Torque wrench (up to 250 ft-lbs)
- Crow’s foot wrench — 1-5/8-inch for jam nuts
- Drill and drill bit (only for 07.5 models needing the frame bracket drilled out)
- Grease (for bushings before install)
- Jack and jack stands (if working in the driveway)
- Penetrating fluid for factory bolts
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Content
- Ram 3500 Universal Trailing Arm Kit Install — the rear axle upgrade on this same truck from the previous week
- Why You Need Control Arms — educational overview of what control arms do and why upgrades matter
Shop Ram 2500/3500 Parts
Fitment: Dodge Ram 2500/3500 2003–2024 (3rd, 4th, 5th gen). Questions: sales@core4x4.com | (385) 375-2104
