Mopar Steering Rebuild: Diagnosing and Fixing Front-End Play

Diagnosing Loose Steering Play: Your classic Mopar shouldn’t handle like a dinghy. A wandering front end or clunk in the steering means worn parts. Start by jacking up one front wheel at a time (safely supported). Grasp the tire at 3 and 9 o’clock and see if it rocks. Side-to-side play here usually means tired tie rod ends or center link bushings. If you instead see up-down play (at 12 & 6 o’clock), that points to worn king pins/bushings in the spindle. Also grab the steering wheel: if you turn it a bit and the pitman arm doesn’t move immediately, there’s play in the steering box. A slight shimmy under braking or pull to one side could be a loose drag link or idler arm. (Mechanic’s rule: “worn idler arms cause road wander”.) Take your time isolating the source of play before ordering parts.

Inspect Tie Rods and Linkage: Check every rod and joint. Look for torn grease boots or slop. Outer tie rod ends are a common weak link – if you see movement at the wheel in the 3/9 positions, it’s usually the outer tie rods. OldMoParts part D-185, for example, is an outer tie rod end for 1962–1969 Plymouth/Dodge models (it’s just $42.50, with a boot included). Trace the drag link over to the steering arm: if that joint wiggles, replace the link or sleeve. On the passenger side, the idler arm must be tight; a worn idler will let the whole linkage wander. (If in doubt, factor in a new Mopar idler arm – about $95 – since the old ones never improve.)

Rebuilding the King Pin Assembly: Many classic Mopars (pre-1960s) use vertical king pins and bronze bushings in the front spindles. After decades, these bushings wear into sloppy oval holes. The cure is a king pin rebuild kit. OldMoParts stocks Mopar kits like D-116 and D-116A (for various Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth models) and D-222. Each kit includes new hardened king pins, matching bronze bushings, thrust washers and shims. For example, the $295 D-116A kit covers late Chrysler Imperial fronts. Installing a fresh kit restores the factory geometry, taking out the play that no alignment can fix.

Pro Tip: Have a machine shop press out the old pins and bushings. (As one restoration expert advises, “They can press out the old pin, press out the bushings and press the new ones in place… It is critical to have this done right.”) Clean the spindle bores thoroughly first. Press in the new bushings squarely, then install the king pin with correct shims. Don’t forget to pack it with grease. With new bushings and pins installed, your once-sloppy wheel will pivot rock-solid.

Pitman Arm, Idler Arm & Steering Box: Next, address the steering box and arms. The pitman arm (attached to the box) connects to the drag link – it literally puts input into the front wheels. Any slop in the pitman splines or bushing can loosen steering. If the pitman is worn or cracked, swap in a new one (many Mopar pitmans are affordable). Likewise, replace the idler arm if its pivot is worn (idler bushings are hard to rebuild reliably).

If your steering wheel still feels loose at center, rebuild the steering box. A manual Mopar box rebuild kit includes two needle bearings, two races (cups), two bronze bushings, and a new top seal. After replacing those, adjust the sector shaft lash correctly. Once reassembled, the box should eliminate the “feel” in the wheel.

Alignment and Final Test: With all new parts in place, set the wheel alignment. Use factory toe-in specs (often about 1/8″ total toe-in) and check camber/caster. These older Mopars can be sensitive to tie rod geometry, so double-check that nothing got accidentally bent. Tighten all bolts and cotter pins, then road-test the car. Ideally, the Mopar tracks straight with no more wander, responds crisply to steering input, and corners without unpredictability. If it still drifts, go back over the adjustments. When done right, the steering will feel like new — no mystery corrections needed.

Ready to Rebuild? A vintage Mopar’s steering deserves the right parts. On OldMoParts you can find the necessary components: King Pin Rebuild Kits (D-116/D-116A, D-222), Tie Rod Ends (outer and inner), Idler/Pitman Arms, Center Links, and Steering Box Rebuild Kits. These parts are exact repros of OEM specs, so they install correctly. Replacing your worn steering parts with quality OldMoParts pieces will tighten up your front end and give you confidence on the road.