New to 4x4's, broken piece in front end...help needed...pics attached.

Hello everyone, i am new to these forums and actually very new to offroading and 4x4's. i just purchased a 1998 dodge ram 1500 4x4 short bed pickup. it has 35" tires on it and seems like a 5inch lift. when i recieved the truck from the seller just drove it around the block and when turning it felt a hard bang from the bottom front... after that the truck was very very hard to turn... the steering would turn but the truck tires would turn very very slowly and instead the body of the truck turns slowly. i went underneath to check out the front and found a piece of metal which broke off from welding...(seems like fresh welding). i think its the piece which is connected to the track bar? .... the part that got broke off has a part number of FT 3500-104 on it..... My question is ... is it safe to get it back welded on like how it was before? is it safe to have these parts bolted on the chassis? i think its kinda un-professional. what if the welds broke off while i am on a highway? any input would be greatly appreciated.



second pic



part number pic



overall truck pif

 

i just found out that the piece that is broken is called "PANHARD BRACKET" but my question is is it SAFE to have it welded on the frame? or is there others available which can be bolted on...  

Just as long as you clean the frame up good get all the rust off it i dont see a problem in welding it  

if it broke once why would you try to re-weld it. take it to a dodge dealership or find some one with the same truck and look how it is supposed to be attached to the truck  

my 96 has a bracket that bolts to the drivers side frame and to the center of the frame right under the engine support, right where to two holes are(you can see the two holes in the pic) might check with super lift.  

oh yea it's called super lift track bar brace. hope this helps.  

Yeah those welds look comparable to something attached by mighty putty.  bolt them if they are supposed to be and as far as welding them use a professional or at least someone that is good at a gorilla weld (big strong and ugly).  PS your steering stabilizer shock is bent.  

find someone that can weld well, like a steel shop and it'll be fine  

Looks as if somebody that did not know how to weld already made a mess of your truck if you have not welded much then I would find somebody that has and clean it up real good maybe look into an aftermarket part they are out there if you are going to reweld that one find a good welder that nows what he or she is doing as that is an important part of the front suspension. looks as if its hit something rather hard by the pics the tierod is also bent as is the steering damp. shock GOOD LUCK!  do not drive without it being fixed first.  
LiL Digger

I would also get some rear leafs or some kind of track bar for that rear. Two many blocks for my taste.