blazing87K5
Registered Member
I got a 1987 K5 and was wondering what's the best junkyard steering gearbox to get and rebuild?
CK5
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Best steering gearbox upgeade?
- Thread starter blazing87K5
- Start date
There really aren't any boxes that are better than any others.
The main variants are differences in what fits (earlier boxes use flare fittings and a 36 spline input while the later ones are o-ring fittings and a 30 spline input). The sector shaft that comes out of the bottom of the box is also different between 2WD and 4WD boxes.
If you're using the stock type steering, get a box from an 80-87 4WD truck.
If you're using a crossover type steering, get a box from an 80-87 2WD pickup truck.
The main variants are differences in what fits (earlier boxes use flare fittings and a 36 spline input while the later ones are o-ring fittings and a 30 spline input). The sector shaft that comes out of the bottom of the box is also different between 2WD and 4WD boxes.
If you're using the stock type steering, get a box from an 80-87 4WD truck.
If you're using a crossover type steering, get a box from an 80-87 2WD pickup truck.
blazing87K5
Registered Member
Cool thanks
If you're looking to tighten up the feel, there's a few mods. All have received positive reviews.
1. ORD bolt-in brace. Triangulates the frame to add rigidity at the gearbox.
2. Weld-in brace. Adds beef to mounting area and can fix cracked frames.
3. Jeep XJ Borgeson steering shaft. Almost a bolt-in and gets rid of the GM rag joint, thus tightening steering 'feel'.
I'm in the middle of building my truck. I'm putting in 1 ton axles and going to crossover steering so I have added all 3 of these. However, I haven't driven it yet, so can't comment personally. However, I put them in based on the rave reviews from others.
1. ORD bolt-in brace. Triangulates the frame to add rigidity at the gearbox.
2. Weld-in brace. Adds beef to mounting area and can fix cracked frames.
3. Jeep XJ Borgeson steering shaft. Almost a bolt-in and gets rid of the GM rag joint, thus tightening steering 'feel'.
I'm in the middle of building my truck. I'm putting in 1 ton axles and going to crossover steering so I have added all 3 of these. However, I haven't driven it yet, so can't comment personally. However, I put them in based on the rave reviews from others.
blazing87K5
Registered Member
What do you have to do to makethe Toyota box fit?
A ton, don't do that
What are your motivators? Better feel, faster steering, strength?
blazing87K5
Registered Member
Just planing on going to the junkyard and rebuilding one.
Stomis
Professional Amateur
Where the hell did a yota box come from?!
Theres other things that will help your steering also. Poly bushings in the front springs and short or crosstied shackles help alot also.
Theres other things that will help your steering also. Poly bushings in the front springs and short or crosstied shackles help alot also.
This!!
If you haven't seen it, this is a pretty good article on the GM steering boxes.
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_0901_gm_steering_box_upgrade/viewall.html
I need to do the jeep shaft upgrade, make sure my bushings are in good shape, and if I still don't like it, I'm going to try a torsion bar that gives me better on-center feel. At this point there is so much potential for movement, I can't tell if the box is the problem, or everything attached to it, or both.
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_0901_gm_steering_box_upgrade/viewall.html
I need to do the jeep shaft upgrade, make sure my bushings are in good shape, and if I still don't like it, I'm going to try a torsion bar that gives me better on-center feel. At this point there is so much potential for movement, I can't tell if the box is the problem, or everything attached to it, or both.
blazing87K5
Registered Member
Lol jeep box is what I ment. I want to do it on a budget so I'm not looking to spend $150 on new. I was just wanting to know if one gm gearbox was better than any other than my 87.
wheeler
1/2 ton status
its not a jeep steering box, its just the steering shaft from an XJ jeep Cherokee, I think pre 94 or something like that. it gets rid of the rag joint, as it has ujoints instead.
Don't forget to check your swaybar (if you have one) bushings as well. Mine were completely shot and replacing them made turning corners feel a lot better.
Just depends what you mean by "better". The housing of the steering gearbox you can use is going to be the same no matter what, just a matter of what "guts" it contains on how it reacts to input from the driver. Thus the CC article that talks about some of the differences.
Would be interesting to compare a truck box to the car ones, as even with lowered PS pump output, the truck ones still seem to take relatively little effort to turn, and it seems to translate into very little feel "on center" which is somewhat frustrating (to me) when driving around town. But with old parts, who knows if that's the box, or any other part that is connected through the steering wheel. Replacing any worn steering parts would be the first step IMO.
