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Crossover Spacer FYI

Hossbaby50

Hossbaby50

3/4 ton status
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Just a little FYI for those guys that are going to run the crossover steering arm spacer on a D44 or 10 bolt.

You must install new steering studs for the spacer, but there is a problem with this. The rear stud is too tall to allow the brake caliper bolt to move in or out. So therefor you can't get your caliper off.

The solution to the problem is running a 4" long 9/16" Grade 8 fine thread bolt in place of the rear stud. (Matt your a genious /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif). You must clearence the top of the bolt slightly with a grinder if you run a lock washer on top of the cone washer.

If you are not going to run a lockwasher it would clear fine, but I would use a 3 3/4" bolt instead of a 4".

This was the problem and fix for my truck. I am running a 10 bolt front with D44 8 lug backing plates. Hope this may help someone else from running into problems. /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif

Harley
 
well i need to tell ya ....i ran 3 bolts with my spacer and they all broke off on the trail....there is no trail fix for this!!...im not sure what spacer and arm your using but mine fit with no problems....
 
heres a pic
2552eble_hills_carnage.jpg
 
I am using the 1" spacer and Crossover steering arm from Sky Manufacturing.

The spacer itself isn't the problem it is the 1" extended studs you must use with the 1" spacer.

Leadfoot, what was your setup you were using? Hydro assist? What grade bolts?

My other thought about fixing the problem was installing the stud and torqueing everything down in place. Then welding the nut to the stud. This way you could remove the stud when you needed remove the caliper. It would act just like a bolt.

It may just be a biproduct of my setup. I am using D44 knuckles off a Jeep. The bolt pattern may be skewed a little on the spindle bolts or something that isn't on a Chevy D44. I don't know. It may also be my backing plates. I am not really sure but it doesn't fit.

Harley
 
Actually the only bolt that survived in your pic is the place where my bolt is. The 2 that sheared in your pic are studs in my knuckle.


There is a fix if you wheel with people like TheRobZilla. He has onboard air, air drill, EZ outs, etc. I tossed the one stud I didn't use in my trial box just for grins too. Actually now I can probably carry the parts to fix it too. I just got a power inverter so I can use power tools on the trail. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

Harley

Harley
 
The furthest rear bolt (#3) endures the least stress. It is more often the pivot of the shear point. It is a leverage issue. Ya it is possible to shear the #1 & #3 using #2 as the pivot but the numbers on leverage say that #1 and #2 undergo more stress. #3 does have a lot of stress but it is not as critical IMO. The other thing to be said is the friction load that must be applied. The arm studs are not designed to hold back the force of steering alone. They are supposed to create a lot of pressure on the arm/knuckle interface and thus creat a large friction coeficient (sp). This is why painting the bottom of the arm is a bad idea and proper torque is beyond important. Most failures at the stud are due to improper torque (too much is just as bad as too little). The use of cone washers and lock nuts from GM is proof of this (and the incredibly difficult time to remove an arm).
just my .02 but hey I am just a mall cruiser /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
 
the one bolt in the pic is broken it just hadnt fallen out yet when the pic was taken..lol i had the poison spyder customs spacer.didnt have hydro....and 36 swampers....i had bolts in all 3 locations....i did several things wrong with that first setup...thats why it broke...i feel very lucky it didnt break on the highway....i really was just making a note of my own mistakes so someone else doesnt make them also..they were grade 8 bolts
 
Where you using hydro-assist at that time? What tires were you running?

I am running no-hydro and 35" MTR's.
 
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