Example of someone who needed a steering box brace.

[bigerik]

There's this guy on my UPS route who cost himself 1000's of dollars by not having a power steering box brace. You guys will love this one! For years he has had two K5s in his driveway (on Leo Dr. in Santa Rosa, CA) in varying states of disassembly. Finally, I couldn't resist asking him why. He said that the steering box had cracked the frame like it does and he somehow bent the frame as a result (not to mention risked an accident). In order to fix it, he got a donor K5 with a perfect frame and is putting the frame in his rig. That's alot of work (and time)! So if you're debating whether or not to get the brace, think of this guy's 3 year, $4000 project!
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.bigerik.coloradoK5>http://www.bigerik.coloradoK5</A>.

 

[BurbinOR]

Hey, another former UPSer right here, bud! Drove down in San Diego (actually Chula Vista/Imperial Beach cause I speak Spanish) back in 87-89. Moved up to Oregon and didn't get re-hired so went back into plastics...........has worked out great. But loved my time in my browns!

Anyway, I too had a frame crack at the steering box on my '75 (the dark blue one on my site with the 454) that cost me $2300 total to fix...........ouch! Never again. Have ORD's brace in my truck, and it works great, noticed how tight it made the whole front end feel right away.

<font color=orange>'79 - 406 TPI -<font color=orange> K5#5 - <font color=blue>See it at---&gt;<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.blazzinor.coloradok5.com>http://www.blazzinor.coloradok5.com</A>

 

[pcorssmit]

Mine cracked, I put on a weld on brace, problem solved. I later added the ORD brace as an extra measure.

Pete

'83 K5, 350 TBI (ex 6.2), 700R4, NP208, Dana 60/14 bolt, 4.56s, Detroits, 3" lift, 15-39.5x15 TSLs
'97 Dodge 2500 4x4 CC LB Sport, Cummins 5 spd

 

[Hathaway]

I'll be adding the weld in brace soon. Got a Thrust alingment done this past week and they said the frame was slightly cracked. Damn list of things I gotta fix just keeps getting bigger.....

Dan, '86 K5, 5.0L v8, NP208, TH700R4, open 10bolts front and rear, 3.43gearing, K&N filter, 31x10.50R15 Trailhandlers

 

[Klef72K5]

is this a visual crack?

 

[bigerik]

I didn't see the cracked frame at steering pump, but the guy said he is lucky he didn't get in a serious accident, so it must have been bad.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.bigerik.coloradoK5.com>http://www.bigerik.coloradoK5.com</A>

 

[Esteban86K5]

What exactly is a "thrust" alignment?

<font color=blue>Esteban</font color=blue>

<font color=red>SEMPER FI TO MY BLAZER

 

[Hathaway]

Well, the way its explained in the les schwab flier is it aligns all 4 tires to a common point and aligns the steering wheel (this was my big one as I had messed the alignment up so bad the steering wheel had to be upside to be going in a straight line).

Dan, '86 K5, 5.0L v8, NP208, TH700R4, open 10bolts front and rear, 3.43gearing, K&N filter, 31x10.50R15 Trailhandlers