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ORD steering box brace fitment issue

WJACKSON11X

WJACKSON11X

1/2 ton status
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Mar 12, 2007
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Madison,GA
I recently removed the steering box brace off of my Jimmy to install on my Suburban. Both are 4wd. The frame mount with the single bolt doesn't even come close to lining up after I drilled the crossmember. I used the Jimmy for rockcrawling, so is it possible that the brace is bent? It sits off the crossmember a good bit and doesn't line up. I tried to cycle the steering with the wheels on the ground to try and flex the frame. Although it got closer, there was no way to get the bolt in.

I know i could drill a new hole, but that seems like it would hurt its effectiveness. Anybody have this issue?
 
Is this the long brace that goes to the middle of the engine crossmember or the small bracket that only goes to one steering box bolt?

Edit: are these trucks the 87 and 91 in your sig?
 
The long brace and yes on the 87 and 91 in my sig.

I'll try and get a pic of it this afternoon. It's weird because it fits fine on my Jimmy. Maybe the frame is tweaked on my Jimmy from flexing so much. I did have 52's on it, but I also had the A-Bomb on it. I guess its possible that the brace is bent. I wouldnt think you could bend that thing though.
 
The 91 Suburban is super clean and was completely stock when I bought a couple months ago. I don't suspect it to be the issue.
 
So we're talking about the bolt that goes above the brake combo valve, yeah? It's been forever since I did mine, but you drill an existing hole out to a larger size, don't hafta drill a whole new hole, right?

I seem to recall that this is one of those times you have to start all the fasteners VERY loose to get the thing to assemble, and then tighten them a bit at a time to get it all to go together.

Or yours may be really off. Pic of how far off the big hole is might be helpful.

-- A
 
dremu said:
So we're talking about the bolt that goes above the brake combo valve, yeah? It's been forever since I did mine, but you drill an existing hole out to a larger size, don't hafta drill a whole new hole, right?

I seem to recall that this is one of those times you have to start all the fasteners VERY loose to get the thing to assemble, and then tighten them a bit at a time to get it all to go together.
Click to expand...

that's pretty much the process as I remember it.
 
Here are some crappy cell pics, but you get the idea. I'll try and loosen the steering box bolts, but I'm almost positive it was still not lining up even when they were loose. It looks a lot closer than it really is, I can't budge that thing:doah:



 
FWIW, mine didn't line up perfectly with the OE bolt hole. I just drilled it where it wanted to be. By the time it was done, the new hole covered about 2/3 of the original hole. I believe my frame to be un-tweaked and preferred that to installing everything in a bind.
 
WJACKSON11X said:
Loosened up the bolts and was able to get it to go. Thanks guys! It has been about 7 years since I originally installed it.
Click to expand...

When sh!t goes awry on my truck -- which it does, often :doah: -- I have a tendency to overanalyze and assume the worst. I frequently have to remind myself of Occam's Razor (basically, the simplest cause for something is the most likely, as opposed to a complicated cause.)

These are simple trucks, and when things go wrong, it's generally the simplest cause. :deal:

-- A
 
dremu said:
When sh!t goes awry on my truck -- which it does, often :doah: -- I have a tendency to overanalyze and assume the worst. I frequently have to remind myself of Occam's Razor (basically, the simplest cause for something is the most likely, as opposed to a complicated cause.)

These are simple trucks, and when things go wrong, it's generally the simplest cause. :deal:

-- A
Click to expand...

Very well put! Things just don't go easily for me most of the time it seems:doah: Instructions also help sometimes, but hell I hardly read them anyways:D
 
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