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ORD steering brace how to install damn thing?

N

nsxxtreme

1/2 ton status
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Hi Guys,

I purchased and ORD steering brace. I went out to day to get and idea of what it was going to take to install the thing. I just set it up into place to see how things were going to line up. My truck is an 87 K5 blazer which has an oil cooler. When I went to line the thing up it rests right on top of the oil cooler lines. The power steering lines also rest right on top of the thing. When I reviewed the instructions it looks as though the truck they are installing it on does not have an oil cooler nor power steering.

So what's the deal and how in the heck are you guys installing this thng?

Thanks in advance!

IMG_0147.jpg


IMG_0148.jpg
 
you will need to reroute the lines from the frame hole to above the hole. had to do it with mine.

and you will love the brace once in. made my 1ton on 38" tires steer like a race car from before.
 
76zimmer said:
post 276
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You see that ovaled out hole in your pictures? That is where the oil cooler lines run through. Right in the direct path of the steering brace. Nothing on there website mentions anything about having to move the oil cooler lines. Moving those lines would not be an easy task and sounds expensive.
The brace could have been designed to have a notch in it to provide room for the oil cooler lines.
 
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sweetk30 said:
you will need to reroute the lines from the frame hole to above the hole. had to do it with mine.

and you will love the brace once in. made my 1ton on 38" tires steer like a race car from before.
Click to expand...

Can you post a picture of yours? Cause it looks like the power steering pulley would rub on anything you tried to run over the top.
 
weird, I have p/s with an oil cooler, dont remember moving any lines, just remember drilling out the hole in the crossmember and moving a brake line tab...
 
nsxxtreme said:
Can you post a picture of yours? Cause it looks like the power steering pulley would rub on anything you tried to run over the top.
Click to expand...

dont have that truck anymore.

the others i do have dont have oil cooler.

and i used a few zip ties to hold it were i wanted it. and had 3" body lift. that made diffrent angles also.
 
I saw the same thing when I was looking into those. Was too lazy to reroute the lines. Boxed the frame with 1/2" ID .120 wall tubing between the rails. Then built a gusset with 1/2"ID tubing inside the frame rail for the top front bolt, with a tab bolting it to the cross member.

Did my own frame doubling. I am impatient waiting for parts.
 
Here's mine:

P1010008.jpg


After that pic was taken, I took a 6" piece of rubber fuel line and split it lengthwise to make a "C" cross section and slipped it over the brace above the oil lines to prevent abraision. Here is a tip: get the one steering box bolt that doesn't go through the brace in and snug first. It is much harder to get in once the brace is in place.
 
BGKYK5 said:
Here is a tip: get the one steering box bolt that doesn't go through the brace in and snug first. It is much harder to get in once the brace is in place.
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True!
 
It is a pain in the arse. I had to gently bend up the power steering lines and the oil cooler line. It's not as easy as everyone says.... but just be patient it will go in. Getting it lined up and the bolts to go in with all those lines interferring...etc. :doah::doah:

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Thanks guys for the pics I hadn't figured out where the hell the smaller bracket went.

I haven't decided what I am going to do yet. I might notch the bracket with a die grinder so it will have room for the oil cooler lines. I don't like the idea of the bracket resting on the bracket. :( having the oil lines bust in the worst possible time would suck!!!
 
I just saw your post in the other thread... I'll have to go look at mine but I remember lining the bolts up being a pain more so then any lines I had to move and I have an oil cooler. None of it was bad enough to not recommend the product though.:dunno:
 
clandr1 said:
Tag since I'll be doing this over the weekend.
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I'll try an remembet to snap some pics of mine when it stop raining with the notch for the oil cooler lines.

mr.smartass said:
I just saw your post in the other thread... I'll have to go look at mine but I remember lining the bolts up being a pain more so then any lines I had to move and I have an oil cooler. None of it was bad enough to not recommend the product though.:dunno:
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It's more of a matter of I paid over $100 for this thing I shouldn't be required to hack the thing to get it to fit. It either fits or it doesn't, the way it ships its does NOT fit if you have an oil cooler!
 
nsxxtreme said:
I'll try an remembet to snap some pics of mine when it stop raining with the notch for the oil cooler lines.


It's more of a matter of I paid over $100 for this thing I shouldn't be required to hack the thing to get it to fit. It either fits or it doesn't, the way it ships its does NOT fit if you have an oil cooler!
Click to expand...

Pics? Mine fit with an oil cooler too, I just ran the lines under the brace (see post #10). Nothing goes on perfectly with these trucks, but I didn't think it was too bad. :dunno:
 
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