Steering box brace & oil cooler lines?????

[highrlr]

I am trying to install an ORD bolt on steering box brace on my '89 GMC Jimmy. My problem is the oil cooler lines that run through the front crossmember are in the way of the area that the steering box brace is supposed to go. One sollution i thought of was to cut a section out of the brace to clear the lines but how much will this weaken the brace? I could also try to move the lines above the crossmember but they would be real close to the crank pulley on the engine which probably isnt safe and they would be stretched pretty tight I think. Any help would be awesome!

 

[Hossbaby50]

I had the same problem when I went to install it once. I did not end up installing it because I couldn't figure out how to get it to clear everything without rubbing on either oil cooler lines or power steering lines. Both of which is not acceptable in my opinion. I ended up sending the kit back to ORD and getting my money back.

I was actually pretty pissed because they make no mention of it not fitting in some trucks. They say it almost 100% bolt on which in my case was false. I ended up installing the patch kit for the framerail on my truck instead of the ORD brace. If I end up buying the brace I will buy it from Tim (lesser of 2 evils). ORD and Tim have the same brace by Autofab.

As to make it work you could cut clearence notches in the brace and possibly reinforce the brace around the notches. This is assuming you have fab capabilites to add bracing on after cutting it.

Harley

 

[highrlr]

Im not really mad at ORD about the oil cooler lines being in the way, it looks like it would fit great if they were not there and I think the majoraty of k5's did not have th oil coolers. I really want to install this since even with the weld on brace kit I dont think that is enough alone, this is nice since it ties the frame to the crossmember. I do have some beginner fab skills and I think it is a project i can do, i jsut wasnt sure how i should reinforce the brace or if it was neccesary? I could also make a larger hole in the crossmember so i could move the lines down further and weld the piece I cut out back into the old hole, but i fugured the less cutting and welding on the trucks crossmember the stronger it would be? Any one else have any ideas?

 

[smokkey1]

Mine fit's my 90' sub. It was an PITA to install but I got in. The lines had enough slack to fit over the brace and not pinch the hoses.

 

[camiswelding]

I opened the crossmember hole up about 1 inch to the pass side (looking from back to front) and my lines cleared with just slightly touching the brace

I have the brace in both my trucks
89 v3500 chassis cab w/a 350 and a factory cooler (all stock) stock line hard/rubber
89v3500 crew BB, add on cooler... I ran the stock adapter, 6 inches of steel pipe to get it all past the exhaust (in the stock location) and then ran rubber line through the same place as the other truck... with the same oblonging the crossmember hole a bit

Steve mentioned this was a problem but for me it wasnt a big deal... I cant believe the pickup has any more room than the k5?

cam

 

[highrlr]

It didnt look like I had much room to move mine to the side, or even that that would help, looked like they needed to be moved down some. Ill give it a try though. Thanks

 

[1-ton]

The oil cooler lines on my 1-ton Crew Cab cleared my ORD steering box brace kit, but just barely. First, I unbolted and completely removed the oil cooler line bracket from the frame, so the oil cooler lines would flex enough to run under the long steering box brace bracket, and then sleeved the oil cooler lines with 5/8 heater hose to make sure the lines did not rub through on the frame or brace bracket. Your lines need to be in decent condition, and not hard and brittle, for this to work.

 

[sweetk30]

if no body lift remove them from cooler and then remove from hole in member. install brace and then reinstall lines under the member and then reattach to cooler . i did this on my truck and had no problems. but only if no body lift. if to tight when done just lower the cooler about 1" and reattach.

 

[B_to_C]

I installed my brace on my 90 and I have oil cooler lines...I can't recall them being an issue . actually all I really remember about that day is it was sleating out and it was the only time I had available to install the brace. long story short I could not feel most of my body parts by the time that damn brace was installed . Sorry if that wasn't much help, but I just can't recall that being a problem on mine.

 

[84_Chevy_K10]

It states in the instructions that although a bitch, it WILL fit with the cooler.

If you're wheeling a rig with crossover with the weld patch and no bolt on patch, you're on borrowed time.

 

[goldwing2000]

Hey Tim,

How much do you sell that brace for?

 

[jarheadk5]

It was a tight fit, but my bolt-in brace went in without any surgery or fabwork. I had to push the oil cooler lines around a bit, but they're not rubbing anywhere they shouldn't be. My truck is an '87 K5 with a 3" bodylift. Probably yet another example of the loose tolerances GM used when building these trucks...

 

[highrlr]

It looks like it will fit but I would hafta stretch the lines pretty tight and I really worry about them wearing through after time, or tearing from frame flex. I do have a 1" body lift so maybe that is what is causing my troubles. I will look into lowering the cooler up front to give me more clearance though.