Steering upgrade

[dripley]

17 hours ago, BIG-BLACK-DODGE said:

I'll measure it up tomorrow. I have another just like the one i put in...i could mail it to you! Lol

oh wait...Canada post is on strike  again...lol 

 

I was pretty sure my ranch came with it. I always keep that stuff for times like this. Worked out good. Just took it for a drive with the TRE's all greased up and the steering shock in. I think it feels tighter. One thing i noticed is my steering seems to stay in one spot if i take my hand off the wheel. Could be from the shock or could be from Me adjusting the steering box...

I'll back off the set screw tomorrow and try it again. 

All i really need now is to get rid of this steering play. If you are driving down the road in your rig what's it like? I can move the wheel about 2" back n forth without it moving the tires. I want that slop gone! 

Will have to read more on that other adjustment gor the steering box. 

When you say greased up do you mean with your needle greaser of did this upgrade come with zerks to grease it?

 

You can try tightening up the nut on top of the steering box and see how that works, but it is my understanding the if you have to turn it very far that is when you have to make the other adjustment that I know nothing about. I turned mine about 1/4 turn when I had about 1 1/2" of play of center both directions and it helped greatly.

[BIG-BLACK-DODGE]

5 minutes ago, dripley said:

When you say greased up do you mean with your needle greaser of did this upgrade come with zerks to grease it?

 

You can try tightening up the nut on top of the steering box and see how that works, but it is my understanding the if you have to turn it very far that is when you have to make the other adjustment that I know nothing about. I turned mine about 1/4 turn when I had about 1 1/2" of play of center both directions and it helped greatly.

Yes I did that top nut adjustment already. Turned it 1/4 turn but going to back it off just slightly. I want to do that other adjestment and hoping that will take the play out of the wheel.

if one just bought the newest updated steering linkage for the second gen plus got rid of the steering box slop, might be no need to go with this 4th gen set up.

 

and the new 4th gen steering has NO grease fittings at all. 

And yes i just used a needle greaser. 

[notlimah]

What nut on top of the steering box are you guys talking about?

 

Also, @BIG-BLACK-DODGE did you get a measurement for the sleeve you used?

 

[BIG-BLACK-DODGE]

2 hours ago, notlimah said:

What nut on top of the steering box are you guys talking about?

 

Also, @BIG-BLACK-DODGE did you get a measurement for the sleeve you used?

 

 

 

I remembered but i had a small window to get my door latch swaped in between rain storms. Got it swaped out! She's a 3 door now!!! Lol

i'll get it for u tomorrow. Promise! 

Edited July 3, 2016 by BIG-BLACK-DODGE

[notlimah]

Ahh gotcha, just the big one in the middle then. For some reason I was thinking something else!

[leathermaneod]

Hey guys,

Just pulled the trigger on one of these. http://www.ebay.com/itm/281931160092

I feel like I got a pretty good deal. I think there is one left if anyone else wants it. I figured while I have my front end apart anyway I might as well add this to the list....plus my wife gave me permission since it was my birthday the other day. I am pretty excited! 

[notlimah]

Looks good! That's a good price too. I paid 300 to my door from rock auto. 

 

I got got my kit out on today. Went pretty easy although the old TREs needed some heat and some good whacks from the hammer. I managed to mangle my threads on the stock steering stabilizer so I'll be running without one for a while. I ended up having plenty of clearance for the TR threads but the part of the tie rod that holds the end itself was pretty close to the dust cover. I had maybe an inch of extra adjustability in my drag link before I was as short as it could go. 

 

I'll post back more later.

[leathermaneod]

I'm planning to run without a stabilizer, at least at first. Mine is an aftermarket and the dust cover is ripped up and looking pretty sad. So if I can, I'm just gona take it off and leave it off. I looked on rockauto too, but I was lucky enough to find this one with free shipping so it worked out well. Hopefully, I don't have any clearance issues. I'm counting on everything working out as well as it did for the guy on CF. I am stock height up front too, so again, fingers crossed for now issues....I'll let you know how it works out. Probably wont get it on till the beginning of next week though. 

I just realized the guy on CF has 2.5 inches of level....I hope that doesn't cause issues for me....

@notlimah what part number did you get? I just saw one of the guys on CF mentioned 52122362AF, but I thought the most recent was 52122362AL? 

And whats different about 52122362AH? 

I think i see now, the AL is the most recent revision it seems

[notlimah]

As far as I know the newest is AL and it's just the most recent version. That's the part number I got from rockauto. From what I read on CF you'll be fine on stock wheels just with some grinding. You MAY run into issues with adjustability in the drag link but who knows.

[leathermaneod]

Ok thanks! Yeah I guess we'll see on the drag link. I read somewhere though that you need a drop pitman arm for it if you have over two inches of lift though so maybe I'll be ok. We'll see soon

I wonder if I do run out of adjusting room, can I just grind one end a little shorter?

[notlimah]

Hmm I'm on a 2in level and I have a fairly shallow angle on my pitman arm tre (I think!) I'll double check that!

 

I think you'll be fine. Might just need some customization! 

[leathermaneod]

Thanks! Yes hopefully. I guess there should be no reason I couldn't cut a little off of the end of the drag link to give a little more adjustment if I have to.

[notlimah]

42 minutes ago, leathermaneod said:

Thanks! Yes hopefully. I guess there should be no reason I couldn't cut a little off of the end of the drag link to give a little more adjustment if I have to.

 

Thats what I've seen a guy do before so I'm sure you could do it.

 

Here's some more pics to give you reference of how things sit.

 

 

and my my poor steering stab! 

 

[BIG-BLACK-DODGE]

Cool. I took mine to a little pile of dirt and put each wheel up on the pile flexing the suspension to make sure nothing rubbed and tried it a various wheel positions then did the other wheel same thing. 

The only spot ggat was close was the tie passenger side sway bar link but it didn't touch and i was flexed out pretty good.

when you grab the main tie road that goes from wheel to wheel, can you get slight play out of it?? I have just a hair of play and u can hear it clunk a little. I tried greasing them but that didn't change a thing??? I wonder if the stock set up would have the same??

3 hours ago, leathermaneod said:

I'm planning to run without a stabilizer, at least at first. Mine is an aftermarket and the dust cover is ripped up and looking pretty sad. So if I can, I'm just gona take it off and leave it off. I looked on rockauto too, but I was lucky enough to find this one with free shipping so it worked out well. Hopefully, I don't have any clearance issues. I'm counting on everything working out as well as it did for the guy on CF. I am stock height up front too, so again, fingers crossed for now issues....I'll let you know how it works out. Probably wont get it on till the beginning of next week though. 

I just realized the guy on CF has 2.5 inches of level....I hope that doesn't cause issues for me....

@notlimah what part number did you get? I just saw one of the guys on CF mentioned 52122362AF, but I thought the most recent was 52122362AL? 

And whats different about 52122362AH? 

I think i see now, the AL is the most recent revision it seems

 

If u don't have the 2" leveling kit i would be very carefull with this set up. Make sure you test it like i did for clearance. 

That was with the sway bar off... Man it works so good off road with out it.. Lol

definately getting some sway var disconects.

 

one other thing is i notice this steering set up seems to make the steering easier to turn???

[notlimah]

I'd have to double check on the play but I don't believe there's any. My stock steering would clunk when turning around tight turns one way to another. I don't think grease will keep it front clunking. It's just the tie rods rotating so if they move they move  Seems like they shouldn't on this new setup though.

 

I haven't driven the truck yet but I imagine it'll be easier to drive just because of the T-style steering and beefier bars. 

[TFaoro]

10 hours ago, leathermaneod said:

Ok thanks! Yeah I guess we'll see on the drag link. I read somewhere though that you need a drop pitman arm for it if you have over two inches of lift though so maybe I'll be ok. We'll see soon

I wonder if I do run out of adjusting room, can I just grind one end a little shorter?

Don't run a drop pitman arm with only a 2" level.

1: You'll likely start hitting the bar between the two knuckles.

2: Without a drop track bar to go with it you'll have horrible bump steer!

[leathermaneod]

Whoa! now I'm confused lol. I am at stock height, stock pitman arm. Are you saying I need other special components to make this work with the new steering linkage?

[TFaoro]

4 minutes ago, leathermaneod said:

Whoa! now I'm confused lol. I am at stock height, stock pitman arm. Are you saying I need other special components to make this work with the new steering linkage?

Noooooo haha I'm just saying do not run a drop pitman arm, even if you do level it!!

 

Now for those of you saying you're out of adjustment, I've seen a couple people have this issue. Best way to fix it!? Pop the steering wheel off and re-clock it. No need to mess with  grinding new components.

Edited July 5, 2016 by TFaoro

[leathermaneod]

Oh ok. How do you re clock a steering wheel though? Sounds like grinding a little would be easier lol

[TFaoro]

5 minutes ago, leathermaneod said:

Oh ok. How do you re clock a steering wheel though? Sounds like grinding a little would be easier lol

 No grinding new parts!

 

Take the airbag out (2 or 4 bolts / screws in the back) make sure the batteries have been unhooked and key on for a while, from there you should be able to see the rest, but I don't remember.