NJTman

Tee hee hee ! ROTFLMAO....


THe frames crack due to the constant flexing of a piece of stamped steel that is touching in only 3 spots. If there were other "connections" to the frame which prevented the push and pull on the 3 mounting bolts, it probably wouldn't crack.

PapeCAT

Oh wow OK I see how it is..

NJTman

He was kidding around, and so was I ..... dude.

nfc90

Oh, I'm fixing it. The real issue is my regular mechanic charges $80 an hour in labor, and I don't have the lifts needed to do the work myself with the help of some friends.

The steer box mounts aren't cracked, but I know for a fact the box itself is long worn. Drag link is also definitely shot. Considering a Borgeson steering shaft; where's the least expensive place to order one?

Truck's been for sale on and off for a year; not so much because it's a heap, but because of my parents pressuring me to (keep in mind my dad drives a Prius so I take what he says with a grain of salt), job hours being cut, and actual work with the truck has died down considerably. I'm in no hurry to sell it, I anticipate staying busy this summer with landscaping and other chores around my own house. Thanks for the input all.

-Nick

PapeCAT

I guess I should've put a lol or rofl.

Lulz

cougar

Wow, you guys must really be tough on thing. At nearly 300K miles, I've only had to replace my steering box and back plate once. And that was year before last.

Subliminal

You don't need a lift to replace the box. You can pretty much get at everything you need with the truck on the wheels...although it might make it easier to take off the driver side.

Drag link is a walk in the park to fix. Might as well do the two rod ends, too. The Borgenson shaft is pretty easy, and at that point, you've already got everything but the mounting bolts off the of box itself.

NJTman

Most difficult part is torquing those mounting bolts from plate to frame to 165 ft lbs. the front one is impossible, but if you do the other two, and get an idea of how much effort 165 ft lbs is to move, you can just tighten it up.


Just re-check it from time to time.

Crossy's son

pretty sure the cheapest place to buy the borgeson replacement shaft is www.summitracing.com just look it up for application.

I would get the one that has the rag joint in it, (the cheaper one) it still eliminates the joint at the end that gets all sloppy.

james1

My dad ordered and bought my truck new back in 1993. He never had the vehicle offroad in his life but at less than 40,000 miles, with the OEM wheels and tires still on the truck, that mounting plate shattered into three pieces when he was driving on the interstate. It had nothing to do with him being tough on the truck; the OEM mounting plate was junk. He told me the replacement plate from Mopar seemed very slightly thicker (and fortunately it has lasted slightly longer).

NJTman

What plate ?


I don't have no stinking plate on my truck. You must be mistaken......

DodgeFreak

Pssshhh....Torquing bolts......just do what muscle car,extreme4x4, trucks and horsepower do......use an impact till there tight.....good enough....lol

NJTman

True,

Unless you have an 500 ft lb impact gun that snaps bolts like kids fingers in a car door......

or you could just set it to a lower setting I guess.


Or you could buy Torque Sticks....


Reality is, I didn't think I would be able to get an impact gun in there, as the cross-member sits high right there in front of the bolt, preventing access. I'll have to check it again the next time I'm under there.

james1

If I'm not mistaken, the OEM reverse rotation steering box mounting brackets were installed with the nuts on the outside (toward the driver side wheel)?

NJTman

The truck I removed my bracket from the nuts were on the inside. I replaced it the same way, but I guess you could reverse the forwards one, no ?

You would, however have to be careful not to interfere with the gear itself, as it passes right over the bolt's head.