2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Solid Steel , kits ???

[JFaughn]

I bought 3 box's , 1 goes across the frame & ties into the steering box , that went ok except that the threads pulled out of one of the 4 torsion bar clamps .
The problem thats hard to solve is that the [ tapered bushing ] that goes into the welded frame mount for the cross bar is too large for the tapered hole , also there is a 5 1/2 " bolt that is spouse to go vertically through a cross member , there are 2 elongated holes for the bolt , but the upper one does not aligned , so the bolt is cooked or goes through at an angle .
Any ideas ?
Thanks John

 

[jkalchik]

Huh? I'm confused. What Solid Steel kits did you get?

I put on SS's steering box brace (I suspect that's the first you referenced above) as well as the 3rd Gen trackbar retrofit bracket, and a 3rd Gen trackbar. All went on my 99 with a minimum of difficulty.

 

[JFaughn]

Yes the steering box brace , no problem installing .
It was the trackbar retrofit bracket that is the problem , on my early 2nd gen. , it looked like a good idea , when I was ready to buy a Cummins Turbo Diesel with an attached ram .
The 1st one I looked at was off of a farm , some kid was selling , I looked at the ft end because the steering was so lose , a lot of things wrong with that truck , but the frame was cracked around the steering box & the trackbar , so when I saw these parts going on a truck at Mikes Custom Trucks , ND , during a dyno day , I remembered that broke up truck & said that looked like a good upgrade .
Yours being a 3rd gen you have a little different set up .
I hope that I can get this on my truck .

 

[AFoulk]

I think on the early 2nd gens, the factory trackbar stud was smaller. I think theres something on solidsteel's site about modifing something to make the bracket fit.

 

[jkalchik]

Yes the steering box brace , no problem installing .
It was the trackbar retrofit bracket that is the problem , on my early 2nd gen. , it looked like a good idea , when I was ready to buy a Cummins Turbo Diesel with an attached ram .
The 1st one I looked at was off of a farm , some kid was selling , I looked at the ft end because the steering was so lose , a lot of things wrong with that truck , but the frame was cracked around the steering box & the trackbar , so when I saw these parts going on a truck at Mikes Custom Trucks , ND , during a dyno day , I remembered that broke up truck & said that looked like a good upgrade .
Yours being a 3rd gen you have a little different set up .
I hope that I can get this on my truck .

99 24v = 2nd Gen. I've now got a 3rd Gen trackbar on it so I don't have put a new track bar on it every year.

 

[Dave M]

I did this mod on my 97 this year. I had no problem with the 3rd gen track bar tapered bolt fitting thru the frame mount but the 5 1/2 inch bracket to frame bolt went in, like you said, at a weird angle. I don't think there is any other way to fit it. I just cranked the nut down. I plan on having the bracket welded to the frame cause it fit poorly.



Dave

 

[McLaughlin]

I've put SS trackbar kits on a 96 and a 97. The 5" bolt on both went in at an angle. You need to be a bit careful when tightening down the bolt as it seems the bolt wants to pull thru the upper bolt hole on the frame (if I had to do it again, I'd seriously consider making a bracket/heavy washer to put under the bolt head on top the frame). The tapered spacer didn't originally fit all the way into the hole on the 96 due to crud in the hole after some cleaning it fit fine. Don't know if the hole was changed on earlier trucks or not. If you haven't done so you will probably need to grind off some of the welds on the original bracket as they usually prevent the new bracket from seating flush with the original bracket. Another tip, at each end (at the axle and new bracket) where the 3rd gen trackbar attaches spread the bracket just a bit before mounting the new bracket. It makes positioning the trackbar a lot easier when installing the mounting bolts through the trackbar.

 

[JFaughn]

Well , here's where I'm at with this , I want to install with out permanently changing the truck [ be able to put original parts back in ] the 5 1/2" bolt going through the cross member , I'm going to drill a hole on top so that the bolt goes straight through , putting a thicker washer ,like mentioned above .
On the smaller tapered hole for the old ball joint , my plan is to machine a tapered bolt to attach at that spot , unless I come up with an easier way , but I do have access to lathe & mill .
Thanks John

 

[McLaughlin]

Found this on the solid steel web page. Looks like your approach is only solution if you don't want to change the original set up. The torque values on the bolt are pretty high. Which implies to me the pressures on the bolt are substantial, will a machined bolt still have the strength to be safe?

Solid Steel FAQ______________________________________

What if my truck has the small ball stud on the OEM trackbar?

Trucks built before 02/07/94 use a 5/8" ball stud on the trackbar upper joint instead of the 3/4" ball stud used on later trucks. On these trucks with a 5/8" stud, it's necessary to drill the frame lug to 5/8" to accept the mounting bolt supplied. You can't use the tapered bushing that is supplied with this bolt in this case either.

On later trucks, the tapered bushing fits into the tapered hole on the frame lug and locates the 5/8" mounting bolt properly.