Steering Box Upgrade (reposted)

[Yo Hoot]

123,000 miles.
I installed the updated 08 steering linkage back in 08. Since then the link at the pitman arm is about ready to pop off.
Steering box is shot. Sector shaft moves all over the place even with the Defiant brace. I can't imagine what it would do if I removed the brace.
Thuren trac bar heim joint is gone.
Just ordered the complete steering box upgrade from a dealer.
68170214AA Steering Box
68034326AB Kit- pump and pulley
68034303AB reservoir, PS pump
68100252AA Bracket, PS pump
ZSBNT03 from PSC Steering Warehouse
New heim joint for track bar from EMF.
Big question. I was told the end link that comes with the steering box only fits the old stock style linkage. Can I get a confirmation?
Pics....
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[Yo Hoot]

I finally got around to getting my parts installed... not done but close. Job wasn't too bad. I had no interference with the fan shroud. My truck is 04. Pump was easy to replace. Steering gearbox was easy too. Getting the hose fittings lined up was a little trick.. some interference there with one line hitting another.

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Old box was soaked from both itself and the pump leaking.

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Disconnect steering shaft.

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Be sure you have the wheel well liner removed.

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Disconnect this line at the firewall before dropping the box.

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The three bolts that hold the box on the frame.

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[Yo Hoot]

I used a can to sit the box on so I could remove the lines easier.
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Old box was a mess.
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Major parts removed.
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What confuses me is there are two types of reservoirs. "Cornered" and round. They sent me the round.
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Remove old pump.
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Install new pulley on new pump.
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Old and New pumps.
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Pump installed. Pretty easy.
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[Yo Hoot]

Installing box.
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New pitman arm and sector shaft support fitting.
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More to come. This is all I got done over the weekend. Been relatively warm but kinda wet now.
Still have to fix the front gear case leak while I have good access and finish installing the track bar and new linkage today.
I put an EMF joint in the Thuren track bar. The original joint was totally shot. Made the spacers but had to figure out install them.
Did this.... welding wire from my mig welded to the spacers allowed me to position them while lining up the track bar to the hole. I tied a rope to the steering wheel and started it up. Pulling on the rope turns the steering wheel which pushes the axle side to side.
Installing a new track bar end link required drilling out the mounting hole for a larger bolt.
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Making spacers for the track bar end link.
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[Yo Hoot]

Finished modifying the Defiant steering box support today and installing the Bilstein dampener in the stock location.
Front end feels great.
I cut the bearing section off and re-positioned it onto the new steering box. Had to do a little clearance grinding to clear the pitman arm
Layed a piece of angle iron in there, clamped and tacked. Took it off and finished welding.. paint.. install.
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[Yo Hoot]

parked

 

[seafish]

GTREAT work !!!

I really like what you did with the Defiant steering box support...I like the way you cut the brace, positioned it and then welded on angle iron for the newly positioned bearing.

I still need to modify mine so I can reinstall it after upgrading to the 08 steering box some years ago !!!

Maybe I can send it to you when your all done and you can do the same to it??
You can charge me to help make back some of the cost of all of this !! LOL !!

 

[CVR222NV]

Hmmm . . . I too have a steering box brace I could never get to install. Maybe this is the fix!

 

[Ozymandias]

No need for a brace on that heavy box.
That massive sector shaft bearing can take the load easily.

 

[MartyK]

What is this part ZSBNT03 from PSC Steering Warehouse?

Thanks,
Marty

 

[Yo Hoot]

What is this part ZSBNT03 from PSC Steering Warehouse?

Thanks,
Marty

It's the extension for the steering box brace on the end of the steering box sector shaft that replaces the pitman arm retainer nut.

 

[AEdelheit]

Looks good but there is something that is not adding up, you keep saying its a Thuren track bar but it looks to have a welded in bung on the axle end so im guessing you got it used and someone just told you it was a Thuren bar? There may have been a very small bath produced about 13-15 years ago like that but other then that they would all be threaded in the bar FYI. The EMF joint is a fantastic upgrade.

 

[Yo Hoot]

Looks good but there is something that is not adding up, you keep saying its a Thuren track bar but it looks to have a welded in bung on the axle end so im guessing you got it used and someone just told you it was a Thuren bar? There may have been a very small bath produced about 13-15 years ago like that but other then that they would all be threaded in the bar FYI. The EMF joint is a fantastic upgrade.

I get my replacement parts from Thuren. I'll have to look in my records as I have bought from Defiant which no longer exists and Carli.

 

[Yo Hoot]

OK in my email records I purchased the bar from Paul Fox at Defiant who got it from Don Thuren so it's definately a Thuren bar.

 

[AEdelheit]

OK in my email records I purchased the bar from Paul Fox at Defiant who got it from Don Thuren so it's definately a Thuren bar.

Guessing that was around 2005/6 ish, glad to see its holding up well. Carli, Thuren and OEM actually have the same I.D. on the frame housings so bushings could be interchanged if need by, FYI.

 

[Yo Hoot]

Guessing that was around 2005/6 ish, glad to see its holding up well. Carli, Thuren and OEM actually have the same I.D. on the frame housings so bushings could be interchanged if need by, FYI.

If you noticed in the pics, I used larger a larger dia. bolt for the frame side of the track bar. That required drilling out the frame and using a different poly bushings with the thicker walled sleeve for more clamping pressure. The factory thin walled sleeve inside the poly bushings didn't allow enough clamping pressure and the frame holes always became elongated. Also added these
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[Ozymandias]

I think he means on the bar, not on the chassis bolt.

 

[Yo Hoot]

I think he means on the bar, not on the chassis bolt.

What do you mean?

 

[AEdelheit]

Sorry for the confusion, I meant the frame side weld housing of the track bar itself between Thuren , Carli and OEM are the same ID so a Thuren bushing would work in a Carli bar for example. Good call upgrading the bolt side, I did that on mine too, the 14mm bolts are really undersized.

 

[MartyK]

Nice work modifying the steering box support. I have the same one, I purchased it from Defiant.
Did the extension (ZSBNT03) allowing you to re-use the original bearing on your steering brace?