Steering Box Brace

[foxwar71]

And Vetteboy79 did exactly what you are saying and what I am saying. He found a nut that fit on the box and machined it to perfectly fit inside a pillow block bearing. Then pretty much created the PSC brace. Probably the best way to do it, but the exhaust clamp method I posted above is a close second.

He actaully never got around to doing anything more then making the pitman arn nut :laugh3: Somebody else in the NAC now has it with intensions to make the brace setup. I would also like to build on for my jeep as well, but with the hydro assist I have now I probably won't get around to it anytime soon. I've also plated over the factory sway bar bolt holes so I'll have to come up with some other sorta removeable mount.


Another great steering box brace that should be brought over to this thread is the one that Larry the Dog built for his jeepspeed project. Supports the box itself, the sector shaft, and ties to the other framerail. Here's the post from his build thread:

Im using a Dodge Durango Steering box. It bolted right in.
I started on the steering box stiffener. I went about it a little differantly.
Top plate.

Bottom u-bolt clamp.

Steering box side bracket welded.

Passanger side frame mount

Stiffener done.

Mounted.

 

[sunburned]

That brace doesn't actually support the sector shaft itself, but holy crap is that beef.

 

[MoparManiac]

Yeah I mostly saw failures with the sector shaft before the whole box moving, at least once the area is plated.

 

[NCCherokee]

Traded a few emails with PSC. They confirmed they would sell the bearing nut and the pillow block for $60, or just the nut for $29. Also confirmed it will fit the sector shaft on the Cherokee box.

 

[ChiXJeff]

The pillow block should be a pretty common item, any decent machine shop or ag supply should have it, or something similar if you're building your own. It's really nothing more than a self-aligning bearing in a mount.

I've been thinking about building one of these for the Heep ever since I put one on my 99 CTD. I didn't think the pilot nut would be the same between them, if that's the case, I'll just buy the nut and fab up everything else.

 

[NCCherokee]

Yeah I found a site called BearingsOn.com that looks to have the exact pillow blocks that PSC uses, for about half the price PSC was asking. I'm planning to fab one up, just ordered the nut this morning. It will ship today and should have it Monday. I think I'll be able to mimic the dodge brace pretty closely and use the swaybar mounts.

 

[NCCherokee]

The PSC sector shaft bearing nut came in today.

I'm going to order the pillow block tomorrow and start piecing together the rest of the brace

 

[MrShaft696]

PSC's Dodge truck steering box brace

wow that thing is nice, its like a front hitch connected to the box....
mine is more of a bar with two halves that bolt around the shaft, only bolted at one end...

 

[NCCherokee]

So I confirmed that the nut indeed fits the sector shaft, threads on nicely. The nut is about 4" long so I'll probably cut it down. The swaybar is really close to the nut when on the sector shaft. I might have to lose the swaybar (which is hardly ever connected) or put on some drop brackets.

 

[CAJJ93XJ]

side note. noticed no one recommended this. is it worth buying just the driver side half?
http://www.currieenterprises.com/cestore/product.aspx?id=3387

 

[XJEEPER]

side note. noticed no one recommended this. is it worth buying just the driver side half?
http://www.currieenterprises.com/cestore/product.aspx?id=3387

Probably because it's not a steering box brace. These unit frame reinforcement plates are definitely worth installing to strengthen the front frame/steering box area and there's a good reason that they are sold as a set.
Install both inner and outer plates on the driver and passenger sides.

 

[CobraMarty]

I bought and just installed the MORE steering brace. It is super HD and well made. It installed fairly easy. I am pleased.

http://www.mountainoffroad.com/_e/J...eering_Brace_for_87_2001_Jeep_XJ_Cherokee.htm


There is no way the extended nut and bushing/bearing would work on mine b/c the sway bar is in the way.

 

[NCCherokee]

There is no way the extended nut and bushing/bearing would work on mine b/c the sway bar is in the way.

Yeah it wont work on mine currently either. I'll have to either lose the swaybar, put on a drop bracket, or hopefully someday something like an antirock. I could see putting the bar through the body of the brace, especially if I use round tube. Probably at this juncture I'll fab up drop brackets

 

[HavvkXJ]

have you tried contacting the person who owns that flikr account that the pic is hosted on?

I'vo got reply fm the owner of this brace
Quote:
"I actually built it, the collar around the gearbox is 2 1/2" schedule 80 pipe that I split and used a hammer on an anvil to adjust the size until it fit snugly, then used a grinder to make a notch for the webbing brace on the gearbox itself. The drivers side piece and the ends are 3/8" plate and are drilled to match the mounting holes for the swaybar bolts, and the pipe is 1" schedule 40 pipe. I made it so the brace sandwiches between the frame and the swaybar brackets. Nothing has cracked yet, but I don't wheel it really hard. I don't think it would though. There is still enough flex for anything twisty, but distributes the stress on the gearbox and frame of turning the tires, between both frame rails instead of just one taking the brunt of the force. I just started with the ring in place tapped onto the gearbox, got the end plates bolted on, and filled in the connecting pieces with what fit and at what angles to get the desired clearance."
Unquote

 

[NCCherokee]

Rock solid performance also makes a brace for JKs. Here is the email I got from them:

TigerXJ,
i will sell you the nut,bearing and cup for $45, Or just the nut for $16 plus shipping.The diameter where the bearing rides is 1 5/16 or 1.3125. You can email me for any further questions. [email protected]


Still haven't confirmed whether that nut will fit the box like the PSC nut. It is a shorter nut, but larger bearing surface diameter. The shorter length might fit better with the swaybar, if it will thread on. Something tells me this one one fit though because I think the nut on the XJ is 1 5-16", so if the bearing surface is that large, it may not work.

 

[NCCherokee]

I ended up buying a pillow block from VXB for $15 shipped to fit the PSC nut

Here they are side by side

You can see the nut sticks out below the bearing. The OAL is 4". My plan was to cut this down so there wasnt as much low-hanging fruit for trail obstacles. I don't think it lowered my approach angle at all from the rigid winch bumper I have, but I didn't measure.

I decided to gamble on the Rock solid performance JK wrangler bearing nut. Per my post above, it has a larger bearing surface diameter of 1 5/16" compared to the 1" diameter of the PSC nut. As the pictures show, the RSP nut threads onto the sector shaft as did the PSC nut.

The RSP nut is shorter than the PSC nut, and the bearing surface is shorter as well. Because of this, I have decided to use the RSP nut to tuck the steering brace up a little higher and to avoid cutting the PSC nut. Obviously I'll have to buy a larger pillow block now.

The PSC nut was $29, the VXB bearing was $7, and the RSP nut was $12. I'm planning on offering the PSC nut and matching VXB bearing to my welder buddy with an MJ. If he doesn't want them, I'll probably put them up for sale here, as this nut will fit the boxes from TJs, YJs, XJs, JKs, 94-01 full size dodge, and I assume MJs, and maybe even the Durango boxes but I'm not sure about that.


Next up:
1. Order the 1 5/16" pillow block
2. Pick up some 3/16" steel plate for the pillow block bracket and the unirail mounts
3. Buy the 2x2 square tube to tie the rails together and mount the pillow block bracket, I'm thinking 1/8" will be plenty
4. Have my buddy burn it all in.

 

[CobraMarty]

You have no sway bar getting in the way, lucky.

 

[NCCherokee]

You have no sway bar getting in the way, lucky.

Yeah I took it off for mockup. Im probably going to try to figure out some sort of drop bracket for it after I build the brace, cus you are right it is directly in the way

 

[tigmeister]

Hey guys, I'm the one with the flickr account with the steering brace. I like the ideas you are all passing around. It's great to share ideas.

Just my 2 cents. Keeping things as simple as possible will equal reliability. Putting a bearing out on the end of the shaft will definitely add tons of strength, but you have to ask yourself is all that work necessary? Maybe, depending on the size of tires you run and the kind of wheeling you do. Don't discount doing all that work just because you can and it adds a lot of cool factor. (I've been known to do that at times myself.)

That's why I come to this forum. To get new ideas, maybe borrow some from others and add my own twist to it. Remember, there is no right or wrong, with the exception if it causes a safety issue. Keep up the good work and great ideas.

Tigmeister.

 

[NCCherokee]

It's definitely some extra work amd i do like your brace. Originally I was trying to find a clamp style brace that mounted to both frame rails, but the only one that did was kevinsoffroad. Didn't really like the design of that one. Then I came across the dodge brace and decided I wanted a bearing on the pitman arm to effectively make it double sheer, brace the shaft and the box, and tie in both frame rails. I am also thinking it might be a nice platform to build a mount for a tranny cooler to avoid putting it in front of the radiator.