GMT-400 steering upgrades?

[THEFERMANATOR]

I know there is the COGNITO braces for the idler and pitman arms, but what else is there? I've looked and really haven't found anything out there for the older trucks steering. I would like to upgrade teh tie rod ends and hollow adjuster sleeves on my BURB. When I'm in 4X4 needless to say I get ALOT of flex in all of the steering as I have to turn the wheel almost a 1/2 turn to keep her straight if I give her much of anything when in 4X4. I asked over at FSC awhile back and was told there was upgrades, but nobody ever said what was available.

 

[schiker]

Post what you find....

I have seen just a few products try some searches for supersteer.....

http://www.hendersonslineup.com/pro...rm-support-gm-1500-2500-3500-trucks--suv.html

Do you have the factory steering stabilizer? Might add a second to help dampen impacts and flex. I think I saw a heavier draglink center bar a long time ago. But can't remember details. I have seen fancier hi performance steering boxes and higher output power steering pumps (that are good for hydraulic winches). But don't know about duramax power steering pumps much????

Carquest gold series parts or others high end is mostly it. And use the best grease every lube. Not that grease is going to save you but something with good EP properties and Timken load test numbers is better than just any NLGI No. 2 chasis grease. I think I like moly in my EP greases. In my mind something good for an excavator pin ought to be better for front end parts than a mulit use automotive grease or wheel bearing grease.

 

[Joey D]

Try XRF chassis parts for better joints. The adjuster sleeve could be made easy enough.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

I've already upgraded to an ARG steering box, but I get ALOT of flex in the tie rods and such with just a half throttle roll in with the DURAMAX. With the 6.5 I could flog it with all she had and onlyu had some minor steering wheel torque, but the DMAX will torque everything like no tommorrow. I was hoping somebody made a kit with beefier tie rods and solid adjusters so I didn't have to build something.

 

[schiker]

I like the idea of the supersteer idler carrier then top of the line joints with congnito braces on idler and pitman arms.

Do you think the A arm bushings are getting soft and compounding tierod flex/centerlink flex? Maybe Poly bushings would help and heavier swaybar with poly bushings too?

My rear leaf bushings are shot and I can feel the side to side sway looseness in rear from the flex is what made me think about it.

I looked around some did not see the beefier centerlink I thought I remembered. I see moog replacements but not sure if they are OEM or stronger???

 

[DieselCash]

How does the steering box help out?

Is it worth the extra money?

I ask because I am in the process of rebuilding my front end. I already replaced my upper control arm bushings and upper ball joints. This weekend will be the lower ball joints.

 

[schiker]

I don't know but kinda don't think the tie rod sleeve makes all that much difference??? But the tie rod themselves I can see would make a difference??? My guess its accumulation of give/bend in centerlink flex then tie rods then A arm bushing and ball joints all added up??? Maybe even the knuckle arm too???

I would guess too if your box is upgraded but idler isn't then the centerlink is only halfway held into place "square".

I finally found this site that had some solid tierod sleeves but not 100% confident they are correct size but does say it fits 97 GMC K2500

http://www.streetperformance.com/au...sle/tie-rod-end-adjusting-sleeve/8897-5715vc/


Product Number 1612 from Hotchkis

Product Number 105-10034 from Proforged, LLC

 

[schiker]

Never seen this before what do you think? Not sure it actually fits 8600 GVWR but ...

Lakewood > Suspension/Steering/Brakes > Steering Components > Spindle > Axle Spindle Saver

Axle Spindle Saver
..Lakewood Part # RM-422
Spindle Saver; For Use w/GM Metric Spindles; 2 pc.; Incl. PN[RM-420/RM-421];



Product Features
■Bolts On Easily
■Pays For Itself Over And Over
■Made From Zinc Plated H60 Steel
■Strengthens Spindle Arm

Link won't work you'll have to tab through suspension/steering..... universal fit steering components ......



http://paceperformance.com/lookup.h...rch=true&hidBrand=&hidEngine=&hidVehicle=true

 

[schiker]

Solid tube tie rod sleeve

Product Number 105-10034 from Proforged, LLC

Company website http://www.proforged.com/

 

[schiker]

I am starting to see says the blind man. I have been thinking why does the tierods and sleeve bend if its double jointed and not exactly cantileviered ? Duh ... its buckling / bowing not bending in the sense of bending from side force. So yeah a solid tierod sleeve probably does help.

So I was thinking why are solid axles so much stronger and don't buckle the long draglink? Well its straight and can't stretch giving an intial toe error and then buckle back. The wheels are held tighter and can't be independent. So I do think poly A arm bushing might help and you have to have the most rigid centerlink connection so it can't intially move. Therefore the best idler and steering box in combo (one without the other is probably not going to hold the centerlink strong enough). And a heavy sway bar with poly bushings might help too.

 

[schiker]

Never seen this before what do you think? Not sure it actually fits 8600 GVWR but ...

Lakewood > Suspension/Steering/Brakes > Steering Components > Spindle > Axle Spindle Saver

Axle Spindle Saver
..Lakewood Part # RM-422
Spindle Saver; For Use w/GM Metric Spindles; 2 pc.; Incl. PN[RM-420/RM-421];



Product Features
■Bolts On Easily
■Pays For Itself Over And Over
■Made From Zinc Plated H60 Steel
■Strengthens Spindle Arm

Link won't work you'll have to tab through suspension/steering..... universal fit steering components ......



http://paceperformance.com/lookup.h...rch=true&hidBrand=&hidEngine=&hidVehicle=true

So I looked this AM. Not sure how this bolts up but maybe its kinda sorta like the cognito braces for the spindle ????

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

The solid sleeves is somethin g I definately want to put in, as well as a set of cognito braces, and I figure I'll upgrade to all MOOG arms when I do the braces. The rolled tie rod sleeves flex ALOT in my front end, and I'm sure the small AZ tie rod ends I put in it don't help either. the box was an upgrade I did after the DMAX swap. When I was sitting still the factory box wouldn't hardly budge the front wheels in grass, so I added in teh box to help turn the wheels at slow speeds. Also the 96- boxes don't allow you to turn as sharp as the 97+ boxes do. With my stock box it wouldn't ever get close to the steering stops on the knuckles, but the ARG box puts it right on em. It sure tightened up my turning radius as I hated having to 3 or 4 point turn just to park this thing everytime, now I can normally whip into em.

 

[Joey D]

Look at the XRF chassis parts before buying the moog parts. I always used moog as I thought they were the best out there. The XRF stuff is looking to be better but time will tell.

 

[Ratman]

Hey Ferm, maybe it's time for a soild axle swap??

Just kiddin', I really like the IFS, -but with all that power you've got, you're really up against the wall there......sooner or later, you're gonna break that steering stuff, and the diff, -it's just a matter of time..

Imagine a bagged D-60 4-link or radius arm with king shocks, -that would be OFF THE CHARTS COOL!! :thumbsup:

I don't want to sound sarcastic, -but you did the dmax swap, -surely a SFA conversion on the burb would be a cakewalk for a guy like you.....:hihi:

After recently "going through" the steering gear, idler, pitman, -yada yada on my GMT400, the idea of a SFA swap really entered my mind. The steering on the GMT400 is a damn joke, -just my opinion, -steering parts this small sure as hell don't belong on a 3/4T truck, that's for sure......

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Hey Ferm, maybe it's time for a soild axle swap??

Just kiddin', I really like the IFS, -but with all that power you've got, you're really up against the wall there......sooner or later, you're gonna break that steering stuff, and the diff, -it's just a matter of time..

Imagine a bagged D-60 4-link or radius arm with king shocks, -that would be OFF THE CHARTS COOL!! :thumbsup:

I don't want to sound sarcastic, -but you did the dmax swap, -surely a SFA conversion on the burb would be a cakewalk for a guy like you.....:hihi:

After recently "going through" the steering gear, idler, pitman, -yada yada on my GMT400, the idea of a SFA swap really entered my mind. The steering on the GMT400 is a damn joke, -just my opinion, -steering parts this small sure as hell don't belong on a 3/4T truck, that's for sure......

I kinow I could pull the SFA swap off easy enough, but the misses said I could do anything Iwanted to the BURB so long as I didn't lift it(she's vertically challenged coming in under 5 foot, so tall vehicles don't work for her). That is why I was dead set on not doing a body lift when I did mine and keeping the whole sleeper look. I'm not worried about the front diff or axle shafts as the diff is the same one that is used in teh DMAX trucks today, and the axles are the same basic size as well. I just feel GM dropped the ball for the tie rods and adjusting sleeves as they are just puny. I've worked on half ton 2 wheel drive trucks that had beefier tie rods and adjuster sleeves in it.

 

[6.2 turbo]

I bet,you could piece something together with factory parts. One thing I discovered,was that the old Chevy's used a different taper,Ford and Dodge was the same. I'm not positive,but I think T400 Chevys have the same taper as Ford and Dodge trucks . The tie rods I used on my SFA were 76 Chevy truck,and have 1 inch threads. These have the wide taper.​

 

[Ratman]

I kinow I could pull the SFA swap off easy enough, but the misses said I could do anything Iwanted to the BURB so long as I didn't lift it(she's vertically challenged coming in under 5 foot, so tall vehicles don't work for her). That is why I was dead set on not doing a body lift when I did mine and keeping the whole sleeper look. I'm not worried about the front diff or axle shafts as the diff is the same one that is used in teh DMAX trucks today, and the axles are the same basic size as well. I just feel GM dropped the ball for the tie rods and adjusting sleeves as they are just puny. I've worked on half ton 2 wheel drive trucks that had beefier tie rods and adjuster sleeves in it.

Although I consider heims on a street truck kind of a last resort, -you could build one heck of a beefy setup using some 1-1/4 or 1-1/2" D.O.M. tube and some beefy 5/8" or 3/4" heims, -either from bulletproof, or ballistic fab. Drill the tapers out on the knuckles and centerlink ends and call it a day.

One also has to wonder how much of that flex is in the centerlink itself, -here is a picture from bulletproof's site showing the setup they offer for the later model trucks.

One could certainly reverse engineer something like this on our 400's I would have to think.....

Keep in mind I am a veteran machinist and still have access to the shop I worked in for 20+ years. If you need any threading or wrench flats done, not a problem at all. You can also weld thread inserts on the ends as well, -sometimes that's easier, but nothing wrong with threading the tubes either. A simple little bend in the hydraulic press and voila.........

Thoughts, ideas??

Rich.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

They also offer that heim joint set-up for the older GMT-400 trucks, but I don't like heim joints for street use myself. I need to set down one day and start checking teh catalogs and see if I can find a replacement tie rod that will bolt into the knuickle, but is beefier. Then have some solid center links with jam nuts built for it. I've also considered upgrading to a GMT-800 style centerlink and tie rods, but the straight centerlinks are pricey to say the least and the regular ones are bent and won't clear our older trucks.

 

[6.2 turbo]

I have a brand new ford tie rod end,left over from my solid axle conversion. I will check,if it fits a t400 knuckle.