After availing myself of the wealth of information re: crossover steering, I have a few questions. Most of the in depth tech I have read seems to be 2 or more years old, and I am wondering if some newer arms have evolved that I need to know about.

My truck:
87 3/4 ton suburban
tbi 350
th400
np208
D60 kingpin front (welded)
52s on front 7" lift mas o menos
14b ff on back (Detroit)
shackle flip + 56" x 4" lift springs on rear
2wd box with bolt in brace and weld on frame gussets
37x12.50x17 BFG Mud

My use will entail 50% pavement and 50% offroad use. I'd like to not have wobble or unsafe things going on in the steering linkage.

1. Any thoughts on which high steer arms are suitable for this application?

2. Do the arms with one hole aft for the draglink make for a more balanced ride while on the road?

3. Does the elimination of the kingpin spring in favor of a hard shim preclude highway driving?

4. Will the bolt in brace and weld on gussets provide ample reinforcement? I have read a few pieces on here about boxing the frame and am unsure if there is more to it than this. I haven't installed these yet and want to make sure I am going the right direction before I do much welding.

Thanks in advance for any insight given.

good questions.


1. I think Sky makes a decent arm. www.sky-manufacturing.com

2. depends on if you can clear it with the oil pan or not.

3. I would LIKE the spring, but im sure it would be livable to not have it, IF it were shimmed correctly.

4. Not likely. I would ensure that the frame is braced to the point that you could not break it, in your own mind. the cheesy braces they sell are bendable, breakable, substandard, and cheap. but thats because I dont like them... and i welded my own crap together. I would weld on the gussets, and then install tubes and box the frame to hold the steering box in place.

Im not saying people dont make quality parts. Im saying that the parts that you know that fit the vehicle may work, but quality fabrication is a better subsitute than all the bolt on parts in the world.

and I dont do quality fab work. I hack my shit together, but its not driven on the street. Let the fab shops get paid to do the quality looking stuff.

Over kill is my friend, and its kept me alive for a long time.

edit: thank you for thinking before you post. This post should be an example to a lot of newbies.

i really like the ord arms and will be buying more for another project, they clear high lift springs with no extra spacers.

no, it is to move the tie rod behond the axle for protection AND tight clearance situations where the drag link and tie rod might hit.

i prefer the spring but it does not dictate off road only.

I bought my arms from http://jkwoffroad.com/offroadproducts.php and they seem to work just fine, when I was looking for arms I was looking for some that were a little cheaper than others and these ones were that. I haven't driven mine on the road yet so I don't know how they will work but I've been pretty hard on them in the rocks and still seem to be holding good. :D

as far as arms go I used ORD. I like them and everything went together perfect. And they have great CS. I even stripped one of the studs installing it? Dunno what happened to it? Nut locked up about half way down. Anyways they sent me a new one for free.
For a 50/50 rig I would run the spring. I think its less maintanence in the long run.

I appreciate the replies.