Steering Research

Intro.  I thieved pictures, ideas, text and part numbers mercilessly for this page.  Mostly from the great crowd at POR forum.  If you see one of yours, please contact me so I can give proper credit, or let me know if you want it removed.

Hy Steer - a steering linkage setup where both the draglink and tie rod are located above the springs.

Crossover steering - a steering system where the drag link and tie rod attach independently to the passenger side knuckle

Inverted T - a steering system where the tie rod attaches knuckle-to-knuckle, and the drag link attaches to the tie rod, usually near the right hand side.

Inverted Y - a steering system where the draglink attaches to the passenger knuckle, and the tie rod mounts from the draglink to the drivers knuckle.

Photo Ron Hollatz

Non flat top knuckle on the right

Flat top knuckle on the right.

Non flat top knuckle on the right

Flat top knuckle with steering arm attached, lower left.

Set 37

76 Chevy / 85 F-150 outer wheel bearing:

Set 45

76 Chevy / 85 F-150 Front Axle Spindle Outer oil seal

722109

 76 Chevy / 85 F-150 Front Axle Spindle Inner oil seal

722108

 76 Chevy / 85 F-150 Spindle bearing 

B2110

 Inner wheel bearing seal (fits in back of hub)

Chevy 24898

Part # 20990

Chevrolet/GMC 

Blazer, Jimmy, Suburban '69-91

1/2 Ton Pickup '69-87

3/4 Ton Pickup '77-87

DODGE

1/2 Ton Pickup & Ramcharger '69-74

1/2, 3/4 Ton Pickup & Ramcharger '80-93

FORD

Bronco '66-96

1/2 Ton Pickup '59-96

3/4 Ton Pickup '59-75

3/4 Ton Pickup, Light Duty '77.5-97

JEEP

Full Size Wagoneer, Cherokee, J-10 Pickup, Commander '74-91

They are available from many sources (see links at the bottom of the page), or can be custom made if you have the tools and skill.

When making or buying, things to consider are:

1. Mounting design (Chevy style cone washers, lug nuts, bolts and locating dowels etc.) - see next section for important discussion on this.
2. Whether they are flat or "step up" to clear the springs
3. Type of linkage mounting - TRE or Rod End, and whether the arms are drilled or tapered for you choice
4. Intended linkage design - True crossover will require 2 linkage mounting holes in passenger side arm, 1 in drivers.  Hy Steer Inverted T will require only 1 hole in each steering arm.
5. Placement of the draglink attachment hole (if crossover) - you want this to be a distance from the center of the balljoint (point of rotation of the knuckle) equal to the distance from the center of the steering box shaft to the center of the TRE hole in the pitman arm.  In other words - balljoint to draglink hole on steering arm = the horizontal "throw" of the pitman arm  This dimension will affect steering radius and Ackerman angle
6. Placement of the TRE holes.  With crossover design, proper location is important to avoid binding between the tie rod and drag link.
7. Whether the arms "angle in" to allow clearance between the steering joints and tire / wheel.
8. Whether or not you need or want an angle machined in the face of the arms so that the static angle of the steering joints is minimized

1-530-626-9451

If you simply rely on the bolts themselves, you're just begging for a failure. 

Same goes for drilling and tapping the holes square to the milled face- if the bolts are crooked, they try to force the arm one way or the other. Or, if the hole in the arm is a pretty close fit to the bolt/stud, the angle of the bolt to the face will keep the arm from clamping correctly, and we're right back where we started from. 

Or worse, you crank down on the bolt 'til the faces DO meet, then the bolt is preloaded crooked, and more likely to break. 

Being a "competent part time machinist" myself, I very strongly suggest letting a skilled professional do the work. Even for a trailered-to-the-trail, slow rock-rig, the steering is an extremely critical item. 

And here are the studs and cone washers part numbers. GM calls the cone washers "adapters".

Stud
3965137

Adapter (cone washer)
3965138

Each of these were about $3.50 a piece. So it cost me under $24 for the studs and washers per side. And GM does not sell the nuts (or at least my local dealer said they were not available). It is a 9/16-18 that's needed.

You basically have 2 choices

1) A crossover design, where draglink and tie rod are independent.  The advantage being that toe and steering wheel center are easily adjusted independently without having to disconnect anything, and that there is no chance of the draglink "rolling" the tie rod before steering the wheels.  the disadvantage being the crowded linkage mounting on the passenger side steering arm, and the possibility for bind between tie rod and draglink.

2) An inverted T setup, where draglink mounts to tie rod.  The advantage being simpler mounting on passenger side steering arm, and potentially less bind.  The disadvantage being the draglink has to be detached from the tie rod in order to adjust toe.

The part numbers required are:

Tie Rod:
ES2233L for pass side (reamed hole for TRE) NAPA PN 269-2554
ES2234R for driver side 

Drag Link:
ES2027L for pitman arm (high angle)
ES2234R for pass side (mounts to TRE ES2233L) 

The ES2027L and ES2026R are stock 85 Blazer drag link ends. 

The ES2233L and ES2234R are stock 85 Blazer tre's. the ES2233L is the tie rod end (not on the drag link) that has the steering stabilizer hole that is re-tapered to the GM spec (1.5"/ft, but Drag link end has same taper, but larger hole). 

And all of these are 7/8-18" on the threaded ends

GM P/N's for the jam nuts (discontinued)

14024806
14024805 

Below are some pics of this setup from Steve Meyers excellent page.

Bottom pic is of an ES2010

I really like this setup for the clearance and no bind it gives between draglink and tie rod.