ORD Steering Box Brace Kit - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

K20rookie · 01-14-2016, 03:28 PM

It's my understanding that these trucks are notorious for frame cracks/breaks near the steering box. I want to install the steering box brace kit from ORD, and I need some advice. Here's a link to the kit: http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/steeringkit.htm

So here's the deal...my front crossmember is the straight design, as opposed to the crossmember that curves back toward the rear of the truck. According to ORD's website, their kit was designed around the crossmember that curves toward the rear. In order for it to work on my crossmember, I'll have to do some modifications. What would be the best way to fill this gap and mount the bracket to the crossmember? Does anyone know of another company that makes a steering box brace kit like this?

**Zoomad75** · 01-15-2016, 12:46 AM

Best advice... Call them when they are open. I'm pretty sure they can give you the insight to use it on the straight crossmember.

**First c10** · 01-15-2016, 01:03 AM

Even though my truck had the correct crossmember or maybe It didn't but I still had to add 1/2" spacer. A few others here on the forum had to modify it quite a bit and some not so much. Check out the build threads on the 4x4 build thread area. Good luck. Check out my build thread and dwilber's thread we both installed them in different ways.

joeydurango · 01-15-2016, 10:23 AM

If I recall correctly - sold that truck so I can't go look - I used a fairly large spacer on my ORD kit to meet the crossmember. Once bolted in place it seemed very solid, no worries about the spacer whatsoever. Will probably add one of these to my new Super when it gets here!

K20rookie · 01-15-2016, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoomad75

Best advice... Call them when they are open. I'm pretty sure they can give you the insight to use it on the straight crossmember.

I called them yesterday and they suggested a spacer similar to what others have done on this site. Shouldn't be too much of an issue for this rookie

swclassics · 01-15-2016, 11:52 PM

I had a similar problem on my 71 K10. After talking with ORD, I ended up using washers to space it out properly on both frame and crossmember (see pics). I also ended up cutting a "window" in the bracket to be able to route brake lines cleanly.

K20rookie · 01-16-2016, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swclassics

I had a similar problem on my 71 K10. After talking with ORD, I ended up using washers to space it out properly on both frame and crossmember (see pics). I also ended up cutting a "window" in the bracket to be able to route brake lines cleanly.

This is exactly what I was hoping to see. That looks super clean. Thanks for the pictures. Any chance you remember what size washers you used? Also, I'm curious, did cutting that window make it a lot easier to route the brake lines? I planned on just routing them around the bracket when the time came, but now you got me thinking.

swclassics · 01-17-2016, 10:29 AM

The washers were the same size as the bolt but were extra large outside diameter to match the size of the bracket. I found them at the hardware store. It's not necessary to "window" the bracket, it just made the routing cleaner on my truck. Your's may be different. The bracket works GREAT in stiffening that area of the frame. Frank

01-14-2016, 03:28 PM	#1
K20rookie Registered User Join Date: May 2015 Location: AZ Posts: 75	ORD Steering Box Brace Kit It's my understanding that these trucks are notorious for frame cracks/breaks near the steering box. I want to install the steering box brace kit from ORD, and I need some advice. Here's a link to the kit: http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/steeringkit.htm So here's the deal...my front crossmember is the straight design, as opposed to the crossmember that curves back toward the rear of the truck. According to ORD's website, their kit was designed around the crossmember that curves toward the rear. In order for it to work on my crossmember, I'll have to do some modifications. What would be the best way to fill this gap and mount the bracket to the crossmember? Does anyone know of another company that makes a steering box brace kit like this? __________________ -Nick 1970 Chevy K20 Restoration 2001 Chevy Suburban 2500

01-15-2016, 12:46 AM	#2
Zoomad75 K5Camper Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Pueblo, CO Posts: 1,513	Re: ORD Steering Box Brace Kit Best advice... Call them when they are open. I'm pretty sure they can give you the insight to use it on the straight crossmember. __________________ Rob Z. 1975 K5 350/465/205/D44/12b 4" lift on 35's- RIP 1991 K5 8.1L/NV4500/241/D44/14b FWC Camper

01-15-2016, 01:03 AM	#3
First c10 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Los Banos CA Posts: 2,705	Re: ORD Steering Box Brace Kit Even though my truck had the correct crossmember or maybe It didn't but I still had to add 1/2" spacer. A few others here on the forum had to modify it quite a bit and some not so much. Check out the build threads on the 4x4 build thread area. Good luck. Check out my build thread and dwilber's thread we both installed them in different ways. __________________ 1956 Chevy Bel Air 2 door 1956 Chevy 210 4 Door 1970 K20 LWB project the Hulk build w/Supercharged 4.8L-ly2/4L60E HULK BUILD 1970 C10 Yellow/White Deluxe LWB w/ 5.3L-LC9/6L80E 1968 K10 LWB Dark green my son calls it "THE HULK Jr"HULK JR SOLD GO GO!!!

01-15-2016, 10:23 AM	#4
joeydurango Registered User Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Durango, CO Posts: 827	Re: ORD Steering Box Brace Kit If I recall correctly - sold that truck so I can't go look - I used a fairly large spacer on my ORD kit to meet the crossmember. Once bolted in place it seemed very solid, no worries about the spacer whatsoever. Will probably add one of these to my new Super when it gets here! __________________ 1972 K10 Cheyenne Super \| LWB, fleetside \| 350/350/205 \| KEEPER 1971 K10 Cheyenne \| SWB, fleetside \| LS Swap 5.3/4L60 \| SOLD 1976 Trans Am \| 400/4-spd \| SOLD 1976 Trans Am \| 455/4-spd \| TOTALED

01-15-2016, 11:52 PM	#6
swclassics Registered User Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Queen Creek, AZ Posts: 39	Re: ORD Steering Box Brace Kit I had a similar problem on my 71 K10. After talking with ORD, I ended up using washers to space it out properly on both frame and crossmember (see pics). I also ended up cutting a "window" in the bracket to be able to route brake lines cleanly. Attached Images

01-17-2016, 10:29 AM	#8
swclassics Registered User Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Queen Creek, AZ Posts: 39	Re: ORD Steering Box Brace Kit The washers were the same size as the bolt but were extra large outside diameter to match the size of the bracket. I found them at the hardware store. It's not necessary to "window" the bracket, it just made the routing cleaner on my truck. Your's may be different. The bracket works GREAT in stiffening that area of the frame. Frank



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