rswoyer

I'm fed up with the steering on my truck and have decided to try the crossover steering everyone on here seems to love. I have a 4 inch skyjacker lift, so clearance isnt a problem. I was looking at this kit:

http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/new...uct.php?id=164

My questions are one, is this as good a kit as any other, and two this kit states that it corrects for up to a 7 inch lift, so do I use my stock pitman arm, or use the dropped pitman arm I bought from skyjacker? I'm glad I didn't throw the old pitman arm in the scrap heap when I put my lift on over the summer. Thanks in advance for the replys.

95ram

If you've already got the pitman arm then all you need is a Pside high steer arm. Googl and you can find many. They're 100-150. And these parts
Mid 80's cheby tie rod ends
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/...pi_p_1200.html
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/...pi_p_1200.html

DOM inserts. You'll need one Right hand and one Left hand.
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/...41_p_1404.html

Jam nut
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/...41_p_1268.html

DOM tube
1.75od 1.25id cut to what ever lenght you need.

I'm not affiliated with the above company. It's just they only one I found that has most of the stuff I needed.

By going this route you'll have way less into it then the 375 they want you to pay. IIRC about $130.00

You'll also have to move your steering box to the 2wd spot on the frame and buy/build and differant steering shaft.

Trooperthorn

http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog...0crossover.htm
My nefew got his from Off road Design. If you are not into welding and fab work, this might be what you want. Since they do chebby stuff, they sent him the arm, then had him measure for the link, Then they made-up the link and sent it to him. I have called these folks about this for my cc project and they are very nice folks. they will answer any questions that don't get answered here. A little more spendy than 95 ram's but thats the price for not fabbing your own.

http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog...0crossover.htm

simplysmn

the offroad design kit is the same one I used on last truck and will be doing the same on my new build very easy to put together and never had any issues with it yes it's 450 but IMO well worth it took me about 2 hour's to install it .

sdseva

i remember someone had pics of the cross over steering. could somebody post them or point me in the right direction to find them? and what are the advantages of the setup?

simplysmn

http://www.slide.com/r/5Fc1swrk7z_CDNSNofSr7eS2GRlJrssA

the best advantage I saw was the truck turn;s betterand handled better going down road here is a couple pic's of my old truck

rswoyer

I can't wait to get rid of that stupid bracket; I've replaced them on both of my trucks... and that was with the ramcharger steering box brace on. I really don't want to engineer anything, would rather just buy a bolt on kit. I'm going to throw on a new steering box as well; hopefully this will take care of the vague/wandering steering since I put the lift on.

simplysmn

Yes the kit should help with that feeling also while you are at it put a dual stablizier on also and if you really want to beef up the frontend look at the pictures I posted earlier and do a dual shock setup also

rswoyer

I checked out those pics; I already have a dual stabilizer on; the dual shock mounts do look cool!

IdahoSurveyor

rswoyer,

here is a couple of pictures of the Sky Manufacturing kit I put on my truck. It is without a doubt the single best upgrade to date I have done to my truck. It drives the way a truck is supposed to drive and in my opinion worth every penny.

I am somewhat mechanicaly challenged and have no welding skills at all so I went with the kit and it to 2 to 3 hours to install.





I used the Skyjacker pitman arm since it was already on my steering box but the stock one would have worked just fine.

Good Luck!

bigredbrick

Any difference in handling without the sway bar? I've seen set-ups on other vehicles where the draglink connects to the tierod. I wonder if this would allow for cross-over on a rig that's only lifted enough to level it.

I just looked at some pics of Scouts (heavily modified) to refresh the old memory. They are set up with complete high-steer where the tie-rod is high over the springs and the draglink is then connected to the tie-rod near the pass. side arm. Maybe that set-up would work on a Dodge with a taller pass. side steering arm - or not.

DNRCustoms

Looking at those pics, it seems a riser block would help the angle out a little, or would it put the bar to close to the crossmember?? I thought I seed off road design was making a new bar with a bend in it, that way it would lay flatter underneathe the cross member.. Did you notice any benefit with the cross over??

simplysmn

the biggest thing I saw was the turing radius was even better then my 08
as for the shock mount's my buddy hand made em It's nice to have him as a fab guy he does great work

rswoyer

Thanks for posting those pics; I've decided to go ahead and purchase the kit from sky manufacturing.... I was wondering if the sway bar was going to get in the way, though; My truck doesnt have one, but I did manage to get one at one of the local u-pull its last summer, but haven't put it on yet.

simplysmn

to be honest I have never had a sway bar on any of my truck's