james1

Cracked steering gearbox mounting plate

Mopar no longer stocks these (part number 52037876) and mine has sustained too much damage to be repaired via welding. I plan to convert to the reverse rotation steering gearbox, but am not ready to do so immediately.

As per our forum rules, all Want-Ads go in our Classifieds Section

EDIT: Does anyone know of an alternate source?

NJTman

I believe Oliver has a bunch of them..

Dodge Diesel - Diesel Truck Resource Forums - View Profile: oliver foster

Give him a PM

james1

Thanks much.

A couple of additional questions:
1. The part number for this plate in the 1992-1993 trucks is: 53037876 and for the 1990-1991 trucks it is: 4333525. Why the difference? Note: I have multiple old Mopar parts catalogs and the 1988-1989 trucks also utilize part number 4333525.
2. Does the dodgeconnection.com reinforcing bracket really help to extend the life of this plate? The reinforcing bracket appears to bolt to the truck frame only and not to the plate.

Again, thanks.

oliver foster

I am unaware of any difference in the plates through the years, but I have never had two of those different year plates pulled and side by side..

The extra bracket you speak of helps with the frame flexing / twisting with the push / pull motion of the steering box.
It doesn't make that plate you cracked any stronger though.

I do have a few extras, PM me if you would like.

mknittle

I think the brace would help some. If the frame flexes less the plate flexes a little less.
Man somebody had a bad dream the night before they designed that mess.

NJTman

The physical size is because the bolt holes are different (smaller) in the older design, where it mounts to the frame rail. You can use the older bracket, but have to drill the holes from 1/2" to 9/16"

j.fonder

yep. i got one off of an 80s ram charger, had the 1/2" holes. other than that, couldn't tell a difference.

to the OP, if you can't find the brace that goes on the backside or don't want to foot the bill for one. here is what I did. just used some 3/8" plate cut to fit inside the frame rail behind the steering gear. my frame doesn't flex in that area anymore, even turning 33s.

diesel402004

x2 still have the original plate after welding frame and mounting brace.

james1

I agree and have ordered the bracket from dodgeconnection.com. Unfortunately, the bracket is apparently still in the manufacturing process and will not be available until the end of September (2015).


I agree. The really unpardonable sin is that in 2009, Mopar still had more than 3,000 of these plates remaining in stock and then one day a few years later, the entire cache disappeared -- obviously scrapped. Somehow I feel that Ford wouldn't have pulled such a move. One might think that having old Dodge trucks still on the road would function as free advertising and be a point of pride for for Fiat Chrysler. But the bean-counters working for Sergio Marchionne clearly think differently.


There must be more to it that that. My Mopar parts manuals run from 1982 to 1996, so I did a little digging. Here are some part numbers:

• from 1982 to 1-6-1986: 4088 041
• from 1-6-1986 to 1991: 4333 525
• for 1992 and 1993: 5203 7876
• for 1994 to 1996: not applicable (although the vans in those years used plate #: 5203 8007)

So, I'm guessing that prior to 1986, the plates had 1/2" mounting holes? But what was the difference between the 1986-91 plates and the 1992-93 plates? Was the plate for the 6" frame rail different from that for the 7" frame rail?

j.fonder

I now have a plate from an 80s ram charger. it had the 1/2" mounting holes, i just drilled them out. I compared it to my broken 93 plate and they were identical in size/thickness/dimension. that section of the frame rail is not 7". the 7" section of the frame is basically from front of cab to back of fuel tank(roughly). but frame is more narrow over the front and rear wheel arches(location of bracket)

james1

Understood. That certainly seems odd - do you suppose the metallurgy could be the difference (between the plates that appear identical visually but yet carry different part numbers)?

cougar

"for 1992 and 1993: 5203 7876"
When I had to replace the one on my 91.5, this is the one Dodge gave me. And no, the holes weren't too big. My steering box had 9/16 bolts and everything lined right up.

j.fonder

or the bolt holes are the only difference. but that seems to be a difficult thing for you to accept.

james1

My point is there are not two discrete part numbers, but three:

• one plate has 1/2" holes,
• one plate has 9/16" holes, and
• the third plate has ???

mknittle

Easy fix= reverse rotation steering gear.