After reading on this site and numerous others about the steering braces, I decided I would make one. As paying $250 for one seemed a little steep. the construction was pretty straight forward. I used some 4" angle and some 2" 1/8 tubing and 1/4" plate. The total cost was about $40-$45 dollars as the bearing cost $30. The shaft is 7/8" draw link pin for a tractor which has a thread that is the same size and pitch as the steering box as well as is grade 8 I believe. The last pic is of it just tacked together as I built it on the truck and then ground and trimmed it to finish it.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2801576_n.jpg http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2918624_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._7936032_n.jpg http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4142344_n.jpg

 

Nice job. That came out real nice. -Glen

 

Wow that came out real nice, wish I could weld!

 

That turned out great! Where did you find that pin? I have been looking for one locally, but cannot find one.

 

GREAT JOB. I'm going to try to make one. any pointers?

 

Excellent Job!

 

Is this supposed to be preventive to keep the death wobble away or something?

 

It's part of the sulution. When you run big tires... things tend to move alittle.

 

Very nice! I'm going to have to do that now! Any idea where the pin could be ordered? I have never seen that at the local tractor and farm stores.

 

Thanks guys. As for the pin I got two 7/8 UNF(fine thread) nuts and thread the pin in and then welded them together. Once welded together I could decide where to cut it and then I threaded it back in and welded it up. The pin came with one regular nut and one jam nut as well as a lock washer, but I had already bought some from fastener store.

Here is a link for the pin. It's a 7/8" category 1 lift arm pin.

Now as for pointers to anyone who wants to make one I think just making it on the truck worked pretty good as you can bolt on the end/side brackets to the anti-sway bar location the cut the cross member piece and then get a measurement on the bearing holder piece. What I did was drilled out the bearing holder piece and mounted the bearing and pin and once, I saw it was flush I tacked it. I ting to be careful of when un bolting the sway bar is that if your not parked on a even surface there might be stored tension, and it could hurt you if not that the bar weighs a freakin' ton and it could swing down and hurt, you so use a jack stand.
Here is a link on how to install

if the links don't work just goggle 7/8" category 1 lift arm pins and the article on the install is from dieselpowermag.com

 

Now I see... thanks!
I didn't realize the pin didn't come that way. The tractor store has the pins with the male thread there. What is a good source for the bearing?

 

I bought my bearing at an industrial supply place, but I could have payed about 1/3 the price from a place called princess auto. They sell a 4 bolt flange one that would work for about $10-$11 Their website is www.princessauto.com

 

excellent! thanks

 

farm and fleet has the pin and 4 hole bearing housing and bearing , but problem with 4 hole bearing housing is the size , so best beat is to get 2 hole bearing housing , on eBay you can get one for 15 $ shipped


And my total cost was 15 $ for bearing and bearing housing, 2.99 $ for pin with lock washer and nut, 10 $ for all metal from scrap metal place
So total is 27.99 $ + plus my tame cutting and welding

 

My story is similar; $3 for pin, $25 for bearing, scrap for free outside my door.

Worked great!


Thanks,
Joe