Steering Upgrade

I just sent this info to to another guy on the site and thought this info should be here in the How To Articles for anyone needing stronger steering.

Here's some info on the Chevy 1 Ton tie tod over conversion.

You first have to ream out the knuckles from the top down using a 7 deg reamer. No bushings are needed for the chevy 1 ton ends because they are large enough to take out the hour glass shape when reaming from the top down.

The passengerside tierod end has a location for the drag link so you don't need to ream it. See below photo. As you are reaming check the depth all the time by inserting the rod end into the knuckle.

The drag link ends are neat because they have about double the amount of travel of the standard tie rod end. I bought mine through Autozone.com which had really good prices.

Autozone Online Prices:

ES2233L $25.99 (draglinks)

ES2234R $24.99

ES2027L $24.99 (tie rod ends)

ES2026R $24.99

For the tubing I would go with either 1.25" OD x .281 wall DOM or 1.5" OD x 0.344" wall (11/32nds). This way you can run the tap directly into the tubing and won't need any threaded adapters. The Chevy stuff does require some special tooling. You need a 7 degree tapered reamer and 7/8"x18 right and left hand taps.

The jamb nuts should come with the rod ends so look inside the box at the store. I got one without one. Do lots of measuring but you do have some room to work with since the rod ends have plenty of threads.

Hope this helps!

Will a Power steering Box from a 92 f-150 fit in and replace a steering Box from a 69 Bronco that is not power steering. I can get the pump in with out much trouble.

If not, what is the best route to make my two hands on the wheel type mudder into a one lazy hand type.

Thanks, any help would be appreciated.

To get the F150 box to fit you will have to get the adapter plate from Jeff's Bronco graveyard, Tom's Broncos, Duff etc. The box will be mounted on the inside frame rail instead of the outside like your stock set up. The 150 Box ends up being a bit lower than stock so it can get hit by rocks. I've seen some guys lift them up higher on top of the frame rail but you have to move the radiator to the passenger side a bit. All the Bronco companied out there have good saganaw boxes and pumps that work well but it gets spendy $300-500. The 150 set up out of the junk yard is only $100 with all the stuff but you don't know how worn out it is.

I'm thinking of going hydraulic since I trailer my Bronco and its not that expensive.

Right now I run a 73 Scout Power steering box and pump. Its a saganaw type and does well until it heats up. I'm sure a pwr steering cooler would help. The difference with the Scout stuff is the pitman arm faces forward instead of backwards so I had to pull the box as far back towards the trac bar bracket so the draglink would still line up with the tie rods. The pitman arm is the same as a stock bronco too. Here's a photo, its not an easy conversion, lots of beefing up the frame and welding the steering shafts together.

Thank You,

As long as it is possible I'll make the f-150 box work. The one I have is like new, it should work great.

Anybody know if the Chevy tie rod end trick will work on a 1987 Bronco. I've been trying to figure out how to do this for a while. :blink:

Sure it will. You just have to do some measuring and make your own tubes to fit the wider axle. You can use the same size rod ends as mentioned above. When you ream the knuckles from the top or bottom depending on what you want to do just keep checking the depth with the rod end until it fits. Its that easy. Same on the pitman arm. The drag link connects to the passenger side rod end so its ready to rock from there.

Here's some info on the Chevy 1 Ton tie tod over conversion.

You first have to ream out the knuckles from the top down using a 7 deg reamer. No bushings are needed for the chevy 1 ton ends because they are large enough to take out the hour glass shape when reaming from the top down.

The passengerside tierod end has a location for the drag link so you don't need to ream it.  See below photo.  As you are reaming check the depth all the time by inserting the rod end into the knuckle. 

For the tubing I would go with either 1.25" OD x .281 wall DOM or 1.5" OD x 0.344" wall (11/32nds). This way you can run the tap directly into the tubing and won't need any threaded adapters. The Chevy stuff does require some special tooling. You need a 7 degree tapered reamer and 7/8"x18 right and left hand taps.

The jamb nuts should come with the rod ends so look inside the box at the store. I got one without one. Do lots of measuring but you do have some room to work with since the rod ends have plenty of threads.

Hope this helps!

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I was just poking around and saw this. It looks real interesting and I'd possibly like to try it. I was looking in some tool catalogs at tapered reamers but don't see any mention of degrees? Do you know the standard Brown & Sharpe or Morse tapered shank #? and I was wondering if you reamed them by hand or with a drill or ? Did you have the steering knuckles off the truck? Also do the Chevy ends fit the stock pitman arm? I think my double shock mount would hit when turning. How are the single shocks working for you? Thanks for all the info, Aaron /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

I was just poking around and saw this.  It looks real interesting and I'd possibly like to try it.  I was looking in some tool catalogs at tapered reamers but don't see any mention of degrees?  Do you know the standard Brown & Sharpe or Morse tapered shank #? and I was wondering if you reamed them by hand or with a drill or ?  Did you have the steering knuckles off the truck?  Also do the Chevy ends fit the stock pitman arm?  I think my double shock mount would hit when turning.  How are the single shocks working for you?  Thanks for all the info,  Aaron /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

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I used a goodson reamer. TR-216-2 TAPERED REAMER. You have to ream the knuckles and the pitman arm. Ream a little and test fit. Ream a little more and test again. I used a drill press at work to do mine. Worked like a champ.

You can ream using a had drill but its not very accurate. Drill press is way more accurate so you should take off the knuckles.

No need for those front shocks. If you want duals, run both side by side behind the coil.

what your describing would work fine with a solid axle. i don't think it will work with the split d44 front end on the newer broncos right??? I'm tired of replacing the draglink in mine. though i just ordered one from JBG for just over 30 bucks. i was paying over 100 for a moog one from a local parts store...carquest @-)

Here we go again I'm still contemplating this conversion on the 44 in my 66. I was eyeballing it, and it looks like the tierod would hit the lower tracking arm bolt when at full lock. Does it clear? Also here is another link I found on web search for this conversion.

http://www.deepsoutheb.com/tech/CTRconv.html Aaron