Crossover steering -- worth it or not for a daily driver?

[kipps]

I've got a 1987 v20 with a corporate 10-bolt front axle. 33" tires, no lift, possibly a maximum of 2" lift in the future. This truck will be used as a sole daily driver vehicle, general off-road farm chores, towing, etc. It won't be seeing extreme trail-riding.

I want the highway driving experience to be as confident and safe as possible, within the confines of a leaf-spring solid axle truck. Will I benefit from cross-over steering? Or is that merely a waste of money in my case?

What brings this up, is I intend to order a new redhead steering box, and crossover vs. stock will dictate whether I buy a 4wd box or a 2wd box. They cost enough, that I'd rather not buy it twice.

[JA50N]

If you go cross over steering you will loose your stock front sway bar. However, Off Road Design makes a sway bar kit that works with their cross over steering kit. It's not cheap though.

[kipps]

Originally Posted by JA50N

If you go cross over steering you will loose your stock front sway bar. However, Off Road Design makes a sway bar kit that works with their cross over steering kit. It's not cheap though.

Thanks for the info! I had not run across that conflict yet. The additional $350 required for a compatible sway bar, is making this look a lot less desirable.

[JA50N]

Which ever way you go I would recommend ORD's steering brace. It will help prevent the frame from cracking around the stock steering box.

[b454rat]

Crossover isn't needed for anything less than 5-6" of lift. Might not even be able to with a low lift, prolly run into clearance issues with the draglink hitting the springs. I daily'd an 86 3/4 ton with 6" lift and 35s, drove it 5 hours one way every weekend, and wheeled it some, but with bald 35s lol, didn't do it much. I didn't really notice the need to crossover. But if you have a super flexy suspension, then will need it. But for the amount of lift you have, maybe get a dropped arm, align it, and run it.

[kipps]

Originally Posted by JA50N

Which ever way you go I would recommend ORD's steering brace. It will help prevent the frame from cracking around the stock steering box.

I'd like to do that, even though my frame is unlikely to crack. It's the heavy "c6p" package, which specced the frame with the same thickness of metal as the one-ton trucks.

The main things that are on my wanted list of steering and handling upgrades -- redhead steering box, steering box brace, cherokee steering shaft, new spring eye and shackle bushings on both axles, and new shocks.

[Zoomad75]

Originally Posted by kipps

I'd like to do that, even though my frame is unlikely to crack. It's the heavy "c6p" package, which specced the frame with the same thickness of metal as the one-ton trucks.

The main things that are on my wanted list of steering and handling upgrades -- redhead steering box, steering box brace, cherokee steering shaft, new spring eye and shackle bushings on both axles, and new shocks.

Even the one ton frames crack. All squarebody frames crack at the steering gear. I'd get the ORD brace for the added insurance it provides.


As far as crossover steering goes, for no more than you plan on lifting it and using it, stick with the stock setup. I've been using stock steering on two different K5's with 4" of lift and never have felt the need to make the switch. I can recall on only a couple of occasions while going off-road where I dropped the left front enough the steering wouldn't turn. I ended up backing up, taking a different line and not dropping the left front nearly as much if at all and the steering worked as normal.

I do a LOT of highway driving that I need to have the sway bar to keep it tame. Adding the camper further forced the need for the sway bar when it's windy.

[Richard]

As mentioned crossover steering is generally not needed with stock suspension or corrected steering lifted trucks with limited stock type suspension travel. The short drag link can cause bump steer and/or limited turning radius with longer travel suspensions and uncorrected drag link angle. With a 2" lift would recommend a drop pitman arm to correct the drag link. Stay away from the offset drag links as they just relive the ball joint angles on the drag link. When using them the drag link angle is still the same and bump steer will be more pronounced.