LOCATE Rock Tite Metal Fabrication, makers of NICE HD steering bracket mount

[MN CJ7]

Re: Sam's Offroad mfgs nice Heavy Duty Steering Bracket Mount, made in USA

What is the thickness of the 2 smaller spacers they supplied?

Did they give any directions or a template on how to locate the third hole on the crossmember?

Most? of these brackets offer that additional hole but fail to tell you how to get the hole in the right location. There is zero room to mark it or drill it from the bottom where it mounts. A template made using the other two holes to triangulate the new hole is about the only way I can figure out how to locate it. You'd think they'd help out with adding this additional hole.

Dear PaRenegade,

Thanks for your note..... good questions.... can tell your mind works well and I bet your CJ runs pretty well also.... Thanks for posting the pics of the MORE and Rusties mount also that helped me in my evaluation.... I went back and looked at a few of the products and instructions to see if I can help further. Quadratech has the MORE inst on .pdf so I went back to read them again and look at the products...

First Question,
SAMs....The thin spacer is 1/4" and the thick one is 3/4" and are both very thick wall and had a gold anit rust coating on all parts.

Second question...
The Sam's Offroad steering bracket inst. say to mount under the cross member and mark drill the 1/2" hole.... more or less...This will max the strenght of the new steering bracket...

BUT.... when you said MOST HD Steering Brackets have the optional third hole that can be added to the CJ front Cross Member???? I went to look again at the other products... I think Sams and MORE are the only ones that have this from what I see.... but not all the lit pics show the top of bracket......

MORE IMPORTANT.... The MORE Instructions said this/below and will help you since you have the MORE product... This is for the forward mount one but think should be true for both bracket styles, or quick measurement / worth a call if need..

MORE INST.
STEP 2: [FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]For extra strength the Steering Box Bracket has been designed to use a third bracket-to-crossmember bolt. This hole must be drilled in the crossmember using the bracket as a template. To do this, set the bracket on TOP of the crossmember with the third hole toward the driver side frame rail. ([/FONT][/FONT]See Figure 4 [FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]for location of third hole in the bracket). Align the two existing holes and loosely thread two of the 7/16 bolts in the bracket from the bottom. Now with the bracket held in position by the two bolts, mark the location for the third hole. Remove the bracket, center-punch the location and drill with a ½" drill. Deburr the hole top and bottom. [/FONT][/FONT]


[FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]So..... The holes have a isoscelies triangle, two sides equal, so the stock holes to optional hole are equal distant.... So if most likely true for the std bracket vs 1.25" Forward bracket inst above. The MORE can be marked from bottom or top.... So ck distance for your two triangle legs, put on top of cross member, add two 7/16 bolts/nuts and snug up. I would use hole to slowy drill the 3rd hole or at least start the hole...Drill Bit suggested is 1/2" and is 1/6" larger than the fasteners to there is some play.[/FONT][/FONT]


[FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]I called SAMs for you and me to see if similar to More Triangle Isosclies because my inst say to mark from bottom.... MORE is a copy of the Sams bracket by the way...... so I thougt would be the same and Sams could update their instructions.... Sams holes are 1/4" different from stock hole to optional hole...... I suggested that Sams move the hole 1/8" and then can update the inst to say mark from the top or bottom and use the isoscelies triangle.... They liked the idea also.....[/FONT][/FONT]


i had a hard time spelling the isoscelies spell ck blew me off.....hehe


Suggestions for hole drilling.....

[FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]If your optional hole is "equal distance from the stock holes in bracket.... mark from top using the bracket since you have MORE.[/FONT][/FONT]


[FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]IF NOT equal distance.... tape paper on top of bracket mark all holes and tape on top of the CJ cross member and center punch the optional hole. I would also cross hatch the optional hole to help mark on center of hole.[/FONT][/FONT]






[FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]WE think a like PaRenegade..... if the inst said to put on top and mark/drill from top I would have more likely to use the third hole.... I did not want to drill extra holes but I just got done fitting all holes for my winch plate, side plates, etc. My side plates are some old 1/4" plate and bolt to 3/8 winch plate.... I do not thinnk there will be much frame flex for my use..... time will tell?[/FONT][/FONT]


[FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]By the way the center hole of three on the frame rail was the one off for me also... One fold of frame was off by .050" on rear part of hole.... took just a few seconds to mod with some Snap On dremel like bits for my air die grinder.....anyone that does any fab work.... i love those metal dremel bits...[/FONT][/FONT]


[FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]I hope this help you![/FONT]
[/FONT]

 

[PaRenegade]

Re: Sam's Offroad mfgs nice Heavy Duty Steering Bracket Mount, made in USA

That's odd that their spacer is only a 1/4". My stock shackle mounts are 5/16" thick. Did you happen to check yours?

Rusty's also had the third mounting hole as well. But drilling it from underneath would be a real feat without an angle drill because it's so close to the frame rail. Your right about the triangle and I never looked to see if they were equal, I just assumed they weren't. Good thinkin'. And I don't recall if the instructions that came with it even mentioned locating the third hole.
And I already have a Currie steering gear brace so with both of them I think I'll be good to go without the additional hole used.

And I know what your saying about locating and drilling holes in the frame. My TDK frame didn't have any of the extra factory holes in it. If it wasn't needed, it didn't get it. So mounting my winch wasn't quite as easy this time. Here's a link to what I mean.
30th Aniversary build- 82 CJ-7 Renegade frame off - Page 3 - JeepForum.com

Oh, and trust me, the mind don't work as well as it used to. At least the memory portion don't!! Thanks for your help.

 

[MN CJ7]

Re: Sam's Offroad mfgs nice Heavy Duty Steering Bracket Mount, made in USA

PaRenegade,

Measured my ft spring hangers, after market ones & welded on by PO, they are .315 or 5/16". MY Sams steering bracket seems to sit pretty flat..... The weld nuts, seams inside the frame from folds/welds would be more of factor than the lower 1/16 difference, is my guess. Could use a thin grade 8 washer..... I have a couple extra washers from Sams that are grade 8, 1/16 thin?, painted black..... if you want I can measure to see if 1/16" and mail one to you.... but a thin washer could be added to the 1/4" bracket stand off thick wall pipe pc. My Sams directions said to torque to 55#, then drive 20 miles and retorque.... This amount of force moved stuff around a bit.

Drill hole from bottom... Another idea is mark bottom but use a longer extended drill bit in the 3/8 or 1/4 range. The home stores have them for drilling thru walls etc. Then once you have the small hole from bottom with the long reach bit...... can finnish with the 1/2 bit from the top...

Paper/tape copy of the top of bracket could be taped and transfered to the CJ cross brace.

I think you MORE STD vs 1.25 Move Forward version will be the same..... Quadratec has the inst link in pdf if you want to look.... simple measurement will confirm this also and just use the bracket and 7/16 bit to start your hole in cj cross brace from the top.... you get all this, just repeated it.

The MORE Paragraph above was copy/paste from directions.

This round of work I knocked out the busted off welded in nuts (w bolts snaped off) and put plates/welded nuts all all the front frame mounts..... I have one welded nut left in front.... Did work this time thru, spring hangers will be stronger, the steering bracket not has 3 frame fasteners vs 2 prior, and can now install a collar to passenger frame bracket....

Forum member here on Jeep-CJ.com has one he mfgs for $35 + ship on classifieds and waiting him to reply.... MY PM is full I left him a classified add if some has room tell him to email me, if he wants a sale... I may just make my own.

How much was the currie, since you just got done looking and why the Currie? Tell us more about what you found, please?

 

[PaRenegade]

Re: Sam's Offroad mfgs nice Heavy Duty Steering Bracket Mount, made in USA

Well I can't really say. I bought that Currie brace close to 15 years ago and there were probably very few manf. making them then. I can't even tell you where I got it because I lost my collection of jeep receipts somehow.
As for the washers, I appreciate your offer but via some emails and a phone call to MORE, they sent me 2 thicker, 5/16" zinc plated washers to solve my issue.