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Nordic1
04-27-2005, 11:38 AM
http://www.kevinsoffroad.com/zj/zj_steeringgearbrace.html

Bling Bling... somebody finially made a production steering brace.. Does anybody know anything about it? Pictures? If not I'll shoot Kevin an e-mail later.

nate
04-27-2005, 12:43 PM
I emailed about it and in a polite way said he wouldn't have time to take a pic for a while.

RiPPiNiTuP7
04-27-2005, 12:59 PM
someone on ju bought it and took pictures, but the forum is down right now. when its back up i'll see if i can post the link.

Cody
04-27-2005, 01:27 PM
I think I need one. I wonder if Kevin does sponsorships ;)

Cody

ggruszynski
04-27-2005, 08:48 PM
I have one in the back seat of my work vehicle right now. I can take pics if someone wants to host. Mounts to the sway bar mounts.

Gabe

Swamp boy
04-27-2005, 09:39 PM
email it to me Deltaswampy@gmail.com
I will host it..


Carl

ggruszynski
04-27-2005, 11:17 PM
Pics are on the way. I re-sized them a bit as they were like 2mb each, but didn't know what quality you wanted, so have fun! Time for :drinkers:

Sudz
04-28-2005, 10:44 AM
I emailed about it and in a polite way said he wouldn't have time to take a pic for a while.

i guess his customer service policy went out the window with the name change to "Kevin's Offroad" - :smt003

ggruszynski
04-28-2005, 11:46 AM
His customer service is good.... maybe he just didn't have one ready for a pic at that time. I think he's been working his tail off too as he only has 1 or 2 guys there (I think).

sneakyboy
04-29-2005, 11:16 AM
I emailed about it and in a polite way said he wouldn't have time to take a pic for a while.

i guess his customer service policy went out the window with the name change to "Kevin's Offroad" - :smt003

Why? Because he "politely" replied that he didn't have the time to? I don't think that makes bad customer service. Kevin has always given great CS to me and everyone I know. If fact I don't think I have ever heard a negative thing about Kevin until now?
I think ggruszynski is right about Kevins small crew and the amount of work they put out.

Cue-Ball
04-29-2005, 11:30 AM
I agree he only has a few guys and they are working hard to keep up. But I can not understand why he did not take pix BEFORE he ever posted up on his site that he was going to be selling a steering brace. I am very interested in seeing exactly what this is before I place an order, this is true of everything I buy I like to know what I am getting before hand.

Yes Kevin in general has very good customer service. I would not say it is exceptional but I would say it is above average.

Jim311
04-29-2005, 06:54 PM
Agreed, I think he'd be more likely to sell one if there were pictures available. I for one don't buy very many things without seeing pictures first!

Kraqa
04-29-2005, 07:25 PM
hmm sounds like a damn god deal for 15$. alhough with out a pic i have no idea what it is. i woudl rather spend 80$ for supplied to make hydro assist. and be doen with it for good.

toastyzj
04-29-2005, 09:15 PM
i actually bought one, just because i'd been abusing my steering box excessively (just replaced it, as well). the construction isn't complex, but it's pretty sturdy.

i'm the person that his page makes mention of that had some trouble installing it - had to trim the sway bar mounts some to make it fit. no idea how common a problem that'd be. the real problem was that i would have had to trim the brace an unacceptable amount (like, i was fearing structural damage) in order to put it on the correct way. i'm going to need to put in a plate or something to make the sway bar bushings not move around like crazy, in the very near future...

some pics of mine (no useful pics, unfortunately. if none are posted by the next time i check this thread, will take some) can be seen at http://infohost.nmt.edu/~jkearney/pics/brace/_dsc1349.jpg.html

Swamp boy
04-30-2005, 03:14 AM
I have the pics.. Have been out of town I am resizing and hosting them now..

Carl

Swamp boy
04-30-2005, 03:21 AM
Pics are here...

http://images.igloos.ca/d/75863-2/DSC01274.JPG

http://images.igloos.ca/d/75866-2/DSC01275.JPG

http://images.igloos.ca/d/75869-2/DSC01276.JPG

http://images.igloos.ca/d/75872-2/DSC01277.JPG

http://images.igloos.ca/d/75875-2/DSC01278.JPG

Enjoy... :smt003

Forwheelin49
04-30-2005, 12:42 PM
i just would kinda like to see this thing installed to get a better idea of how it works, looks good though, maybe i need to slow down on the beer and :weedman:

MaineZJ
04-30-2005, 02:03 PM
the ends bolt where the sway bar is, and the round parts clamp the bottom of the steering box.

Super simple, super easy to build youself.

ogdak
04-30-2005, 02:31 PM
Hmm, $80, didn't realize the steel prices went up that much.
Looking good though.

nate
05-01-2005, 05:24 AM
Yeah steal is spendy! $109 for a 10ft piece of 2.5"x2.5" here

TrojanMan
05-03-2005, 11:49 AM
Yeah steal is spendy! $109 for a 10ft piece of 2.5"x2.5" here

My mini-chalupa style bumper costed me about 60 bucks for steel alone.

Cue-Ball
05-03-2005, 01:11 PM
I like the idea of it but the pix of the installed one leave me a little concerned. I am not sure I want to install this under one side of the swaybar bushing only. Or is it meant to go under the bushing and use the bushing bolts to hols it?

toastyzj
05-03-2005, 01:36 PM
the sway bar is supposed to remain mounted flush - between the brace and the unibody rail. one side of the brace mount is supposed to share a bolt with the sway bar mount...

mine just didn't work out that way.

Cue-Ball
05-03-2005, 05:04 PM
the sway bar is supposed to remain mounted flush - between the brace and the unibody rail. one side of the brace mount is supposed to share a bolt with the sway bar mount...

mine just didn't work out that way.

So it should go in this order?
Unibody
swaybar bushing
steering brace

toastyzj
05-03-2005, 05:16 PM
yep.

though technically, you probably want the mounts screwed in, rather than the bushings themselves...

eshew
05-20-2005, 06:29 PM
I've bought the brace but dont know if I need it. I have some pics and it looks like a quality unit. But like I said I dnt know if I'm going ot install it. If someone is interested I'll sell it for a few bucks.....maybe....

Swamp boy
05-21-2005, 02:02 AM
Name a price... YOu never know til you ask.. :smt003

LouisianaZJ
05-21-2005, 02:11 AM
looks like the braces made for XJ boxes

ill just let you know they are pretty pointless and you will be much better off getting the "SBS" in his fab parts section that plates the sheetmetal where the box bolts to. actually people in xjs (and i image zjs are similar) have reported because that thing will move a little when the frame flexes up front and INCREASE the torque on the mounting points.

http://www.kevinsoffroad.com/images/jksproducts/fab%20parts/jks960.jpg

i have an xj brace just cause i got it for like 20 bucks, and i said what the hell

that piece is $80 plus $17 shipping

nate
05-21-2005, 07:18 AM
I don't know if you ever looked on an XJ, but they don't have anything other than the unibody, like on the ZJ there is an extra plate to where the steering box points.

Am I wrong on this? The XJs I looked at where like this. I can see why they have problems and ZJs don't normally.

Cue-Ball
05-21-2005, 09:30 AM
I've bought the brace but dont know if I need it. I have some pics and it looks like a quality unit. But like I said I dnt know if I'm going ot install it. If someone is interested I'll sell it for a few bucks.....maybe....
Yea how much?

LouisianaZJ
05-21-2005, 04:39 PM
no, i have never seen an xj up close

KevinF
07-05-2005, 10:48 PM
Hey guys. I've been overloaded with stuff to do lately, so my apologies for not getting the photo up and taken care of. The truth is that I'm getting ready to dump a bunch of money into a new website format that I'm paying someone to do for me, so I'm trying not to spend time formatting stuff in the old methodology. However, I will take a pic and post it up on the site when I get the Jeep back up on the hoist. My problem is that it's not going to look like much once it's posted. Big deal...a collar and two ends that bolt to the frame rail. Not my best piece of work, lol, and certainly not camera-worthy, but I certainly understand the concept of seeing something before you buy it...else we'd have no use for the Internet other than porn, I guess.

Anyway, it's easy enough for someone to make themselves if they have the welder, saw, and a can of spray paint. In fact, nothing on my site couldn't be made by someone else with the right tools and knowledge. I made it for MY Jeep because I broke my steering gear box tab off, and then decided to make a jig because seemingly someone must have had the same problem. I've sold quite a few of them, but you're right, a picture is worth a thousand words.

If you have questions about it, just shoot me an e-mail directly. kevin@kevinsoffroad.com. I've ruined my hobby (Jeeping) by turning it into a career, lol, so I'm not around the forums all that much to poke my head in and see what's going on. In the future, if you'd like to get my notice, send me a link to the post via e-mail and I'll get on quicker. Sorry for the delay.

Very Sincerely,
Kevin

SCAMPER ZJ
07-10-2005, 04:29 AM
I put the brace in about two weeks ago, seems real sturdy. Wheeler Lake and Twin Cone weren't that much of a stress on the steering, but parts of Holy Cross were. Hasn't broken yet! :mrgreen:

Anyway, the installation of the steering box brace was easy. Saw it described earlier in this thread, but didn't see pics of it installed so I'll post 'em:

http://www.jeepsite.net/Steering04.jpg
http://www.jeepsite.net/Steering05.jpg

More details in my write-up at jeepsite.net/steering (http://www.jeepsite.net/jeep_story12.html)

With regards to Kevin's customer service, I have always found it to be outstanding. I have purchased a number of his products, and they are all exceptionally well-built - and Kevin stands behind his stuff 100%. When I've e-mailed him questions, he's always gotten back to me with an answer quickly. I've also spoken with him a number of times on the phone, and he never seems rushed.

Cue-Ball
07-10-2005, 10:51 AM
Thanks for the pix, that really helps explain it (at least to me anyway).

ptownTSI
08-31-2005, 12:58 AM
looks good, I was going to have a local IMCA (sprint car, modifieds, etc) shop do me up something like that on my 5.9 to stiffen up the front end for turns, as well as putting on under-body bracing to keep that bitch from flexing at the drag strip.

oh well, i have new plans for it. can anyone say buggy? :partyman:

ELLLLLIOTTTTT
08-31-2005, 01:07 AM
can you use the stock front skid and this steering brace? that is a pretty useless skid either way, but just curious.

SCAMPER ZJ
08-31-2005, 09:17 AM
Yes. I didn't keep the skid plate, but Colorado5.9 did and it went on there just fine.

Colorado 5.9
08-31-2005, 07:11 PM
Not quite fine but almost. :mrgreen: I had to grind the inside of the ears on the skid so they would clear the outside of the brace on each end.

The skid serves a very good purpose. I hang my discos from it when disconnected. :mrgreen:

Kraqa
08-31-2005, 11:12 PM
The skid serves a very good purpose. I hang my discos from it when disconnected. :mrgreen:


I don't know why thats so funny....