ok if any of you guys know me I am one of the first to pipe up about the 94-01 dodge steering brace "fix".
let me give some back round on my experience so you dont think I am just being a negative nancy.

ok in 2000 I bought a 98 quad cab dodge 1500 (steering is basically the same as the 2500s 3500s with almost no difference). from day one my truck was modified. I added a 2" lift and 33s. built my own bumpers, added a 3" body lift and 35s. added a 5" suspension lift made my own control arms, shaker 1 ton chevy steering upgrade, borgenson steering shaft, DT trac bar, PSC steering box,

I even waste money on a solid steel industries steering brace.

I also have installed lifts on dozens of my friends dodges and fords. So there is my experience.

Now, being that I had a 2nd gen dodge steering issues were given, even exagerated on a lift truck. Every steering mod I did helped a little but never really fixed it completely
In the end I won and finally beat the beast with a PSC steering box.

through out all of these steering mods I did one that seemed to help. But it still seemed to wonder and in the long run wound up costing me money.
I installed a solid steel steering brace.
I had it on for 5 months and was pleased with it. But after installation I had my wife turning the wheel looking for a clunk (which was a bad ball joint) and was watching the brace flex back and forth as she turned the wheels. I thought to myself "That doesnt look right". Well, 5 months later My steering box was leaking. so I replaced it, then 2 months later it was leaking again so I got it taken back under warranty and replaced it again. This happened 5 times total. Then I started seeing a thread or two popping up on pavementsucks about the same problem. So I did some reading and both of the members had solid steel steering braces. So remembering the flex of the brace when turning the wheel I figured that had to be part of the problem.
So I removed it and noticed that the steering feeled looser but wondered the same. It was just a tight feeling but never really fixed anything.
after I did that I didnt go through another box. for 1 year. then I ruined the box by heating it up trying to get the pitman arm off.

the best steering upgrade by far were the borgenson steering shaft and the PSC box. cured all of my steering problems.

My theory is the crap steering boxes. the gears dont mesh well and leave room for slop. which is something that the steering brace can not fix anyway.

now, after doing all of this I saw a rash of users on PS selling their brace and joining my anti steering brace coalition.
One member decided to keep his steering brace and modifiy it to the way it should be built.
here it is







notice that it is tied into only one side of the frame. that is the only way to do this set up.
tieing two frames together will cause the brace to flex.

now dont start with the "Mine fixed verythign" or "I never had any problems". That may be the case but the flex only gets worse with larger tires and more weight on the front.
and if you want to see for yourself have someone turn the wheel while your truck is on pavement and watch the brace flex.

like I said the steering box is the problem and the brace is the band aid

 

What about the braces made from tubular steel rather then sheet metal like most I see. Think they would work any better. I know they would be much stiffer and stronger just don't know if it would be enough to compenstae for the flex your talkin about.

 

well, it doesnt really matter what material it is made out of it is the flex of the frame that flexes the brace. the two frame rails work against each other when you tie them together then it flexs the brace.

 

AAHHH I see, says the dumbass. Thanks. The other question on this is did you try an OEM replacement steering box by any chance before you used the PSC. I'm hopin to replace mine here real quick with a NAPA unit. It's half the price of the PSC and I'm feelin kinda poor right now.

 

yes I tried the advanced auto box (replaced 4 time with that 2 times it was dead on install)

than I tried a NAPA one. but napas warranty wasnt as good as the advanced warranty and it didnt last much longer.

I priced one at the dealer and it was more than the psc.

 

How much is the PSC? And how much for a Brace?

 

the PSC is a steering box and it is ~$465

the steering brace is ~$200

oh and just incase anybody is replacing their steering box with a advanced auto or napa box. Make sure it isnt a larin. rebuilt junk boxes. I had 2 that failed out of the package. one wouldnt turn right and the other didnt turn at all.

 

Wow i may just be happy with sloppy steering

 

now, just to add. their are probably just as many people happy with the brace as not. So if you feel it will work for you than give it a shot but be prepared.

aslo, As Luke stated. BD is offering a good return policy. so if it does nothing for you you can return it.

but I can tell you that a borgenson steering shaft is around $220 from summit and will suprise you with how much slopp you had in the steering shaft and didnt know it. Mine felt felt fine but definitly had some slop.

---AutoMerged DoublePost---

and to correct one of my own statements.
I cant really say that anyone of the steering upgrades fixed my problem better than any other.
everyone of the upgrades I added helped. the last 2 things I did were the PSC and the borgenson shaft.
the borgenson shaft pretty much eliminated the sloppy steering but the crap napa steering box started leaking and I dropped the money on the PSC box. and realized that I had a more slop, because after I installed the PSC box my steering was as good as my 04 when I first got it. felt perfect.

 

Sounds like we need a group buy on the steering shafts and the PSC steering gears now.