Topic: IFS steering box mount kit

[datkinson]

Has anyone installed the MC IFS box reinforcing kit?  Any tips or tricks before I start?  Did you drill out the stock tubes or just burn them out?
Should say that I'm installing it on an already IFS '89 PU frame.

[84Flatbed]

Anyone? I would like info also from people who have experiance with it. It looks like the only kit that has an upper plate. I wonder how thick the plates are.

[84Flatbed]

 I'm surprised on the marlin forums that no one has experiance with this kit. I'm dropping my truck off Monday to have my cracked frame hopefully fixed by a fabricator, part of that will be removing a home brew steering box reinforcment and replacing it with a new one. I ordered the marlin kit even though it costs more than all the others mainly because it looks like it is longer than some of the other plates and might be helpfull in strengthening the area of the frame that's cracked. Also the top plate probably helps somewhat.

 A couple things I noticed, the top plate is 2 1/4" wide, I don't have my truck here to check the frame width but that seems narrow. Also the frame tubes don't look to be dom tubes like some others use, should be fine but for the cost why not dom. The tubes are long and will probably have to be cut down, I'm not sure if that is typical of these kits. One other thing, the website says one of each size sticker is included with orders, they gave me 2 small ones  lol.

 I'll find out what the fab guy has to say next week, hopefully the marlin kit works out, the idea was to save time cause the labor isn't cheap and it's going to cost a butt load of $$$. Wish I knew how to weld or had buddies I trusted to do this kinda repair.
 

[Robs86]

On my '86 the top mount has started to tear off and so I decided it is time to reinforce it. After doing some reading and looking at the other products on the market I decided to go with the MC "Heavy Duty IFS Steering Box Mount Kit" http://www.marlincrawler.com/steering/box/heavy-duty-ifs-steering-box-mount-kit. I recieved the kit in the mail today and the first thing I noticed is the plates looked a bit thinner than I expected. With that being said I threw a mic' on it and was a little taken back to see that it was indicating the plate thickness at .135" (just under 9/64" ) . I was immediately disappointed due to the fact they advertise 3/16(.187" ). I am not one to cry over spilled milk but 9/64(.135" ) does not equal 3/16"(.187" ). Maybe someone can enlighten me on my findings and explain to me that there is a special way to measure it to where I get the advertised 3/16"(.187" ), or that there is a special metal size chart where it gets rounded up 1/16". May I also mention I pulled measurments from around the whole plate and am using a calibrated micrometer.

[84Flatbed]

I didn't even check mine before installing, that's disapointing to hear that it's not even 3/16", all the other kits out there use a 1/4"plate on one side and 3/16" on the other. I hope it holds up as it was used as part of a broken frame repair on mine. The fabricator who installed it liked the kit and felt that it should add a good amount of strength to the area. The top plate needed some taps with a hammer to get it to follow the shape of the side plates, not a big deal at all though.

[Robs86]

Im wondering if anyone else has taken measurements of their plates to see how true to their advertised thickness they are, regardless of which kit they have. Feel free to weigh in...