To lift or not to lift

[bucket]

OP said the truck is stock and RHD is a desired conversion.


Doesn't matter anyway, just realized the discussion was about a K30... so there's studs for a steering arm on both sides already.

 

[CSFJ]

Well this depends... I mean I've never personally seen a RHD solid axle truck but in my head the steering box and stock steering arm would be on the right knuckle.

That would make the left tire knuckle the equivalent of the right knuckle on a normal truck...

Would it not?

Except the factory application on these trucks uses an arm coming off the top of the knuckle towards the rear of the truck to connect to a drag link that connects the the arm on the steering box. With the cross over, the upper tie rod connects to the arm from the steering box and an arm coming forward from the knuckle opposite the steering box. Then the knuckles are attached to each other with the long tie rod across the front. The drag link is eliminated and in a right hand drive config you would bolt the arm coming forward off the drivers knuckle which would already be milled and drilled for the factory application with a drag link.

 

[CSFJ]

OP said the truck is stock and RHD is a desired conversion.


Doesn't matter anyway, just realized the discussion was about a K30... so there's studs for a steering arm on both sides already.

Never knew the k30's were machined on both knuckles.

 

[SA Fan]

Hey firebane, CSFJ & bucket. Thanks for all the input, reading you guys's posts help me a lot with insight into the bigger picture. The RHD conversion I know will sound silly to you guys but I really want to do it for practicality reasons. The cross over (maybe even high steer) steering looks to me like the logic choice to achieve the RHD conversion as well as serve then as an upgraded steering for the lift. It'll just have to be done the opposite way you guys would do it on LHD trucks. I also think the fact that this is a K30 with Dana 60 will be a lot easier than a K20 with Dana 44HD for my purpose because of the design of the steering arm bolt pattern on both sides. The 2wd steering box I did not think of, I assume this is because the box will then mount on the outside of the frame? Will the 2wd box be powerful enough to turn 33-35's?

 

[CSFJ]

Hey firebane, CSFJ & bucket. Thanks for all the input, reading you guys's posts help me a lot with insight into the bigger picture. The RHD conversion I know will sound silly to you guys but I really want to do it for practicality reasons. The cross over (maybe even high steer) steering looks to me like the logic choice to achieve the RHD conversion as well as serve then as an upgraded steering for the lift. It'll just have to be done the opposite way you guys would do it on LHD trucks. I also think the fact that this is a K30 with Dana 60 will be a lot easier than a K20 with Dana 44HD for my purpose because of the design of the steering arm bolt pattern on both sides. The 2wd steering box I did not think of, I assume this is because the box will then mount on the outside of the frame? Will the 2wd box be powerful enough to turn 33-35's?

I may be wrong on this, but I think the 2wd box is used because the steering arm is clocked different from the 4wd arm. It's what you'll need for the cross over steering. The box will mount in the mirror image to how it is now for the conversion.

 

[bucket]

Yep, the 2wd box is needed for the correct style pitman arm (doesn't swap with a 4x4 box).

The RHD conversions I've seen online, a bracket assembly is welded to the right frame that mounts the original steering box. It seems kinda hokey to me, but I guess it works. BUT, you could just as easily adapt the car version of the steering box and bolt it right to the outside of the rail. Basically a mirror image of what you have now. It should also accept the 2wd truck pitman arm for crossover steering.