Spindle swap

[A-Aron]

Hey guys, I have a 2000 Chevy Silverado. I just swapped 2014 + front aluminum spindles onto the front end, I'm having issues doing the tow on the truck due to either the inner tie rod or outer tie rod being too short. My question is, is there a longer inner tie rod or is there a longer outer tie rod option that will fit on the 2000 Silverado rack to allow me to get the proper toe in adjustment? I work at a shop and did not realize this until late last night once I got it done and on the alignment right this morning I would run the outer tie rod out until it literally fell off the inner tie rod end and still had some some more room to go to get in the green.

 

[someotherguy]

I've got no experience with that swap, don't know anything about it - but finding the dimensional difference is gonna give you the answer. If all you swapped was the spindle and now the tie rod is too short, sounds like the tie rod boss on the spindle is farther away than the original part. With that you would have to wonder, what part on the K2XX setup is wider to compensate? Is it the rack, or the tie rod end? Sure would be convenient if it was just the tie rod end, yeah?

Just a quick lookup - Rock shows the GM rack for a K2XX to be 65" / 1650.9mm end-to-end. Didn't see a GM offering for a 2000 model so I found one from BBB, spec shows 50.5" / 1282.7mm wide. That seems like a major enough difference I feel like they're not measuring the same dimensions. Cardone same measurements.. Edelmann close enough at 50.75"..

Hate to say it but it looks like the K2XX rack is much wider, and that's going to be the big hurdle to overcome. With a 15" difference in width, I'll take a guess that the tie rod ends are much shorter.

What's the advantage of the spindle swap, other than a slight weight reduction?

Richard

 

[ORVietVet]

@A-Aron, when you decided to do this spindle swap, was it a personal choice or you saw a video or knew of it having been done? I am hinting at, wherever you got the idea, I would think that the info for it would have covered that. You may have to measure your existing inner and outer tie rod assemblies, get the install thread sizes and pitch and verify the mount taper at the spindle and then reach out to the various steering/suspension aftermarket companies and see what they have. I can only ASSUME that this problem has been dealt with before.

What @someotherguy said about the outer tie rod mount location on the new spindles is key. Just how much difference is there between the stock and swapped spindles.

 

[Cadillacmak]

Hey guys, I have a 2000 Chevy Silverado. I just swapped 2014 + front aluminum spindles onto the front end, I'm having issues doing the tow on the truck due to either the inner tie rod or outer tie rod being too short. My question is, is there a longer inner tie rod or is there a longer outer tie rod option that will fit on the 2000 Silverado rack to allow me to get the proper toe in adjustment? I work at a shop and did not realize this until late last night once I got it done and on the alignment right this morning I would run the outer tie rod out until it literally fell off the inner tie rod end and still had some some more room to go to get in the green.

Welcome to the forum! If you get a chance post a picture of your truck and introduce yourself here. https://www.gmt800.com/forums/introduction.3/

 

[ORVietVet]

Yes @A-Aron, sorry I did not say Welcome to the forum from Oregon, earlier. Joined in October and then just sat on your hands, huh.

Please do some further research and report back. If you do solve the problem, you can go back to your initial thread post and EDIT it and add the word SOLVED and then other members will see that and read the thread to see what exactly got SOLVED. Helps everyone.

The edit area will be the 3 dots, in the upper right corner of the thread, with the post you start.....#1.

 

[stutaeng]

I've never heard of this swap either...

How about just welding longer threaded rod on your existing rack & pinion/ tie rod?

You should be able to get matching metric threaded rod at McMaster-Carr. Then grind each end a bit and do a complete joint penetration (CJP) weld all around. That will make it as strong as it was one piece. Maybe you need to take it to a welding shop or something like that.

Edit: you may have to cut your threaded part so the welded part is further back and doesn't interfere with the tie rod ends.

 

[ORVietVet]

I've never heard of this swap either...

How about just welding longer threaded rod on your existing rack & pinion/ tie rod?

You should be able to get matching metric threaded rod at McMaster-Carr. Then grind each end a bit and do a complete joint penetration (CJP) weld all around. That will make it as strong as it was one piece. Maybe you need to take it to a welding shop or something like that.

Edit: you may have to cut your threaded part so the welded part is further back and doesn't interfere with the tie rod ends.

Exactly, may have to weld some perfect I.D. steel tubing and cut the existing rod and insert in to each end of tubing and weld it up.

 

[headsup9550]

I hate to reply to a year old thread but for sake of the guy who may find this thread through a search, this thread is full of bad advice in the replies! First of all, if it's a 4x4 which is usually the trucks that do the spindle swap, it won't have a steering rack.
Most importantly though, you don't get metric threaded stock from McMaster Carr and weld it to your tie rods or any other steering part!! Geez, somebody will get hurt that way! The correct way to address this problem would be to get in a Moog or other manufacturer of steering components' catalog and find some tie rods with the correct dimensions, BUT knowing that the steering arm position has moved from its original position, it would be best to find a company that makes a bump steer kit for your truck so that the altered steering geometry can be brought back into an acceptable parameter. These have the added benefit of extending the tie rod, normally so you will kill the two proverbial birds with whichever single, old front end part that you decide to throw at them..

 

[Cadillacmak]

I hate to reply to a year old thread but for sake of the guy who may find this thread through a search, this thread is full of bad advice in the replies! First of all, if it's a 4x4 which is usually the trucks that do the spindle swap, it won't have a steering rack.
Most importantly though, you don't get metric threaded stock from McMaster Carr and weld it to your tie rods or any other steering part!! Geez, somebody will get hurt that way! The correct way to address this problem would be to get in a Moog or other manufacturer of steering components' catalog and find some tie rods with the correct dimensions, BUT knowing that the steering arm position has moved from its original position, it would be best to find a company that makes a bump steer kit for your truck so that the altered steering geometry can be brought back into an acceptable parameter. These have the added benefit of extending the tie rod, normally so you will kill the two proverbial birds with whichever single, old front end part that you decide to throw at them..

Is it frowned upon to weld on steering components? Yes. Do we do it anyways? Yes. I have never had a failure, or crack, or close call. I say, don't fabricate your own steering parts unless you know what you are doing, and most of these guys know 10x more than me.