Help converting outer tie rod to fit gmt 800 spindle

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Ttoyota

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I'm in the process of finishing the the 800 dual piston brake upgrade. Donor truck was a 2003 2500hd. My truck is a 2000 k2500 8600gvw. Everything I've read either talks about rotating the tie rod.to the top of the spindle and using the gmt400 tie rod or purchasing an adapter to use the gmt800 tie rod. Id like to know who has done what and if they have had any regrets or feel anything they did was unsafe or less than adequate? If you could attach pics that would be great. Thanks for the help.
 

454cid

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I don't know how putting the 400 tie-rod on top of the knuckle would work. I think the hole is too small. Can't you use the reamer of correct taper and make it fit, or is there not enough material? Our knuckles are larger there, I believe. When the first guy did it on FSC, I think he redrilled the holes straight, and made his own tie-rods with helm joints.
 

Ttoyota

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Yeah most posts are vague. But yes apparently you can ream hole out and fit it that way. I just need confirmation it's the way to go. If prefer to use an adapter sleeve and keep them in the bottom but again but mainly need some reassurance on which route to take before I do anything.
 

inscarguy

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I did this conversion already with front and back discs. All i had to do was flip the tie rod 90 degrees to the topmmof the knuckle. No reaming of the tie rod, no adapters, no nothing. It works perfectly. No binding, took an alignment perfecly.
 

454cid

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I did this conversion already with front and back discs. All i had to do was flip the tie rod 90 degrees to the topmmof the knuckle. No reaming of the tie rod, no adapters, no nothing. It works perfectly. No binding, took an alignment perfecly.

That sounds dangerous to me. You want full contact between the tie-rod stud and the knuckle.
 

inscarguy

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I do. The taper on the gmt400 knuckle goes from bottom to top, the taper on the gmt800 goes from top to bottom. .
That sounds dangerous to me. You want full contact between the tie-rod stud and the knuckle.

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk
 

454cid

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I do. The taper on the gmt400 knuckle goes from bottom to top, the taper on the gmt800 goes from top to bottom. .

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

I don't have pictures that show it well, but I think the spindles I had, had the large end of the taper on the bottom. I'm pretty sure they were smaller than our GMT-400 tapers, too.

Edit: I just looked at your posts.... you have a 1500, we're talking 8-lug stuff here. It's not the same swap.
 

Ttoyota

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Yeah it definitely doesn't mate up per se. I've read where alot of guys reamed and used the top down approach but to be honest it seems pretty sketchy. The tie rod is very close to the stabilizer bar in that config on the k2500. Just dunno what to do yet. Thanks for replying though.
 

inscarguy

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Sorry.
I don't have pictures that show it well, but I think the spindles I had, had the large end of the taper on the bottom. I'm pretty sure they were smaller than our GMT-400 tapers, too.

Edit: I just looked at your posts.... you have a 1500, we're talking 8-lug stuff here. It's not the same swap.

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk
 

ryeguy2006a

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There is apparently a van part number that will fit the taper on the gmt800 spindle and thread onto the tie rods our trucks
 
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