To be brutally honest, it's because people are stupid.
When people want a kit, they expect it to be incredibly easy. If it doesn't bolt together and work perfectly with no modification required, it's garbage to them. If it requires the least bit of effort, it's instantly deemed a ****ty kit. No one has developed anything because of that. The ones that know how to do it went ahead and did it without a kit. I doubt anyone has found a way to setup the steering in "kit" form. The steering would take the most fabrication, but it's far from impossible.
I'm a designer and fabricator in the drag racing industry. Full tube chassis, 4-links, and roll cages are my specialty. I'm not trying to come off as arrogant, but trust me when I say people are generally idiots and expect "kits" to magically install themselves.
And for credibility, here's my latest project: (square tubing is what the customer wanted, I personally hate the heavy archaic crap)
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It only costs $1k for a fabricator that knows what they're doing and doesn't think you need a "kit". Hell, almost everything you need can be easily found at a junkyard.
Just because one guy spent $6k, doesn't mean that's how much they cost. I could do one that cost $10k.
It doesn't matter what vehicle you have, a SAS will almost always require the same parts. The only thing that ever can get pricey is having a driveshaft made.
Now, if you have someone else do the work, it will get pricey because of all the hours. It's not hard, just a lot to do.
Then develop a kit and sell it for $1,500, I'd bet you would make a killing, Hell, ill be your first customer.
Well then you do have a big brain. I used to do the custom design work to cars and trucks but now I have moved onto aircraft. Basically the same thing its just if one of my designs fail you arent stuck on the side of the road it usually means I just killed someone. As for the SAS I have looked at this from every stand point of costs, materials and the big one is TIME. It is not worth it. And if you did come up with a kit or just a cost effective DIY you would make allot of people happy...
You gotta remember that a huge part of the time is coming up with all the tools and the custom fab that is required. Without those two it wouldn't take near as long.
Well then you do have a big brain. I used to do the custom design work to cars and trucks but now I have moved onto aircraft. Basically the same thing its just if one of my designs fail you arent stuck on the side of the road it usually means I just killed someone. As for the SAS I have looked at this from every stand point of costs, materials and the big one is TIME. It is not worth it. And if you did come up with a kit or just a cost effective DIY you would make allot of people happy...
If I mess up, someone dies too. Quite a few of our cars go well over 200mph in the 1/4 mile. I do a lot more fab work than drafting/design.
I also think that a lot of people automatically assume it has to be coil sprung like the 2500's. Leafs would be a cake walk. Fab a mount for a junkyard steering box or a hydraulic ram, and hook it to the stock power steering pump.
WOW! This is a wonderful site. I appreciate all the help you guys give me. Everyone always looks out for each other and helps everyone through everything.
The only thing about selling my truck and getting a 2500 is I have WAY to much invested in my truck. And I am not trying to make everyone argue over a "kit" companies just don't make them. There is a lot of work put into the steering. I am really close to a guy who owns a machine shop. He called some people and got a quote around $3,500-$4,000. For the entire thing. I really want to do it because i have broke several things on the front end because bottom line. A 1500 truck is NOT made to handle wheel spacers and 38x15.50 tires thats alot of weight. I just want to know if the IFS can be sold. Is there a way I can sell it because the whole front end will have to go and i have no use for it. I have this 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 and my dad has a 2007 Dodge Ram 2500 and those are the only dodge's we own.
I just didn't know if anyone had done it before and had success or failure.
This is what my baby looks like so far for anyone who wonders::
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2002 Dodge Ram 4x4 sc sb
4.56 gears front and rear
suspension and body lift
much more...
Tell the machine shop if they make a viable kit that they can make a bunch of money on a kit. Tell them to use your truck as the guinea pig and you get to keep the prototype. You never know, but there are allot of 1500 owners out there that would suck these up...
Uhh, You'll also have to get 8 lug wheels too, unless you have the axles custom fabbed for 5 lugs. Then you'd have 5 lugs on the back and 8 lugs on the front. Sounds more like you need a donor truck with a good chasis, then put your body and interior on the 2500 chasis, swap out the steering gear assembly and steering column-etc.
