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grnd93
12-27-2005, 01:07 PM
Move this to Newbie tech if necessary.

I'm looking at options to replace the toothpicks the factory installed for my steering linkage. I'm definitely starting off with Kevin's trackbar conversion, but for the linkage itself, I'm undecided.

Currie's setup looks nice and strong and comes with everything from what I can see, but the one from Searcher's 4X4 that was posted a couple threads down looks strong as hell too. and the price is great. The only concern I have with that one is the rod ends. I've heard they are illegal for street use, which doesn't concern me much, as I don't have to worry about any safety inspections and generally don't get pulled over much. My main concern with them is the durability. How long will they last compared to regular tie rod ends. I want something that will be pretty much trouble free and not require too much maintenance, i.e. something I don't have to replace every 6 months.

If anyone has any recommendations or experience, I'd love to hear your comments.

Steve

Jim311
12-27-2005, 09:14 PM
I've been told that the GOOD heims are what you want to use for maximum longevity. But they aren't cheap.. like 40+ apiece.

grnd93
12-27-2005, 09:52 PM
I'd be using whatever searcher's is using in their kit. I suppose I'll give them a call tomorrow and ask them.

OverkillZJ
12-27-2005, 10:10 PM
I'd vote Currie, only because it was the only thing to survive on my Jeep the last two years!

BigDaveZJ
12-27-2005, 10:19 PM
I'd vote Currie, only because it was the only thing to survive on my Jeep the last two years!

:prayer:


x2

Nothing but good things to say about the Currie HD steering. Check out the review in the Product Reviews forum.

grnd93
12-28-2005, 01:38 AM
2 votes for Currie so far.....has anyone actually tried the searcher's setup yet?

DJJordache
12-28-2005, 11:33 AM
2 votes for Currie so far.....has anyone actually tried the searcher's setup yet?
yeah the currie looks really strong, but I also want someone with user experience to chime in about the searchers setup, I like the idea of the crossover setup and that one looks beef too

Cue-Ball
12-28-2005, 01:08 PM
I have seen the Currie set up and it is WAY beefy. I would either do the Currie or just build your own out of DOM and 1-ton TRE's (that is what I am doing) AND YES I KNOW THEY ARE NOT REALLY 1-TON okay!!! I am going with a Tera high steer knuckle so I can do a true crossover set up.

grnd93
12-28-2005, 02:40 PM
I'll probably go with Curries. i don't have a 1/2" drill or 3/4" bit to drill out my knuckles or pitman arm. I'd love to build my own, but don't trust my welding skills enough to fabricate a steering linkage. I'm thinking I'll do the trackbar conversion first since I think that is the cause of the noise I've been hearing in my front end, hopefully I can get the rest done by this summer.

Cue-Ball
12-28-2005, 02:52 PM
Steve,

Hit up AW here on the board, he is in Livermore and has built several of the 1-ton set ups. He has the correct reamer and all that for the knuckles/pitman arm.

I got my threaded inserts from Poison Spyder, and my TRE's from www.thejeepguy.com (http://www.thejeepguy.com) you can also get them at AutoZone/Kragens.

I was going to send you to the write-up section where GOR did a write up on his set up, but evidently in one of his tantrums he must have deleted the write-up portion.

Anyway I do have the part numbers of the 1-ton set up:



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chevy TRE Steering~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To boot here are the part numbers for the different parts.
These come with thanks from NBaldwin... they are the same part numbers that I ordered.
ES2233L Pass side tie rod end. Ream hole for drag link $41.69
ES2234R Drivers side tie rod end. $34.69
ES2027L High miss alignment draglink end. Use on pitman arm. $32.69
ES2026R Drag link end attaches to ES2233L. $36.39
I ordered my stuff from Auto Zone online. The nice thing is that you can take your online orders to their stores for exchanges without any hassles.

2233L is the passenger side's TRE, 2234R is at the far end of the tie rod (the really short one), 2026R attaches to 2233l and the 2027l is the TRE at the end of the shorter of the two tie rods.

You're also going to need DOM tubing as well as threaded inserts and jam nuts. I got mine from Poison Spyder Customs:
http://www.poisonspyder.com/index2.php
You'll need two of these each:
RTA7818 (threaded insert, 7/8x18 right hand thread)
LTA7818 (threaded insert, 7/8x18 left hand thread)
RJ7818 (jam nut, 7/8x18 right hand thread)
LJ7818(jam, 7/8x18 left hand thread)

Jam nut.
As for the DOM tubing... I bought mine from Poison Spider but I am sure you get it local for quite a bit cheaper.
1.5" x .250 Dom $6 something a foot online + shipping


This is just one more option for you, and really not hard to make at all.

grnd93
12-28-2005, 03:12 PM
Thanks Dirk. I might hit up AW and see if he's got a total cost estimate for all the parts + his time to do it. If it's considerably cheaper i might go that route. I don't think I'm going to end up with anything bigger than 33's on this thing (and that's a long way off) but I want to make sure I have something that can take a rock hit or 2 just incase. Honestly I'm suprised Ihaven't already bent what I have.

Cue-Ball
12-28-2005, 03:17 PM
Well you will have to hook up the parts yourself and then Jerod (aka AprilzWarrior) can do the labor.

Apples to apples I am not sure if Curries would be cheaper than having AW make one. I am going to do my own since I am going with a crossover set up, if I was not doing that I would probably just go with a Currie, it is quick and easy.

Right now I am actually having trouble finding the DOM tubing for the steering, the places in Napa I call said "what is DOM mean?" I knew I was in trouble at that point. haha.

grnd93
12-28-2005, 03:52 PM
Forgive the newbie question, but what are the benefits of the crossover steering?

I'm not sure where to get the DOM either, i think Vallejo might have some places that should be able to hook you up. There's a couple of fab shops off 37 and 29 i believe.

Cue-Ball
12-28-2005, 04:04 PM
The problem with the stock steering is that the toe in/out changes as the suspension flexes. I am sure there are other issues as well but that is the one off the top of my head.

With a crossover the knucles are connected together and then the pitman arm attaches to the pass. side so that there is no change in the steering geometry as the suspension cycles.

CurtP
12-28-2005, 07:20 PM
I was at Farm & Fleet the other day and found some tractor TRE's. If they would have had some RH threaded ones, I would have bought a pair :D

Cue-Ball
12-28-2005, 07:56 PM
Here is the link for the ones I picked up:
http://www.the-jeep-guy.com/steering.htm

The ones I am planning to use are about 1/2 way down the page.


Moog 1 ton Tie Rod Ends Left or Right
7/8" thread
$50.00 each

OverkillZJ
12-28-2005, 08:11 PM
The problem with the stock steering is that the toe in/out changes as the suspension flexes. I am sure there are other issues as well but that is the one off the top of my head.

With a crossover the knucles are connected together and then the pitman arm attaches to the pass. side so that there is no change in the steering geometry as the suspension cycles.

Right, but toe adjusting as the suspension cycles was never an issue. Remember that with most crossover steering setups, you gain an additional .50-1" of play in the steering wheel since the rod end needs to rotate before it's able to actually push the knuckle.

both setups have their ups and downs, but that's one of the reasons I stuck with inverted Y (currie / stock) while I had a street rig.

Cue-Ball
12-28-2005, 08:14 PM
Well then maybe I have screwed myself. Once the shit gets done I will be able to give some better feedback.

96ZJ
02-27-2006, 03:19 PM
Steve,

Hit up AW here on the board, he is in Livermore and has built several of the 1-ton set ups. He has the correct reamer and all that for the knuckles/pitman arm.

I got my threaded inserts from Poison Spyder, and my TRE's from www.thejeepguy.com (http://www.thejeepguy.com) you can also get them at AutoZone/Kragens.

I was going to send you to the write-up section where GOR did a write up on his set up, but evidently in one of his tantrums he must have deleted the write-up portion.

Anyway I do have the part numbers of the 1-ton set up:



This is just one more option for you, and really not hard to make at all.

Where is the write up that the info came out of? It used to be on nagca but is lost now.

-Mike

redzj
02-27-2006, 06:48 PM
I Have the inverted T setup off of a waggy and it sucks all new too. If I can't get it better tan it is I may go back to Stock style

luvthejeep
02-27-2006, 08:06 PM
you dont really want a cross-over on a la zj ill tell you, bump steer and trunng when i flex is a problem- because the tie-rod and the track bar arnt parallel- im having big issues with it right now- heres a pic-

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=439&stc=1&d=1139723170

nate
02-27-2006, 08:28 PM
double post

nate
02-27-2006, 08:29 PM
My setup... 1/2 ton Chevy TREs, 1.25x.25 DOM.

FYI, 1/2 ton Chevy TREs have a 7/8" thread, 1 ton has a 1" thread.

Works great. Set it up right and you won't have bumpsteer. There's a bit of play from the tie rod rotating, but not that much. My Dodge 3/4 ton has the same setup stock.

Oh and I just went out and took that pic, so be happy I spent some time to do that. And don't ask about the swaybar. It hasn't been connected for almost a year, but I never bothered to remove it for some reason.


http://www.98Jeepzj.com/stuff/steering.jpg

zj-monster
02-27-2006, 08:37 PM
Where is the write up that the info came out of?
The write up was deleted by the author on here, nagca, and several other forums he write it for.

Poof...gone...

Cue-Ball
02-27-2006, 08:38 PM
you dont really want a cross-over on a la zj ill tell you, bump steer and trunng when i flex is a problem- because the tie-rod and the track bar arnt parallel- im having big issues with it right now- heres a pic-

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=439&stc=1&d=1139723170

That does not sound good.

I am going to give it a shot and see how it runs, if It sucks ass I will sell it off and go with a Currie unit I guess.

nate
02-27-2006, 09:02 PM
Set it up right and you won't have any problems. Just do your homwork. Not hard to do what I did.

Track bar is a modified RE 4.5" lift one, DOM is from Shakerbuilt, TREs from Napa. Reamer I bought from Off Road Design, or something like that. Ended up giving it to my brother to make the inserts he was selling. Took me an afternoon to set that up.

Cue-Ball
02-27-2006, 09:22 PM
Yea I am not too worried about it.

Got the TRE's already and will get the DOM ordered tomorrow for it and hopefully in the next month or so I will get my shit down to AW's to get the shit finished up.

LouisianaZJ
02-27-2006, 09:27 PM
i dont know exactly what brand heims searchers uses. but i have seen 3-4 people on the trail running it without any problems or breakage. one guy with like 37" tires locked

he can weld pretty good and fabs up some sweet cages so i know that will be good quality

luvthejeep
02-28-2006, 12:21 AM
when i rebuild it im going to make the track bar and the drag link parrallel to eachother- it means that it will be close to the center of the tie rod- but i think it will help-toataly blows when you ramp up something and you cant steer- :smt104

ELLLLLIOTTTTT
02-28-2006, 12:52 AM
Ive got a Big Daddy Offroad tie rod (because the owner of the company is a good friend) and a ZJ V8 draglink. It survived tellico and multiple uwharrie runs. For a DD on 33's it is a great replacement.

slomatt
02-28-2006, 05:31 PM
I'm running a setup similar to Puma's, except with a Jeepers and Creepers tie rod, will put up a picture at some point. I had bent the crap out of my stock tie rod and not damaged the drag link so decided to upgrade what was bent and replaced the old drag link (bad endlink) with one from a junkyard.

- Matt

death-mobile
02-28-2006, 11:22 PM
Ive got a Big Daddy Offroad tie rod (because the owner of the company is a good friend) and a ZJ V8 draglink. It survived tellico and multiple uwharrie runs. For a DD on 33's it is a great replacement.

Any pictures? I was thinking about calling Big Daddy Offroad to make me a tie rod and a draglink for my WJ. Everyone with a WJ seems to agree that Kevin's tie rod is the best upgrade thus far, however...I dunno if he will be able to make me a draglink, so I still need that.

RockTech4X4
03-01-2006, 03:17 PM
One question for the guys using the Currie Setup.

Are you using a TJ/XJ setup on the ZJ or what part number are you using? I wasn't able to locate a ZJ steering setup from Currie.

-Rock

LouisianaZJ
03-01-2006, 04:24 PM
tj and zj is same steering