High Steer help needed, Sway bar links?

[Ted_Z]

So I keep going through track bar bushings since my track bar is at too severe of an angle. The fix was to bring the track bar mount over the axle. In conjunction with this change I switched to a passenger high steer arm to get the steering angles right. I also wanted to get rid of the inverted T steering I had because of the dead spot that style of steering creates.

Anyway, the end result is that all the steering crap is higher up on the axle, and as a result the drag link is interfering with the sway bar mount. See the pictures below. I'm looking for advice on how to rig up a new axle side mount for the sway bar link.





Possible solution based on looking at some others' attempts on the interwebs.

[Ted_Z]

A few shots of old my steering setup before I tore into it. Ratchet strap is there to take up the slop in the track bar bushing.

[K2]

Google images for WJ knuckle swap. When I was looking into that the sway bar links are a problem. Looks like people stick the mounts out further, so the draglink is closer to the axle than the links, and others use the angled tre's like ruff stuff sells to go around the links.

[Ted_Z]

Yeah, for now I'm trying to avoid the offset TRE or draglinks with bends. Too bad I already reamed the arm for the big taper 1-ton TRE. I might end up with something goofy in the end.

[Ted_Z]

something like this, but maybe a bit better fab skilz.

[JohnBoulderCO]

Try mounting the bottom of the sway bar link down on the axle tube, outboard of the spring. Yes, it will be at an angle, but you can minimize that and it will put the link behind the drag link. You can also rotate your sway bar "up a little" if that helps with the angle and clearing your spring.

Edit: Yes, you have to make the links longer. JKS typically uses 5/8" x 18 threaded rod. Get some rod and couple nuts and you can make them longer.

Before heading down that path, mock it up with a broom handle, paint stick etc...to see if the longer link in the new position clears the drag link, turning lock to lock.

[JohnBoulderCO]

Pics of my set up, hope it helps.

[TN_WJ]

Sorry for the hijack....but John, how are your front brake lines routed? Looks like their going through the unibody

[JohnBoulderCO]

Optical illusion, routed normally.

[Ted_Z]

Thanks for the pic's. My steering arm isn't as long as yours, so there isn't clearance between the draglink and coil.

[dads5.9]

JKS makes this extended link. That's what I used on my right front.

http://www.carid.com/jks-manufacturi...FZSCfgodbyQAcg

[Ted_Z]

In the end I figured out what the driving issue was. When I did the original axle swap to the D44 I used factory style brackets, which offset the springs forward of the axle center line. This was fine with my original configuration of track bar under axle and a lower lift for 33's. When I went to 35's and new springs, the track bar angle became too severe and was eating bushings. Going for a over the axle track bar mount and high steering corrected the bad angles, but with the spring pad location there was no room to fit the sway bar links.

So Lessons learned: move the springs back on the axle, not too much or you'll have diff cover interference with the track bar.

Well, here are some pic's of what I came up with:

Driver side:



Passenger side:

[Ken L]

Nice work!

[Ted_Z]

Thanks. I still have to get it on the road for a shake down and make sure there is no binding or interference.

[Clrussell]

Just read through and saved a bunch of pictures. Thanks for posting them. I'm about to venture into a steering setup like this on my zj.