Problems with using Full Size Waggy steering parts on my D30. Help!

Well, I have all the FSJ parts and had my pitman arm and knuckle arms reamed to fit the new TREs. I've had a few snags along the way and am looking for advice.

I positioned all the steering components in place on the axle with the axle lifted on a floor jack so that the geometry would be the same as if it were sitting on the ground.

First problem: Even with having trimmed the spring mount fronts way down, there is still too much contact with the center link parts when turning lock to lock. I made a bend in the ends of the centerlink to give me some room which helped but I'm concerned about the bends having possibly created another problem that I haven't forseen yet.

Second problem: With the axle sitting at ride height, no droop or flex yet, the TRE at the pitman arm binds bad when turning to the right. So much so that with all the steering components connected, I can't turn the jeep hardly at all to the right. If I drop the right side of the axle, I can't steer to the right at all. Do I need to find a different TRE at the pitman arm end that allows for more pivot range? Is this what's called "high-misalignment"? I thought about bending the TRE right at the joint end, but I'm afraid that could cause more problems and the heat may destroy the internals of the joint.

Third problem: Having eyeballed the toe-in adjustment, the adjusting sleeves have very little (maybe an inch) of the ends of the parts threaded into them. Same with the drag link and pitman arm TRE adjuster sleeve. I'm not real confident that there's enough of the parts threaded in them to be strong enough to 'wheel on. Should I be looking for longer adjusting sleeves from a different application to use here? This seems kinda weird since the FSJ D44 and the D30 aren't much different in overall width.

Thanks in advance!

Troy

Yuk, sounds like a project. TREs (most non-one ton) dont have alot of misalignment (movement) built into them to begin with. A stock waggy might have about 7" of suspension movement total? You have a good deal more than that I'd wager.

Possibles:

Bend the TRE at the draglink to allow for some droop. This will work if done right (talk to M.Hinkley) but it's not the 'ideal' solution.

Bend the draglink to allow the TREs to sit level at ride height. I had to do this on all my 'big' steering setups to get enough travel in the heims to keep from binding & ripping the steering box off the frame.

Raise the steering arm on the passenger side knuckle. Depending on your arms, you might be able to get an inch or two there.

Dropped pitman arm.

Get some heims & DOM & make a steering setup that works rather than waste any more money on stock 'junk' off another vehicle. (Sometimes you just gotta cut your losses.)

Most of the 'big' Jeeps on here have built their own custom steering either Chromo or DOM, they've done it that way 'cause it works.

Good luck.

troy give me a call 719 963 7370
Led

Response to Vintage....

You answered pretty much the same way that I was thinking I'd have to fix the problem. I'm glad to hear that it's somewhat common to have to bend the parts to work. So far, the bends haven't been too severe so hopefully things will work out.

I had an idea that maybe the high-misalignment pitman TRE from the '85 F.S. Blazer just might be the ticket. It's longer and has a some surface area that I could bend a bit to reduce the angle if the part itself isn't the perfect cure as it is. I believe it has the same thread and shaft size.

I also considered the drop pitman arm and my only reservation about doing that is the added leverage on the steering box. I'd rather stress out the steering linkage.

Keep the ideas coming guys!

I had to heat and bend the TR where the draglink comes in. I am at about 8 in of lift and don't have any problems with pitman tre angles, I do have a 2 in drop pitman arm though. I don't see why it makes such a diffrence turning to the right. If you are maxing it there there is going to be problems when you flex. There is a better PN for that tre, I think the Chevy one actually works there.

Troy, did you do an under the knuckle or over the knuckle install?

XJEEPER:

Sorry, yeah I had the knuckles reamed to go over the knuckle.

Gary E :

You're right, I did locate a Chevy TRE to use on the pitman arm that has more misalignment characteristics. Should be an improvement.

Led:

Thanks for the advice and good info.


Looks like I'm gonna have to throw some more $$$ at this thing and get the drop pitman arm to keep the drag link angle reasonable, otherwise, the drag link may just end up pushing more down than right and left -- creating the potential for bending at the center link.

vintagespeed said:

..........Get some heims & DOM & make a steering setup that works rather than waste any more money on stock 'junk' off another vehicle. (Sometimes you just gotta cut your losses.).....

Click to expand...

Or not.

If you do a drop pitman, aren't you supposed to move one of the track bar mounts to keep the drag link and track bar parallel?

Dan