Suspension and steering opinions

[h-townxj]

I'm trying to decide between triangulated front 4link with full hydro or triangulated front with Some steering of what ibeamedjeep used to have. Or just a 3link with panhard and crossover steering. Just wanting some opinions or guidence from everyone here. What I'm for is the triangulated with the pivot set up that ibeam used to have but have no clue how to set it up nor how to avoid a loss of up travel? Any ideas?

 

[beakie]

not to insult you, but if your having problems understanding how to set it up, you probably haven't noticed the relative lack of space for a tri-angulated 4-link in the front of an XJ...
no reason a simple 3-link w/panhard won't work.

 

[h-townxj]

I can set up the 4 link or 3 no problem it's the steering is my problem. I can't decide on full hydro or the pivot style (wish I knew the name for it) where you turnthe pitman arm 90degrees to the right on the box at neutral position. Then it now swings front to back then you place a swinger twords the back then a link from they to a pivot on the axle which turns the tierod. Just alot of parts and room taken up And there's room for the triangulated just gotta know where to look. I just want a minimal bump steering and I know if I don't go hydro or the other style I can't run triangulated.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

are you talking about the "swing-set" steering that a lot of the I-beam'ers use?

 

[h-townxj]

Na lemme see if I can pull it up from ibeamjeep's build swing I could see being a bad idea on sfa

 

[h-townxj]

Goatman I so wish I would have took some picture's of that three link you know what they say with out pics it never happened. lol What I did for the steering was turned the pit-man arm on the box so it would swing front and back instead of side to side then I made a swinger where the links mounted to the frame and sent a tube from he pit man arm to the swinger then another tube back to a pivot on the axle that turned a straight tube side to side it was a lot of stuff going on but like you I didn't want to go hydro. I did loose some up travel also because of the size of the pivot on the axle it would hit the oil pan but that may not be an issue for you I run pretty small tire's.

no pictures but he describes it better than I do goatman said he had seen that set up on the btf buggy so maybe I'll take a look for pics of that

 

[souske]

do you mean a bell crank system?
http://www.film.queensu.ca/cj3b/Photos/Tech/Steering/SteeringSystem.JPG

 

[h-townxj]

That would be it but using a stock steering box I'm the stock location to slightly modified. Thanks alot dose help quite a bit do you know how well
something like this works?

 

[tbburg]

the pivot style (wish I knew the name for it) where you turn the pitman arm 90degrees to the right on the box at neutral position. Then it now swings front to back..., ..., which turns the tierod.

I don't think there's a name for this setup. It's full on custom fab.

What you're describing is(I think) having a drag link run back from the left knuckle to a pivot on the frame mounted next to the frame side control arm mount. From there a second link would connect the pivot to the steering box. I've seen pics of a rig set up like that. Rather then go through all that, I think I'd just opt for full hydraulic.

 

[souske]

That would be it but using a stock steering box I'm the stock location to slightly modified. Thanks alot dose help quite a bit do you know how well
something like this works?

I have seen this style steering on semi-trucks, forklifts, wheeled cranes, etc.

No info on 4x4's though sorry:dunno:

 

[h-townxj]

From a quick search it looks like some of the old CJ's had it and some
old lanrovers. But ya I have to agree it may just be toomany parts and
alot of work for something that I don't know will work well in the dez. Well just have to see when the time comes I only wanna avoid hydro for 2 reasons main being$$ since I've already spent an extra 5k on a $700 jeep lol. But that dosnt mean I won't do it. Then second reason being if the pump fails or engine dies I have absolutly no steering could see bad all overthat when goin fast. But still have time but the early and better planned I am now the hopefully
smoother things will go and I'll just bein slowed by $$

 

[GrimmJeeper]

similar to this, like older cars and trucks used with an idler arm on the pass side?

maybe you could draw a pic and it would help us better identify what you're trying to describe :dunno:

 

[GrimmJeeper]

From a quick search it looks like some of the old CJ's had it and some
old lanrovers. But ya I have to agree it may just be toomany parts and
alot of work for something that I don't know will work well in the dez. Well just have to see when the time comes I only wanna avoid hydro for 2 reasons main being$$ since I've already spent an extra 5k on a $700 jeep lol. But that dosnt mean I won't do it. Then second reason being if the pump fails or engine dies I have absolutly no steering could see bad all overthat when goin fast. But still have time but the early and better planned I am now the hopefully
smoother things will go and I'll just bein slowed by $$

hydro assist could also be an option instead of full hydro if you are worried about failures. they just mount like a steering stabilizer (a little more complicated than that but basically similar) and give your steering some extra push.

 

[h-townxj]

Ya was thinking that too hydro assist is alot cheaper than full hydro also

 

[h-townxj]

a quick sketch but add hydro assist the crossmember pivot would be alot like a swinger from the swingset steering on the ibeamed truck above

 

[GrimmJeeper]

To me that just looks like more places to have a failure. when building something that is going to take the immeasurable abuse racing puts on parts, two things to keep in mind are 1.) the less moving parts the better (less to fail) and 2.) the more pieces you can build with the same part the better (less spares to carry ie: one part can be used to repair multiple areas). I think as far as steering goes the old rule of K.I.S.S. is a good one to follow. Keep It Simple Stupid

 

[h-townxj]

Ya it may end up being my inital setup untill I can afford full hydro or if it ends up being a great system then I'll keep it till t fails or looks like it's going to

 

[FatCity Ryan]

I think you are talking about this set kind of setup. This is a jeep we did 10 or so years ago.

The drag link runs along with the lower link.

 

[h-townxj]

Ya but with the box in the stock position that one looks like it's on the firewall. What did you attach the draglink to at the axle end to make the turning motion?

 

[FatCity Ryan]

We used the chevy style boomerang arm thing on the knuckle.

Why do you want to keep it in the stock location? You should check out the T&J J truck some time.