V8 ZJ Tierod Upgrade

uber xj said:
What about your current setup doesn't work at Johnson Valley but works elsewhere?

With your HD TR, are you running stock tie rod ends or something else; or does the HD TR come with new ends?
Click to expand...

Big rocks that pound the crap outta your setup is what JV was. Even Moab and the Rubicon are considered easy in comparison. Here in the Northwest, we don't have obstacles that are so unforgiving and it's rare to mash a tierod up so badly.

The RE unit I'm using now has stock TREs on it. Nothing special other than it's just a solid piece of round stock. It will likely bend at some point but won't crush like a hollow one...so I should be able to bend it back in the press and use it again.

055.jpg
 
John90XJ said:
Big rocks that pound the crap outta your setup is what JV was. Even Moab and the Rubicon are considered easy in comparison. Here in the Northwest, we don't have obstacles that are so unforgiving and it's rare to mash a tierod up so badly.

The RE unit I'm using now has stock TREs on it. Nothing special other than it's just a solid piece of round stock. It will likely bend at some point but won't crush like a hollow one...so I should be able to bend it back in the press and use it again.

055.jpg
Click to expand...


Is that a bottle opener on the left corner of the bumper? :cheers:
 
Ok, I've read this thread through and through and I really want to do this upgrade... bear with me however, I'm a bit of a newb...

I called my local parts shop and they want $100 for the tie rod, and $65 (each) for the tie rod ends. I could go to the local wrecker and probably get the tie rod for $30 or so, but how can you tell if the TRE's are still in good shape? Those would be the only components that would wear out right?

Also saw that the Rusty's stock replacement tierod is $99 and it comes with TRE's and cotter pins? Wouldn't that be a better route?

What tools would I need to remove this at the wrecker? Tie rod fork and BFH?
 
Brad Klammer said:
Ok, I've read this thread through and through and I really want to do this upgrade... bear with me however, I'm a bit of a newb...

I called my local parts shop and they want $100 for the tie rod, and $65 (each) for the tie rod ends. I could go to the local wrecker and probably get the tie rod for $30 or so, but how can you tell if the TRE's are still in good shape? Those would be the only components that would wear out right?

Also saw that the Rusty's stock replacement tierod is $99 and it comes with TRE's and cotter pins? Wouldn't that be a better route?

What tools would I need to remove this at the wrecker? Tie rod fork and BFH?
Click to expand...



I went this route: http://cgi.ebay.ca/Ball-Joint-Tie-Rod-FUL-KIT-Jeep-GRAND-CHEROKEE-93-98-8_W0QQitemZ270356705242QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item270356705242&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1215|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

You get the whole system plus a complete set of ball joints for $200. And it ships from Canada, so no duty or brokerage fees.
 
I purchased their kit that did not include the ball joints. Their price seems really good and the shipping was fast.
 
MapleDitch said:
I went this route: http://cgi.ebay.ca/Ball-Joint-Tie-Rod-FUL-KIT-Jeep-GRAND-CHEROKEE-93-98-8_W0QQitemZ270356705242QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item270356705242&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1215|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

You get the whole system plus a complete set of ball joints for $200. And it ships from Canada, so no duty or brokerage fees.
Click to expand...

Just put my order in, canèt wait to get rid of the sloppy steering...

Cheers! :canada:
 
magimerlin said:
I'll get a pic tomorrow if Mikegronholz doesn't beat me to it. Here are the walk in prices from O'Reillys all moog's
DS1312 $64.99
DS1238 $100.99
ES3096L $35.99 each
ES2079S $20.99 each

total of $279.94 to do it all (1-DS1312, 1-DS1238, 2-ES3096L, 2-ES2079S)
total of $121.97 with out the drag link setup (1-DS1312, 1-ES3096L, 1-ES2079S)
plus tax if applicable
Click to expand...


Just did mine to day. Thanks to old post like this one. I used the part numbers for autozone. I get a 10% discount with them. I did not do the drag line setup.
 
I know this is the Zj tie rod setup but I see a lot of over the knuckle talk. I've been running a Rustys HD Steering setup for about a year now http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=RS-SC250-UV&Category_Code=ste

I noticed with this setup being larger it rubbed on my lower trac bar bolt so I wanted to do an over the knuckle swap. I got 2 flip inserts and Rustys extended weld on sway bar brackets for the axle. I welded the brackets in and went to put the steering setup back on and it now rubs on the sway bar brackets when turned slightly. What am I doing wrong here? I tried looking at the pictures Rustys has on their page of their heim joint setup installed but they seem to not have a sway bar or steering stabalizer installed on their display rig and it's not even a Dana 30 from the looks of it.
 
When you got the Rusty's kit did you see the low profile black torx bolt included with the hardware? I didn't know what this was but later realized it was for the tracbar....no more hitting the tracbar bolt with this low profile bolt installed.

How did you set your steering up? Is the draglink rod end on top of or in front of the tierod?
 
So I know this post is a little old but I wanted to update pricing. I used the part numbers listed and the total at advance without the draglink was $170. Ill pick the parts up tomorrow.

Preston
 
oh wow $50 bucks more! thanks for the update, im gonna try and pull one from the junkyard first.

on a side note, would this be a good upgrade for a TJ aswell? they both have the same weak stock steering correct?
 
I have never paid more than 20 dollars at the junkyard for a perfectly serviceable V8 ZJ tie rod, add 2-3 bucks to the budget for cotter pins, pb blaster, and grease.

Doesn't the TJ have inverted T steering? I forget. If it has the same drag link + tie rod setup as an XJ, it should work fine.
 
I did the ZJ tie rod swap last month and like it as well (30 bucks from a forum member). I bought a new heavy duty TRE and will carry the original TRE as a spare. Bolted right up, but I had to grind down my driver's side sway bar bracket for more clearance. Full left turn put the threads of the TRE too close to the lower portion of the sway bar bracket. Some quality time with a cutoff wheel, grinder, primer, and paint fixed that easy enough.

Oh yeah...my OE tie rod was bent and my toe was off by about an inch. Drives much better now.
 
Last edited:
I put the zj tie rod and HD tie rods on today, took about an hour. I wish I had gotten the drag link too to replace that end. The steering is a hell of a lot better, no more slop.

Preston
 
I had the local NAPA convert the Moog numbers for me and get prices when I spotted this thread Friday. I work at a dealership and get parts from NAPA at cost and to do the whole swap it would have been right around $200. JCR's 1-ton is $314. I couldn't really justify the purchase. So, while I was at the salvage yard looking around, I asked them how much if I pull it off. $20...I know what I'm doing in a couple weeks.
 
That seems high. Is that $200 with or without a new draglink? You should already have the same draglink that you'd find with the zj setup.
 
Yeah... even at half that price, I see it as "hey I can blow up 5 or 10 of these before I woould be better off buying a brand new one"
 
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