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Steering Upgrade

A

Art101

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Antonio, TX
Got zero responses so far from the jeep forum people... figured I'd give NAXJA a crack at it.

Ok so I am looking to upgrade my steering. I am more concerned about quality than I am concerned about parts. My rig is a 2001 xj, it has 6.5" lift with 35s, lockers, gears, axles out of a 99 xj. It is daily driven. I have stock steering right now and it is loose and shitty. My steering box is not loose, its got to be something else. What I want is super responsive steering (on and off road), that is strong enough for the future hydro assist in the future. I hear currie is a good way to go. Send me some links and give me advice. Thanks.
 
run some V-8 ZJ tie rod for now til you're ready to go to hydro assist??? cheap and proven upgrade
 
I'd skip the currie setup... It does nothing to help your angles since it's just a beefy stock setup really. Something OTK would be a little more up your alley at that height I'm thinking...
 
ert01 said:
I'd skip the currie setup... It does nothing to help your angles since it's just a beefy stock setup really. Something OTK would be a little more up your alley at that height I'm thinking...
Click to expand...

Not true; Currie's drag link is angled for better geometry. Much better than stock. I have successfully tightened my steering with new ball joints, better caster, beefy tie rods, upgraded bushings...you get the idea. They all play a role.
 
I have stock steering with heavy duty tie rod at 6.5 inches and it feels pretty good. Do you know what your caster is because to little will cause it to wonder no matter what set up you have.

Here is what I have been looking at:

Wj up grade, expensive but upgrades brakes also
http://www.evilmonkeymedia.com/dl/wjsteering.htm
http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/brakes/xj_wjbrakes03/knuckles/index.htm

Bluetorch fab cross over steering arm,
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=996147

Teraflex knuckle,
http://www.oconeeoffroad.com/servlet/the-5726/TeraFlex-Dana-30-fdsh-44-High/Detail

Ballistic fabs heim set up, This is what i will probably get because you can run it under the knuckle, and always up grade it with the wj knuckles, blutorch fab or teraflex knuckle
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Steering-Kit-78-with-High-Misalignment-Spacers_p_113-1337.html

With any of these you are also going to have to address the track bar angle.
 
Last edited:
mflueras said:
Not true; Currie's drag link is angled for better geometry. Much better than stock. I have successfully tightened my steering with new ball joints, better caster, beefy tie rods, upgraded bushings...you get the idea. They all play a role.
Click to expand...

The Currie set-up is good but does absolutely nothing to change the geometry over a stock set-up.It only has the tre's angled to reduce binding of the tre!
 
here's what i did 1 1\4" dom no worries now.
102_6778.jpg


102_6779.jpg


and it only cost me 100 bucks for everything :D
 
jmaxj said:
here's what i did 1 1\4" dom no worries now.
102_6778.jpg


102_6779.jpg


and it only cost me 100 bucks for everything :D
Click to expand...

Don't ya have to relocated your trackbar above the axle to compensate for the raised draglink?

Go over-the-knuckle, not currie. Currie's is only good up to 4.5 or 5" or so cuz it uses stock style steering. You could get it to work with a drop pitman arm and drop trackbar mount.
 
muddeprived said:
Don't ya have to relocated your trackbar above the axle to compensate for the raised draglink?

Go over-the-knuckle, not currie. Currie's is only good up to 4.5 or 5" or so cuz it uses stock style steering. You could get it to work with a drop pitman arm and drop trackbar mount.
Click to expand...

yea that pic was taken right after it was done, i didn't relocate it cause i was curious on the characteristics with it in the stock location.
 
You could also do an inverted T with the Chevy TRE.
 
RCP Phx said:
The Currie set-up is good but does absolutely nothing to change the geometry over a stock set-up.It only has the tre's angled to reduce binding of the tre!
Click to expand...

isnt reducing the binding a good thing? whats wrong with the geomtry that makes stock steering not work with 6.5" of lift? how about using the currie setup and using a drop pitman arm to reduce the angle? would that make it ok to use?
 
I'm at approx 5.5" , stock was not cutting it, I went rugged ridge, boy what fricken mistake, I have had the Iron rock otk kit on my jeep for almost a month now, boy what a difference! Nice tight steering, no play roll,or looseness. Plenty of clearance between the tie rod and diff cover/ sway bar mounts even with axle moved forward a bit. I have nothing bad to say
 
89xj said:
isnt reducing the binding a good thing? whats wrong with the geomtry that makes stock steering not work with 6.5" of lift? how about using the currie setup and using a drop pitman arm to reduce the angle? would that make it ok to use?
Click to expand...

Yeah that'll help it.

Look at Rough Country's 4.5" lift. They include a drop trackbar bracket and drop pitman arm to keep the stock steering in "ok" angles. You can go OTK or stick with stock setup and run drop arm/t-bar bracket. But considering the cost of currie's, pitman arm, and drop trackbar/bracket, you'll be in the price range of an OTK kit so it's best just to go with OTK.
 
WJ with JKS tierod and 1.5 OD x 0.25 wall DOM draglink using GM TREs.

Only setup worth a damn IMO, granted you may still bend the tie rod (1.25 OD x .375 wall DOM).

Ran it for 6 months before I blew up my D30 (JKS draglink though). Excellent steering response, and ridiculous braking.

If you plan on keeping your D30 then that's the only way I would go.
 
I'm at 6-6.5" and run the currie setup. I absolutely love it. One of the best upgrades I've done to my Jeep.

currie001.jpg
 
89xj said:
isnt reducing the binding a good thing? whats wrong with the geomtry that makes stock steering not work with 6.5" of lift? how about using the currie setup and using a drop pitman arm to reduce the angle? would that make it ok to use?
Click to expand...

Sure, reducing the binding is a good thing, and stronger components are a good thing. Nothing wrong with the Currie steering, but it's still in the stock location and doesn't change the geometry or help the angles on the taller lifts.




To the OP, you're going to get a ton of suggestions on a thread like this, and some of them will be worthless. It'll take some time, but there are a TON of threads with in depth information about steering upgrades. Some searching and reading will get you plenty of good info, then you can ask some more specific questions about some of the things you like.

Look mostly for better angles, strength, and ground clearance.
 
I did almost exactly what jmaxj did except with some cool looking hex stock i had layin around at the shop. 3/4 heims from ruffstuff = 8.95 a piece x4, high misalignment spacers from ruffstuff like 2.50 x4, then some jam nuts and some 3/4 to 5/8 bore sleeves on the lower rod ends so you can run a 5/8s bolt for the most misalighnment and whatever bolts and nuts you need.
 
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