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Ballistic Fab TRE kit

themangeraaad

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Halifax, MA
So I have been thinking about installing 1 ton steering. I have seen JCR's kit and Ballistic fab's TRE kit and have a couple questions....

1) can these be run OTK? I don't see any reason why the knuckles couldn't be drilled/reamed from the top for an OTK install. Yeah I may need to remove/relocate sway bar end links and maybe relocate the track bar mount, but other than that is there any reason it couldn't be run OTK?

2) Looking at the two kits, I see that JCR uses a different selection of ends compared to BF. The JCR kit substitutes one of the ES2234R's (that is included in the BF kit) with an ES2026R. The only reason I can think of for this substitution is less chance of binding since the ES2026R has more distance between the end and the drag link itself. The threads of the 2026 are narrower than the drag link would be, so less chance of the tie rod hitting the drag link with the added distance.

Does anyone know if using ES2234's like the ballistic fab kit does would pose any issues? I can buy ES2234's for pretty cheap so I could decrease the cost of the project if I took that route; plus it would mean I need to carry fewer spares... but I don't want to sacrifice performance. If binding would be an issue then I would pay the extra $$. FWIW I will be running approx 3.5-4.5" lift

Links to the kits which picture the rod ends... Note that I will be buying everything and doing the work myself, not buying a kit. I am just referencing the kits because they illustrate what I mean :)

JCR

Ballistic Fab

Thanks in advance,
-Scott

Edit: I did some staring at the JCR pictures and it seems like the extra separation due to the ES2026 would be a good thing, esp if the angles are decreased by running it OTK. I think a 2234 would put the tie rod and drag link dangerously close to eachother. Though if I am wrong about that feel free to tell me so... I would love to save some cash :laugh3:
 
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I run OTK, youhave to cut off your sway bar ends, steering stablizer, and trim a few things, it nice to have though.
Care to expand on "trim a few things". As I mentioned (I think I mentioned it at least:)) I knew that the swaybar ends would have to be removed/relocated and I already knew about the stabilizer though i forgot to mention it; that can always be relocated too. But does "trim a few things" mean relocating the coil buckets or just grinding them down a bit?

Either way I will probably go full steam ahead and get it done, esp since I pulled the trigger and ordered the rod ends last night. :gee: Thanks though.
 
Check out my thread on my green jeep labeled "rusty Nail" I just finished the Ballistic Fab OTK kit. I like it, but yest you have to trim alot it's all described in there.
 
We use both the 2026 and 2027 because they are high misalignment. They have the same taper as the 2233 and 2234, but the the 2026 and 2027 need a deeper ream (larger major and minor diameter shank. We use both for consistency of that ream, also I like the longer shafted end (2027) attached to the tie rod for clearance issues. Technically the 2234 will work on the end that connects to the tie rod, but not the pitman arm.

To go OTK you will need:
  • To be sure the 2233 is reamed from the proper side.
  • Cut off the steering stabilizer mount at the axle.
  • Trim the coil buckets flush with the coils.
  • Cut the sway bar mounts flush with the coil buckets.
  • Drill the knuckles to 5/8, ream.
  • Drill the pitman arm to 11/16, ream.
  • If you have a factory track bar, or an aftermarket one with a forward twist, you MAY need to cut, turn, and sleeve it for clearance.

Optionally:
  • An over the axle trac bar mount will help with perfect steering feel.
  • Sway bar mounts will need to be relocated if needed.
 
Here are some pics of an install. Welding the caps is optional but looks nice, the sway bar mounts are a hand cut version I used to make that only worked with the through bolt style sway bar links, but they are easy to make at home. The pic of the tie rod against the coil shows the steering turned to about .188 to .250 off the steering stops. This is a good visual aid as to why going to larger OD tubing is a problem.

cutdriver.jpg

cutpass.jpg

cutdriver2.jpg

cutpass2.jpg

finisheddriver.jpg

finishedpassanger.jpg

turned.jpg

swaybar1.jpg

swaybar2.jpg
 
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Wow thanks! those links got me thinking about my clearance on diff cover and springs.. hopefully won't be too bad. Will have to wait and see. Worst comes to worst I can just pick up new knuckles and go UTK if and just deal with it hitting the diff cover. :dunno: will find out when the parts get here. Thanks again!
 
Monkey, how is the clearance with OTK and that big diff cover? I have a ruff stuff cover on the front and I'm worried about the tie rod hitting that before anything else.
 
If you check out justpunchit's build (last page of the build I think, IIRC page 6) it shows his diff clearance. from the looks of it he has the ruffstuff cover, or at least it looks similar. It seems like there may be some clearance issues however idk if that changes when everything is aligned (I don't remember if justpunchit had done all the allignment stuff by that point in the build when be noted clearance issues). I have to re-read his build to see if he mentioned what cover he has anywhere and/or what size tube he used for his tie rod.
 
Ok, hopefully I can get an answer from someone checking in on this thread so I don't have to spam and start another :)

I was planning on using 1" ID x 1.5" OD x 0.250" wall DOM for my Tie Rod and Drag link. I found the threaded rod ends from ballistic which would work with these sizes and it was also recommended that I get the ruffstuff threaded rod ends. There are problems with each of these...
Ballistic: I have heard that Ballistic can take quite a while to get parts shipped and I want them ASAP since I cannot drive the Jeep w/o new steering. I have heard people say it takes over a month to get their order and that just seems far too long to wait.
Ruffstuff: The threaded rod ends are for 1-1/8" ID tube, not 1.0". This may be stronger so I am tempted to use these... but it means I would need to use a thinner wall tube if I wanted to keep 1.5" OD, or I will need to run a larger OD if I wanted to keep .250 wall..
Due to clearance issues i don't want to go over 1.5" OD, yet I don't want to give up strength and go to a 0.1875" wall... Any comments on my concerns? If I do go with the ruffstuff which would be the better of 2 evils, larger OD to keep the strength of the .250 wall? Or go with a thinner wall to keep a smaller OD for clearance?

Or am I leaving out some other distributor with a good product, good shipping times, and a 1.0" ID, 1.5" OD threaded tube end?
 
I think some people get mad when ballistic doesn't have parts stocked, then spread all sorts of rumors about how bad their shipping was. People always complain about something.

Ballistic seems to be a great company, you can talk with their guys on Pirate4x4, they have their own forum section.
 
I hope that to be the case. I'm still trying to decide if I want to do WJ outers before I take the plunge into OTK steering. Thoughts? Other than the price, I don't really see a downside.
 
If you want to run a knuckle to knuckle tie rod with the WJ knuckles (the steering arms are clocked slightly lower than stock knuckles) you will run into clearance issues with both coil buckets and pretty much everything else except the diff (I have a Solid cover, no issues). Either offset TRE's or a bent tie rod will be necessary to get back full steering.
 
I bought the ballistic heim kit and the tubing is so thick that I doubt it will bend so I stayed under but I have no clearance issues after I cut off the sway bar mount.
 
been looking into doing this too, the thing that worries me the most is the Trackbar.. is it necessary to relocate it? If I dont what problems will I run into?
 
If you want to run a knuckle to knuckle tie rod with the WJ knuckles (the steering arms are clocked slightly lower than stock knuckles) you will run into clearance issues with both coil buckets and pretty much everything else except the diff (I have a Solid cover, no issues). Either offset TRE's or a bent tie rod will be necessary to get back full steering.

I pretty much figured I could use the stock WJ offset TRE's, but switch sides when you flip them for OTK. TRE's for the drag link would be stock WJ. Buy the steering arms from JKS and call it a day.
 
been looking into doing this too, the thing that worries me the most is the Trackbar.. is it necessary to relocate it? If I dont what problems will I run into?

With OTK the tie rod will hit the stock trackbar bracket and track bar. With OTK the trackbar Must be relocated.
 
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