D30 steering questions

Ruffstuff has a sale for steering going on right now, so im thinking I might jump on it.

My questions are:
Which should I get? Hiems (https://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/34STEER.html), or 1 ton TRE (https://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/YLINK.html)?

Can I keep my swaybars with either?

4.5" lift. mainly rocks, rarely mud.

you are going to end up hitting your TB mount, diff cover if you have anything other than stock and your sway bar mounts...

try running these

https://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/TREOFF.html

how can you run the offset TREs with the "Y link" steering? seeems to me you would need full crossover to do so.

I got the heim kit from Ruff Stuff. 7/8" heims with stepdown spacers to use 3/4" bolts. Did this since I already drilled out my knuckle for the Goferit OTK spacer. I didn't want to do the TRE's because of the issues with dead spots, tie rod roll, and that big long TRE with the hole in it possibly bending.

I have a ruff stuff diff cover and I had to cut a big chunk out of it and weld a plate back in to get some clearance for the tie rod. I also got the JKS axle side track bar bracket. Haven't put the steering it yet, but I will either stack the heims on the passenger knuckle and double shear them, or weld tabs to the tie rod for the drag link to bolt to. I'll decide at the last minute, but leaning towards the tabs.


And no, your swaybar mounts will be coming off. I cut mine completely off of the axle tube so I can possibly reuse them again, just in a different spot. The tie rod also seems to hit the coil bucket, but I've never seen that as an issue on other OTK kits, so who knows.

I'm pretty sure that it's well documented that you need to trim the coil buckets for OTK one-ton steering.

I went with the 3/4 heims. You will need to relocate your tracbar mount to OTA and make a custom tracbar, cut off your stock swaybar mounts and add extended ones from some where like JKS. From what i have gathered.. Stacking the two heims on the passanger side would req. less than a 3.75 BS. Running a 1.25" x .120 wall or 1.5" x .25" wall DOM (which ever you prefer) keeping the tie rod UTK and drag link OTK should be able to take plenty of abuse. If your stuck on going OTK. JCR or Ruff stuff 1 ton might be a better way to go. IMO.

Will JCR OTK rub a ruff stuff diff cover? I kno swaybar mounts, coil buckets and the stabilizer bracket.

XGarfX said:

Will JCR OTK rub a ruff stuff diff cover? I kno swaybar mounts, coil buckets and the stabilizer bracket.

Click to expand...

I'm almost positive it will. I just bought a brand new RS cover to replace my old one and when I mocked it up, it looked like the tie rod would rub the top corner of the cover pretty good. I cut a big ol hole in the cover at that corner and plated over it, giving myself at least another 1/2" to 3/4" clearance. There is a ton of room between the ring gear and the cover, so no worries there.

DeftwillP said:

I'm pretty sure that it's well documented that you need to trim the coil buckets for OTK one-ton steering.

Click to expand...

Pretty sure I've never seen that mentioned even with all the JCR steering setups going on.

Trimming the coil bucket anymore really isn't an option. I guess I trimmed it as much as possible and the steering still rubs hard on the coil itself. Only option now is the move the entire coil back which would take a lot more work. This is all on the driver's side, which limits my steering even now with the Currie linkage. Passenger side is fine and I get to full turning lock.

Slight hijack.. I've heard both ways about heims on a DD. Both that they work fine or that they have to get replaced once a year because they wear so bad. What experience do you have?

sunburned said:

Pretty sure I've never seen that mentioned even with all the JCR steering setups going on.

Trimming the coil bucket anymore really isn't an option. I guess I trimmed it as much as possible and the steering still rubs hard on the coil itself. Only option now is the move the entire coil back which would take a lot more work. This is all on the driver's side, which limits my steering even now with the Currie linkage. Passenger side is fine and I get to full turning lock.

Click to expand...

I know it's been discussed here on , but how about this: it's listed right on the product's page by JCR themselves.

"
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In order to install this kit OTK on coil sprung front Jeeps you MUST:[/FONT]

• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Remove sway bar end link mounts[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] (axle side.) [/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Cut/Remove Factory Steering Stabilizer mount[/FONT].
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Trim the front of the Coil Buckets[/FONT].
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Drill and Ream the Knuckles from the top[/FONT].
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Adjust the steering stops[/FONT].

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]We also RECOMMEND:[/FONT]

• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]That you replace/relocate your sway bar endlinks mounts (axle side.)[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]That you brace the inside front of your coil buckets.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Depending on what frameside trackbar bracket your running, you may want to relocate the axle side trackbar bracket above the axle. It's just a matter of matching the angle of the trackbar and draglink. [/FONT]

"

I didn't buy the JCR kit, so that must have been why I didn't see that

But thanks. Trimming the driver's side coil bucket still isn't enough though. Like I said, I'm rubbing on the spring itself now and there's no way to move it back any further without redoing the entire coil bucket.

This kit would be perfect, but I don't think I can rely on Ballistic anymore...

http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Link-bracket-coil-spring-shock-mount-combo_p_1461.html