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Steering clarifications please.

XJFLYER

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Nevada
Hi all,

Been lurking for a really long time and can't thank you all enough for all of the support this forum has provided in helping me with rebuilding the love of my life. (Please don't tell my wife.)

I've been digging through searches and threads for days but have come up short with some specifics about steering upgrades. There seems to be a lot of talk about specifics but not a whole lot of general thoughts. So here we go:

I've got a 2000XJ sport. I've lifted it with a 3.5" Pro Comp flex lift and am running 31" all terrains. I do have a HD adjustable Track bar installed.

My question is this. I'd like to do a steering upgrade. My concerns: What will adding a bomb proof cross steering kit do to my on the road handling? Will I need to add or should I add a trackbar relocation bracket if I do the upgrade? Will removing my steering stabilizer affect handling or is it a non event, or is it advisable to add a bracket to keep it around after the upgrade? And should I reenforced my steering box as well while I'm doing this add?

Thanks so much for your input.
 
If I were you I would do a v8 zj tierod, the only way to do a crossover setup on a 30 would be to WJ swap the outter knuckles for brakes and crossover steering but with 31's I really don't think you need to go that crazy.
 
If I were you I would do a v8 zj tierod, the only way to do a crossover setup on a 30 would be to WJ swap the outter knuckles for brakes and crossover steering but with 31's I really don't think you need to go that crazy.

^^This^^ Or maybe a Currie setup. Crossover is overkill for a mild rig.
 
Thanks guys.

I am planning on upgrading down the road, making the rig more capable. I've been concentrating on performance mods before I do too much more lifting and 35"s. Ive spent over a year and a half doing electrical, cooling, exhaust, intake, etc. But i haven't armored much at all yet and was going to wait till that was done to move into a long arm system. I was just considering this steering upgrade because it was generally affordable and I can do it in a couple hours. And from how I saw it it was an upgrade I could grow into.

This was the kit I was looking at:

http://www.bleeoffroad.com/index.php/steering/9-articles/145-jeep-hd-crossover-steering-upgrade

My buddy uses it, works great, and wasn't a bank breaker. It can be installed OTK or UTK. Yes I do have a 30 front end, ive regeared it to 4.11, although i havent got a locker on it yet. Through my research thus far I hadn't come across that being a limiting factor. Why does the dana 30 not like cross steering setups? Is it because of the clearance around the sway bar links?

Thanks for the input!
 
It is the clearance around everything. Just go with the ZJ tie rod. By the time you get done with armor, and lifting more and 35's and regearing again, those heims will be worn out and you will spend just as much changing them, if not more, than a ZJ tie rod.
 
...crossover is overkill?

how the hell does that work?


There's a reason that the Wranglers and Grand Cherokee's are all crossover from the factory now.
 
Thanks guys.

I am planning on upgrading down the road, making the rig more capable. I've been concentrating on performance mods before I do too much more lifting and 35"s. Ive spent over a year and a half doing electrical, cooling, exhaust, intake, etc. But i haven't armored much at all yet and was going to wait till that was done to move into a long arm system. I was just considering this steering upgrade because it was generally affordable and I can do it in a couple hours. And from how I saw it it was an upgrade I could grow into.

This was the kit I was looking at:

http://www.bleeoffroad.com/index.php/steering/9-articles/145-jeep-hd-crossover-steering-upgrade

My buddy uses it, works great, and wasn't a bank breaker. It can be installed OTK or UTK. Yes I do have a 30 front end, ive regeared it to 4.11, although i havent got a locker on it yet. Through my research thus far I hadn't come across that being a limiting factor. Why does the dana 30 not like cross steering setups? Is it because of the clearance around the sway bar links?

Thanks for the input!

That is a horrible design on that. Single-shear mounts are just stupid, and having a single bolt on the passenger side is even worse. I would keep it stock over running that kit.
 
That is a horrible design on that. Single-shear mounts are just stupid, and having a single bolt on the passenger side is even worse. I would keep it stock over running that kit.

That bolt is stronger than the entire stock steering system, though.. ;)
 
That is a horrible design on that. Single-shear mounts are just stupid, and having a single bolt on the passenger side is even worse. I would keep it stock over running that kit.

And stock steering is not single shear ?? and a single failure will not kill stock steering as well ?


Sorry, I just don't see the difference.

1 bolt fails or 1 tie rod fails...same difference you're screwed.

At least ya get a grade 8 bolt, vice a who knows what quality tie rod end.
 
^^^
What he said. I would race King of the Hammers on the steering linked above, but I personally wouldn't want to drive down the highway on stock steering after a 4" lift and some 31's.
 
This is a great discussion. So now I'm thinking I'm going to go with the serious offroad steering upgrade kit. I can stay away from the heims style setup and for now hook it up utk. And I wont have to mess with the track bar yet. Then when I go bigger I can flip it over to OTK when I cut off the sway bar mounts and such.

How's that sound?
 
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