JCR anti-roll mod idea

Okay, so I am pretty much fed up with the dead spot in my steering from my JCR 1 ton. It is a beefy kit, yes, and I am sure it can hold its own off road, but onroad manners are dangerous. The dead spot is an inherent problem and I am trying to think of a way to fix it. I discussed this with a a few people all of them said they can't see why it wouldn't work, so tell me if this makes sense..

Okay, so the problem of the dead spot is caused by the tie rod rolling, well why does it roll? It rolls so that the drag link is able to stay connected to it without binding, thus the axle-end TRE of the drag link is attatched on the side of the tie rod.

Soooooo heres my idea, what about making the TREs FIXED to the knuckles? The knuckles relative position to each do not change, so if you can keep the Tie rod from rolling then there will be no dead spot. The problem with this is then the steering will bind since the drag link's axle-end TRE is attatched to the SIDE of the tie rod... so howabout move it to the top? Would this work? IF (big if) the TRE is flexible enough and has a big enough threshhold for lateral rotation then this should work.

So my idea is take this part (unless there is a part like this already in production)

And turn it so that the hole is side ways, then cut off the TRE tip, and cut out the tab inside that would otherwise be pressed into the knuckle, and weld this piece to the end of hte unit. you would lose like .5-1", but there is plenty of extra thredding.

Here is my idea...


Three steps actually, cut off the TRE "joint", drill/tap/saw whatever you have to do to get the pole thing out, and weld it onto the rest of the TRE, this way A) the tie rod will be still, and B) the drag link will attatch on the top.


Obviously this could be done a lot better if i could manufacture it myself, this is just my simple way to do it. I see 2 problems, one is welding the piece on, it had better be a good damn weld for safety reasons, maybe also tac it to the knuckle? I dont know much about welding. Also, offroad under extreme flex not sure how the drag links TRE would do, again i dont know the threshold.

EDIT: this was just brainstorming, and i just realized that by doing this the TRE has to be able to rotate. Okay, so new idea. Does anyone make a TRE that DOESNT rotate? Better yet, why not just cuz the peice right after the TRE, turn it sideways, and reweld it. There could still possibly be roll, but i dont thikn it would really happen as there is no force to make it happen.

No, I wouldn't do that.

However you have touched on a subject that I have been toying with for a while. THat is that the tie rod only needs to have motion allowed on one plane. I have been considering drilling out the knuckles and going over the knuckle with the tie rod, but instead of TRE's use a set of needle bearings that fit tightly around a bolt through the knuckle. then welding a vertical pair of tabs to put the drag link in double shear with a heim on the end of the drag link, similar to the Rock Krawler drag link, only a bit shorter.

THis would eliminate that roll you speak of and make your steering no longer the limiting factor in flex.

that sounds pretty complicated, other than the weld strength, cutting/rotating right here...


If you rotated it like that and then welded it, then the tie rod wouldnt need to roll. You could also put some STEEL spacers in on the tie rod Ends to eliminate any rotation, even though none would occur....

you're leaving out the part where the knuckle can rotate on the joint.

no im not, i just said put in steel spacers so it wont rotate. BUT it wont need to rotate, it wont try to as there is no force attempting to push it to rotate anymore with the drag attatching up top.

maybe I'm not wording this correctly.

As the 2 knuckles move relative to each other, they stay parallel and level. We can say that there is no need for the tie rod to "roll" that is the movement in the plane considered caster with respect to the wheels. The knuckles on a solid axle vehicle also do not change camber relative to one another. In fact the only motion that needs to occur for proper function is in one plane, the angle of the tie rod itself to the knuckle as you look at it from above. If you put in solid rod ends you would be binding the steering pretty badly, but by including a roller or needle bearing setup you would allow free movement on that plane and restrict motion in all other planes.

Hence me saying rotate. It is mandatory that the end be able to rotate, it is the roll that we want to eliminate.

yeah i know, thats why i mentioned spacers, they will still be able to rotate. its not as good as your idea, but then again it would take a lot to put your proposition into action. Im saying cuz off some pieces of pipe and put them between the TREs and the knuckle to reduce the rotating, maybe a small washer on either end as well. It will be metal so it will be hard to turn if you put in a size too big, so a size with just enough space to allow movement would be good i think

i have 0 tie rod roll with a spacer on each end of the tie rod and one on the draglink where it meets the tie rod.

93XJLI said:

i have 0 tie rod roll with a spacer on each end of the tie rod and one on the draglink where it meets the tie rod.

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x2

Because of caster the tie rod does need misalignment.

what size tires are you guys running?

I'm running 33's without issue. Using the J20 washer/spacer combo though.

emr1101 said:

what size tires are you guys running?

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34" LTBs

emr1101 said:

what size tires are you guys running?

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33x10.5s

ill add i have no bumpsteer either. im not running JCR's setup but its the same design.

Jeez what is this dead spot you people talk of? I run a clone to the JCR 1 ton setup with poly spacers on each side and no stabilizer. This setup has ZERO vibes ever with 33's and around a 4.5 inch lift.

-Alex

so you guys put one of the poly spacers on the tie rod end of the draglink too? I am also getting fed up with my 1 ton steering and am considering just going with the currie steering with the goferit tie rod flip. My steering is so sloppy it is like playing that 80's game pong with the lines on the highway haha.

MG2000XJ said:

so you guys put one of the poly spacers on the tie rod end of the draglink too? I am also getting fed up with my 1 ton steering and am considering just going with the currie steering with the goferit tie rod flip. My steering is so sloppy it is like playing that 80's game pong with the lines on the highway haha.

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No need for spacers on the draglink, just the tie rod ends on the tie rod.

The length of the tie rod should not change as it rolls. If it is changing, get new tre's, or make sure they are fitting tightly.

Do not do that cut and weld crap you were thinking about. Spooky looking no matter who welds it up.

98stocker said:

The length of the tie rod should not change as it rolls. If it is changing, get new tre's, or make sure they are fitting tightly.

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I think I am speaking for everyone who has problems like this when I say, the tie rod is not actually rotating on the tre's but it is actually "flexing" on the knuckle and rotating on that surface.

tie rod roll we speak of:


which ultimately leads to this: