xj steering

evening gentlemen... got a newish jeep and am worried about the steering hopefully someone can shoot me in the right direction, a little background first, its a 99 xj with an 8 re long arm set up on it. it only has three arms though in the front, its missing the upper pass side... guy said it flexes better???? it was a budget build so the steering wasnt upgraded at all... i dont roll that way, ive always added the crossover steering but always had full sizes that had provisions for it so how do i ditch the inverted y? ive seen brackets that bolt on the knuckle but none for xj? thanks for any help!!!

...Three arms to flex better... I'd get that upper one asap.

ya sounded kinda scary to me but if all i need is one arm, ok im in! i was looking at some on ebay and found them linked here also, probably just order 2 and change out the one and add the other...

Lots of guys run the two lowers and only one upper. Different stokes for different folks, it's all a matter of opinion. And, yes.....better flexation. Some even run a "3-link" with short arms. No big deal.

With 8" lift, you definitely need to address steering. Lots of different steering options. It all boils down to how much money you're willing to spend. Use the search feature to explore your steering options. Bluetorch Fab makes a bolt on knuckle bracket. If you're running the D30, I think the best choice would be a WJ knuckle swap.

ive heard of the wj swap but noone could nail down what all i needed... obliviously grand knuckles but what else? hubs rotors spindles from the 30 slide back on or gotta get new stuff from grand?

the blue torch fab site says the same as everyone elses site, for tj or yj most specify not for xj however this one doesnt but i emailed them for clarification but wont know til tomorrow at least im sure. the wj conversion looks a little dicey having to weld spacers in and redrill rotors... id rather use off the shelf parts for easy replacement on the road if possible anyone do this conversion and have any insite or pics?? thanks

I just finished the WJ knuckle swap. As for steering on it, there are a few different ways to go, so it's not that any one answer is correct. There is a fair amount of fab work involved, so unless you know how to weld, I wouldn't suggest trying it.

The write up mentioned give you the basics. I have a '99 as well.

Here are the list of parts I bought:
*WJ knuckles form a junk yard ($150)
*JKS 1/4" spacers
*WJ Calipers - I went with the newer Akenobo ones ('03 I think). There was a service bulletin that went around that hey upgraded the calipers due to rotor warping on the WJ's. Issue is, the newer calipers are bigger and might not fit under all 15" rims. (Teaves are the older style) so the newer 02+ are the Akenobos
*2002 Ford Explorer sport trac rotors (5 on 4.5 hole pattern, correct diameter, offset is a touch different so I had to use a washer to space them to the rotor correctly, also the inside diameter of the brake hat is slightly smaller than the hub flange, so you have to take a small amount off that, but it's not hard.)
*WJ brake pads
*Ball Joints - XJ upper, WJ lowers
*Longer metric caliper bolts

I resued my stock hub assemblies. (bearings unit or whatever you call it)

As I said, there a lot of different ways to do the steering, but here is what I did.
* Ballistic Fab 3/4" heim steering kit, I started with this, but tweaked it a bit as I went over the knuckle
* Ballistic Fab Upper and Lower track bar mount
* Teraflex offset TRE's (needed to get the tie rod to clear the diff)
* Goferit flipserts

I used heims on the drag link and track bar and tie rod ends on the tie rod.

Here's some pics:

Axle side Track bar mount: (I actually welded the track bar mount 180 degrees from how I wanted it, but it still works fine) I boxed in the back side of the control arm mount and also added soem material between.


Here's a view looking down at the passenger side knuckle. If you look close, you can see the two grade 8 washers I needed to use to space the claiper correctly on the rotor.


Here the frame side track bar mount. I ended up customizing it and lowering it a bit more to get my angles better. You can also see the heim on the pitman arm.


Here's the final assmebled. Angles worked out well:


Here's a closeup of the passenger side knuckle. You can see the offset tie rod end.


There's a few reasons why I went the route I did, but it would take to long to type out here. If I was starting from scratch, I would have used the stock WJ tie rods ends (they are offset to clear diff) and the JKS tie rod for them. Might have gone with the JKS axle side track bar mount.

If you want to read more, I have a longer thread over on colorado 4x4. http://www.colorado4x4.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=141309

I also got a lot of info from the write up on Pirate.
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=489905&highlight=wj+knuckle+conversion

does this give you a wider stance?

userbmx1315 said:

does this give you a wider stance?

Click to expand...

No.

I am running 1.5" spacers though, but that has nothing to do with the knuckle swap.

that looks sick and stout!!! very clean work!! thanks for the pics too even though i can read i always like pics!!

anybody ever heard of doing dana 44 knuckles on a 30 axle? a guy at work was saying today that should bolt right on... not sure til i do some measureing but it seems that ive heard that before...?????

jdbwrx said:

I just finished the WJ knuckle swap. As for steering on it, there are a few different ways to go, so it's not that any one answer is correct. There is a fair amount of fab work involved, so unless you know how to weld, I wouldn't suggest trying it.

The write up mentioned give you the basics. I have a '99 as well.

Here are the list of parts I bought:
*WJ knuckles form a junk yard ($150)
*JKS 1/4" spacers
*WJ Calipers - I went with the newer Akenobo ones ('03 I think). There was a service bulletin that went around that hey upgraded the calipers due to rotor warping on the WJ's. Issue is, the newer calipers are bigger and might not fit under all 15" rims. (Teaves are the older style) so the newer 02+ are the Akenobos
*2002 Ford Explorer sport trac rotors (5 on 4.5 hole pattern, correct diameter, offset is a touch different so I had to use a washer to space them to the rotor correctly, also the inside diameter of the brake hat is slightly smaller than the hub flange, so you have to take a small amount off that, but it's not hard.)
*WJ brake pads
*Ball Joints - XJ upper, WJ lowers
*Longer metric caliper bolts

I resued my stock hub assemblies. (bearings unit or whatever you call it)

As I said, there a lot of different ways to do the steering, but here is what I did.
* Ballistic Fab 3/4" heim steering kit, I started with this, but tweaked it a bit as I went over the knuckle
* Ballistic Fab Upper and Lower track bar mount
* Teraflex offset TRE's (needed to get the tie rod to clear the diff)
* Goferit flipserts

I used heims on the drag link and track bar and tie rod ends on the tie rod.

Here's some pics:

Axle side Track bar mount: (I actually welded the track bar mount 180 degrees from how I wanted it, but it still works fine) I boxed in the back side of the control arm mount and also added soem material between.

Here's a view looking down at the passenger side knuckle. If you look close, you can see the two grade 8 washers I needed to use to space the claiper correctly on the rotor.

Here the frame side track bar mount. I ended up customizing it and lowering it a bit more to get my angles better. You can also see the heim on the pitman arm.

Here's the final assmebled. Angles worked out well:

Here's a closeup of the passenger side knuckle. You can see the offset tie rod end.

There's a few reasons why I went the route I did, but it would take to long to type out here. If I was starting from scratch, I would have used the stock WJ tie rods ends (they are offset to clear diff) and the JKS tie rod for them. Might have gone with the JKS axle side track bar mount.

If you want to read more, I have a longer thread over on colorado 4x4. http://www.colorado4x4.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=141309

I also got a lot of info from the write up on Pirate.
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=489905&highlight=wj+knuckle+conversion

Click to expand...

did this conversion with a friend, and he ran 2 grade 8 washers and they snapped, deystroying his wheel

ktm racer 419 said:

did this conversion with a friend, and he ran 2 grade 8 washers and they snapped, deystroying his wheel

Click to expand...

this would be me.

DO NOT use washers. it caused me a headache when my caliper bolt snapped right at the newly formed shearpoint and the caliper spun and destroyed my wheel on a highway offramp. not to mention the tow i needed.

get a 2001 TJ unitbearing, it will space it correctly. reason i used washers is i ordered a 2001 bearing, and installed it (thought i needed washers as the spacing was off). ended up it was the wrong part, got a real 2001 later and it solved my spacing issue, thus making the washers unneeded.

EDIT: Just saw the washer in the caliper bolt. this is definitely a bad idea.

I had to use washers behind the rotor in order to center it within the caliper (I'm using teeves calipers). I've gone ~10k miles on this setup with no issues.

Not sure why this is, but my friend and I both needed them.

HeavyMetal said:

this would be me.

DO NOT use washers. it caused me a headache when my caliper bolt snapped right at the newly formed shearpoint and the caliper spun and destroyed my wheel on a highway offramp. not to mention the tow i needed.

get a 2001 TJ unitbearing, it will space it correctly. reason i used washers is i ordered a 2001 bearing, and installed it (thought i needed washers as the spacing was off). ended up it was the wrong part, got a real 2001 later and it solved my spacing issue, thus making the washers unneeded.

Click to expand...

Can you explain to me how the 1/8" or less spacer spacer (2 washers) creates a new shear point? Isn't that a shear point regardless of whether or not there is a spacer in there? I know of other who have done the conversion and used a 1/4" spacer in those areas. Haven't heard any of anything like this from them.

I just looked up the part numbers, and the hub assembly from a 2000TJ is the same as the hub assembly for an XJ with CAST rotors. My '99 had the composite ones hence the different hub.

It still doesn't add up though. The offset on the TJ hub Flange Offset=1.905" and the other is 2.133". I didn't need to space mine by almost a 1/4".

jdbwrx said:

Can you explain to me how the 1/8" or less spacer spacer (2 washers) creates a new shear point? Isn't that a shear point regardless of whether or not there is a spacer in there? I know of other who have done the conversion and used a 1/4" spacer in those areas. Haven't heard any of anything like this from them.

I just looked up the part numbers, and the hub assembly from a 2000TJ is the same as the hub assembly for an XJ with CAST rotors. My '99 had the composite ones hence the different hub.

It still doesn't add up though. The offset on the TJ hub Flange Offset=1.905" and the other is 2.133". I didn't need to space mine by almost a 1/4".

Click to expand...

2 washers = less than 1/8? how small of a washer are you using?

either way... i ran with washers, it sheered on the washer just driving around. i run em without washers, its fine wheeling and more driving. thats where the sheerpoint is and how i know its there.

the spacing issue lies in the unitbearing offset. no way around it. all the write ups ive seen for this mod call for that anyway.

do what you will, i know ill never use any sort of spacer there ever again.

ok i've picked up a dana 30 from a 95 yj that has the 4:88 i need and the high steer bolt on knuckle, should bolt right on right? also the 95 axle has the vacuum disconnect on it with the cable posi lock... the inner axles all but the 2 piece disconnect long side should bolt right in if i read the article correctly here in the tech section??? thanks for all the help!

I ran .25" spacers between the caliper bracket and knuckle on both my YJ and now on my wifes XJ (and longer 10.8 grade bolts) with no issues.

bmfm64 said:

ok i've picked up a dana 30 from a 95 yj that has the 4:88 i need and the high steer bolt on knuckle, should bolt right on right? also the 95 axle has the vacuum disconnect on it with the cable posi lock... the inner axles all but the 2 piece disconnect long side should bolt right in if i read the article correctly here in the tech section??? thanks for all the help!

Click to expand...

should work out. what year axle are you bolting this on to