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High steer, flipserts, and TRE's

L

lapisxj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Huntsville, AL
I am about to redo the stock steering setup on our XJ. I am looking to use heavy duty TRE's like this kit from Partsmikeparts.com

http://www.partsmikeparts.com/tre_kit.htm

All the specs on these TRE's are also found on the same website at...
http://www.partsmikeparts.com/tre_comparison.htm

I have some heavy walled DOM that I plan to drill and tap for 7/8"-18TPI. I know I will have to relocate the Swaybar brackets and possibly the Drag Link and Steering Stabilizer.

I am looking for my final product to look similar to this...
http://www.rocketcityrockcrawlers.com/forum/RTE_textbox.asp?mode=new&POID=0&ID=290

One part that I am not sure about is the tapers on the knuckles. I know that if I go with the Goferit flipserts that they are for a stock TRE taper. The TRE's that are listed with PartsMike are a heavier duty TRE and have a larger taper so I assume that they will not work with the Goferit inserts. Is my only other option to run a reamer through the top of the knuckle for the appropriate taper? Is there enough meat for this and what is the angle of this reamer/taper?
 
IIRC my reamer is a 7 degree. I just did a flip on a D44 and used 1 ton TRE's. There was plenty of meat to ream from the top for the larger 1 ton units.
 
You can ream the stock Dana 30 knuckles from the top side for the "1 ton TREs." I did this on my Dana 30 and it was fine for the 2 years I ran it with 33s. I was always careful about turning hard into something solid like a rock or when wedged in pretty good becasue I believe that the knuckle would break before the TRE or tie rod would bend/break but that is just my opinion and I have not seen it happen. I have the knuckles in my garage if you want to buy them...Make me an offer. I have since built a HP Dana 44 with true high steer and all the bling.

AARON
 
you can ream the stock knuckles from the top instead of using the flip inserts.

If this is on a 30, there is a bit more work as well, the coil buckets need to be clearanced and the sway bar links need to be relocated.

This is the 1 ton stuff ran over the knuckle

OTK.jpg
 
I just saw this setup on JCRoffroad...
http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/steering1.jpg

Would it simplify things to keep the tie rod under the knuckle, but still do the crossover as seen in the pict? Would I be removeing any less material from the knuckle if I enlarge the taper from the bottom instead of cutting a totally new taper from the top?

http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=1TNST&Category_Code=S6

So bottom line is I need to ream the knuckles, possibly clearance the coil buckets depending on which way I run the TRE's, and redo the swaybar brackets. Since I already have the tubing, I need to buy 4 threaded inserts or I need to buy about $100 worth of taps, and the full set of TRE's. I'll probably also redo some of my track bar geometry stuff as well.

We just bought another XJ and since it is bone stock my wife can drive it while I work on this one. :)
 
i just had some inserts made..used hiem joints,drilled out the knuckle..used 7/8 grade 8 bolts..1 1\2 dom tubing..wheeling hard for 2 yrs on 33s..are you gonna build your own or buy pre built?
 
lapisxj said:
I just saw this setup on JCRoffroad...
http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/steering1.jpg

Would it simplify things to keep the tie rod under the knuckle, but still do the crossover as seen in the pict? Would I be removeing any less material from the knuckle if I enlarge the taper from the bottom instead of cutting a totally new taper from the top?

http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=1TNST&Category_Code=S6

So bottom line is I need to ream the knuckles, possibly clearance the coil buckets depending on which way I run the TRE's, and redo the swaybar brackets. Since I already have the tubing, I need to buy 4 threaded inserts or I need to buy about $100 worth of taps, and the full set of TRE's. I'll probably also redo some of my track bar geometry stuff as well.

We just bought another XJ and since it is bone stock my wife can drive it while I work on this one. :)
Click to expand...


The JCR setup is what is in the pic I posted of mine. They ran it over the knuckle for me instead. To run it under the knuckle, just drill out the TRE hole in the knuckle and ream it to the correct taper, then bolt everything on. under the knuckle doe not require modifications to anything but the TRE holes on the knuckles and pitman arm.
 
Ok, I just got in some parts the other day and MAN are these things beef! Got the 7/8" TRE's from Parts Mike Parts as well as the threaded inserts. I'm working on secureing a tapered reamer and have learned more than I ever care to about them.

Oh and I'm going over the knuckle for the extra clearance.
 
lapisxj said:
Ok, I just got in some parts the other day and MAN are these things beef! Got the 7/8" TRE's from Parts Mike Parts as well as the threaded inserts. I'm working on secureing a tapered reamer and have learned more than I ever care to about them.

Oh and I'm going over the knuckle for the extra clearance.
Click to expand...
Dont forget you need to relocate the trackbar also.A drop pitman arm I wouldnt do unless you did some HD form of steering box reinforcement!
 
lapisxj said:
Ok, I just got in some parts the other day and MAN are these things beef! Got the 7/8" TRE's from Parts Mike Parts as well as the threaded inserts. I'm working on secureing a tapered reamer and have learned more than I ever care to about them.

Oh and I'm going over the knuckle for the extra clearance.
Click to expand...

The Snap-On one is good enough for maybe a couple dozen or so reams if your careful with it. It's really designed to be a clean up hand reamer. So use lots of cutting oil and go slow.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?store=snapon-store&item_ID=8154&group_ID=946

A few people have talked about these on ebay (you want the 1.5" per foot)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BRAN...019QQitemZ290002171049QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

We used to use this one, and it was way better than the snap on, but still you have to go slow with it to not burn it up.
http://www.goodson.com/store/template/product_detail.php?IID=4488

The one at the bottom of the page is what we use now. Had it for well over a year and it's still pretty sharp. WELL worth the money if you want one that will last a LONG time.
http://www.stockcarproducts.com/susp13a.htm

Save yourself some work and drill the knuckles out to 5/8" first. If you have high misalignment stuff (ES2026R, ES2233L, etc) for the drag link those holes can go out to 11/16 before reaming.
 
Last edited:
RCP Phx said:
Dont forget you need to relocate the trackbar also.A drop pitman arm I wouldnt do unless you did some HD form of steering box reinforcement!
Click to expand...
Please explain further. I was going to look at the track bar angle and see if it needed to be remounted or redone while I'm doing all this. Right now I have a drop pitman arm, are you saying that I should take it off and go back with a stock replacement (which I still have BTW). I'll probably throw a steering box brace in there also to tighten stuff up.
 
JUST DRILL OUT YOUR KNUCLES TO 5/8 GET HYME JOINTS AND TUBING IT COST ME ABOUT 140.00 TO DO IT RUSTYS WANTS 490.00 FOR THERE KIT!
jeep3.jpg
lapisxj said:
I am about to redo the stock steering setup on our XJ. I am looking to use heavy duty TRE's like this kit from Partsmikeparts.com

http://www.partsmikeparts.com/tre_kit.htm

All the specs on these TRE's are also found on the same website at...
http://www.partsmikeparts.com/tre_comparison.htm

I have some heavy walled DOM that I plan to drill and tap for 7/8"-18TPI. I know I will have to relocate the Swaybar brackets and possibly the Drag Link and Steering Stabilizer.

I am looking for my final product to look similar to this...
http://www.rocketcityrockcrawlers.com/forum/RTE_textbox.asp?mode=new&POID=0&ID=290

One part that I am not sure about is the tapers on the knuckles. I know that if I go with the Goferit flipserts that they are for a stock TRE taper. The TRE's that are listed with PartsMike are a heavier duty TRE and have a larger taper so I assume that they will not work with the Goferit inserts. Is my only other option to run a reamer through the top of the knuckle for the appropriate taper? Is there enough meat for this and what is the angle of this reamer/taper?
Click to expand...
 
I have a entire DOM heim set up if anyone is interested?
also have the extra knuckles drilled as well
you will need two new heims thats it
 
mud4x4lover said:
JUST DRILL OUT YOUR KNUCLES TO 5/8 GET HYME JOINTS AND TUBING IT COST ME ABOUT 140.00 TO DO IT RUSTYS WANTS 490.00 FOR THERE KIT!
jeep3.jpg
Click to expand...


That heim on the bottom of your draglink looks maxed out just sitting there.. you should put some bends in there to give it some more travel before you start busting them.. and probably should put a safety washer over the top too.
 
I wouldn't go with Hiems for a DD. Thats just my opinion. I have done the Hiem thing before and I believe it is ok for a trail mostly/street partially vehicle but there are a few drawbacks that I wouldn't like for a DD. Hiems aren't as tight as a TRE and most aren't servicable, both of which won't help my death wobble issue. Hiems are easy to install cause you just drill a straight hole and bolt them on, and they are stackable. They each have about the same amount of mis-alignment and cost is about the same but if you'll spend the extra effort to fool with the tapered holes I think you'll be better off. As for the salt thing, I don't have any experience with that but I would think if you could flush a TRE with grease every so often that would be much better than an unservicable Hiem. (and I do realize that they make greasable hiems, they just aren't as common)

Sorry didn't mean to turn this into a TRE vs. Hiem debate, just thought I would throw that out there.
 
I have one question I was looking at getting the JCR setup and going over the knuckle, but the one tie rod that has the hole for the other tie rod is tapered one way. That means you flip it over to the top and it would make the taper reverse so the tie rod would have to come throw the back. Do you have to tell them your doing the over the knuckle so they can tap it the other way?
 
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