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WJ Swap Steering and Track Bar Questions.

Seems tempting to make my own draglink and tie rod from 1.50x250? im assuming what most people use but then i would have to buy 4 teraflex offset tre? they are like over 50 bucks a piece i was thinking making my own might save money but then again maybe not, im not sure what i wanna do, using wj tie rods probably not much of a big deal for me, this isnt a rock crawler more of a DD trail rig.
 
Thinking about giving ruffstuff a call and trying to modify an order. get this kit but instead have the offset tres with it. But for the draglink i couldnt use those TRE would i be able to use regular 1 ton TRE like this kit has for drag link or no? i think the axle side would need the offset at least.

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/XOGMSTE.html
 
I plan on an offset TRE at the axle side of the drag link. Been poking XJeeper and a couple locals asking questions.

I've got the following:

Ruffstuff 3/4x3/4 heims with 9/16" High misalignment spacers for the track bar.
offset 1 ton TRE for drag link axle side
offset 1 ton TRE's for tie rod
ES2027L for the pitman arm.

1.25" x .120 4130 for drag link and trackbar (straight)
1.5" .250 DOM for tierod as I tend to hit rocks.

JKS track bar relocation drilled to 9/16".
RE HD frameside bracket.

Running 17" Cragar wheels with 285/70-17's MTR-K
 
that looks like the ideal setup... i just got a super deal on heims before i seriously investigated steering on these knuckles and would like to make them work.

are all your TREs GM taper (where did you get them?) or are they the teraflex ones?

my only recommendation is that if you can, run 7/8x3/4 heims on the track bar.
 
Thats probably what ill end up doing, try to get up an order from ruffstuff, enough tubing for drag link and tie rod, then get 2 of their offset TRE for tie rod, 1 for the axle side drag link, get their 2027 for the pitman arm. If i can order their GM Crossover steering kit but just change the tie rods it comes with it will be perfect.

Then ill have JKS bracket and hopefully ill be able to modify my trackbar. Now do you think its fine to run 1.5x.250 for the drag link as well or should i use the 1.25x .120 like you have listed?
 
Got all the tube adapters, TRE's etc from ruffstuff, knuckles were free from cal. So far his free knuckles have cost me about $2000. :) (wheels/tires).

Using the 1 ton GM taper as I have the reamer from when I did 1Ton inverted T steering. Which I'll sell, pitman to knuckles with spare happy tie rod.
 
I'm thinking about using the larger one ton tapered tie rods too. TMR has larger taped inserts to fit 7/8 tie rods. I wouldn't need to ream anything just drill knuckles and pitman arm 1 inch and fit those inserts in. Between ruffstuff parts mike and TMR I should have everything. I like ruffstuff but they only have the small taper tie rods.
 
VAhasnoWAVES said:
tha i just got a super deal on heims before i seriously investigated steering on these knuckles and would like to make them work.
Click to expand...


I had heim steering and set it up UTK with WJ knuckles, for now. It clears everything fine.

Vanimal had his set up OTK with heims and bends on each end of the tie-rod. I don't recall the bends being that big...

My drag link has a slight bend but causes no issues really. With the jam nuts tightened, the bend doesn't move around at all.
 
I can't make my mind up if I should use the larger taper ends. Like the es2027L instead of regular es2027 and the ex23434L instead of ex23434. I would just have to drill everything to 1 inch instead of 7/8 but it would be beefier.
 
Alright yea guess I should just to be safe. Just use 7/8 tapers. Do you think I would be fine using the same size tubing as tie rod for the drag link? The 1.5 x .250?
 
Well no i mean I was wondering if it would be too much? I noticed someone else said they were using 1.25. I'd rather just order one big section of 1.5 x 250 from ruffstuff and do everything with it.
 
sounds good this is what i have so far

-1x JKS OTA Track Bar Relocation Bracket- $50

-1x Driver side Pitman Arm To Draglink TRE- ES2027-$40

-3x Offset TRE's For Tie Rod and Axle Side Draglink- ES23434- $112

-3x Tapered Steering Knuckle Inserts- $24

-(2x LH)&(2x RH) 7/8 1 Inch Tube Adapters- $50

-(2x LH)&(2x RH) 7/8 Jam Nuts- $10

-1x 66 Inch DOM Tube, 1.5 x .250 Wall 1 Tube ID- $50

( $336 Total Price )

for sleeving the track bar im gonna get 6" or 1 foot of either 1.75 x .120 or 2 x .250 both 1.5 in order to slide over track bar. not sure which to go with.
 
Take a tape measure out there. Your drag link is going to be something around 36" and your Tie Rod will be around 50". I'll have exact lengths in the morning since your list is pretty much sitting in my garage right now and we're going to do the conversion in the morning.
 
OK I did get some rough measurements from another guy but he ran jks stuff with wj tie rods. So my tie rods will be shorter I think so I'd have more tubing to make up the difference.
 
Ok, knuckles are on, need to bleed the brakes, then I'm setting it on the ground. JKS track bar mount is on. I will post the tubing lengths tomorrow, going to get it on the ground, set toe, and then measure for tubing. I will also center the axle at that time. Oh, and my 24" brake lines are not long enough. RK 3 link with 12" short body 7100s. Going to need to probably go to 30-32" lines.


Mark
 
so....

instead of reporting the length of the tubing you end up using, why not report what the on center measurement is from knuckle to knuckle after you set toe? then anyone would be able to account for the TREs/heims they are using and calculate their own tubing lengths. same principle would work with the drag link too as long as you specify your pitman arm and lift height.
 
Ok, here it is, 5.5" lift probably settled to around 5".

Tie Rod, CtC 53.25"
Rod material was 45"
Rod overall length 48"
Using 7/8-16 tube adapters with 1.5" .25 wall DOM and 1 Ton offset TRE's.

Drag Link

Using ES2027L at pitman and right hand offset 1ton TRE.
34" overall
Rod itself is 27" long and I used 24" of 4130 .120 1.25" tubing.
Again using the 7/8-16 tube adapters from ruffstuff.

Trackbar

28.5" CTC still needs a little tweaking to center everything.
Used 23.5" of 4130 1.25" .120 wall
You could easily make this a 24" piece also.
Running 3/4" heims for TB, I grabbed the stainless misalignment spacers and had to bring the width down on the axle side to 1 5/8", and the RE frameside bracket measured 1.960. Trusty craftsman/atlas lathe made quick work of everything.

Basically you're looking at 8 feet of tubing to do this. .120 wall 1.25" chromoly isn't that much and it sure is lighter than the tie rod. I don't plan on beating the drag link or trackbar on the rocks.

Also everything was beveled, plug welded and burned in using my new to me miller 211 autoset.


Oh, one last thing. At full droop 12" of shortbody 7100's with RK 3 link the 24" extended brake lines are not long enough. I'll be ordering some 30 or 32" lines tomorrow.
 
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