• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Those with crossover heim style steering, questions

TheSandman

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Richmond, VA
I just got my ballistic steering kit and was planning on installing everything this weekend. I thought I had everything pretty situated and ready to go, seems I don't.

What are you guys running for track bar setups? I'm trying to eliminate as much bumpsteer as possible. I got a track bar bracket from ballistic but according to them, I need to fab a new track bar that's straight (no bends). Was curious what other guys are running for track bars.

Thanks
 
Here is mine running 3/4 heims. Have a TnT truss with over the axle track bar mount
IMAG0110.jpg
 
That would work, I took a rear rubicon express (tj) track bar and cut it down. The frame mount has a heim/axle mount bushing.
 
I just got my ballistic steering kit and was planning on installing everything this weekend. I thought I had everything pretty situated and ready to go, seems I don't.

What are you guys running for track bar setups? I'm trying to eliminate as much bumpsteer as possible. I got a track bar bracket from ballistic but according to them, I need to fab a new track bar that's straight (no bends). Was curious what other guys are running for track bars.

Thanks

if your going otk with the steering, the axle end of the drag link gets raised up. to keep the trackbar parallel to the draglink, the axle end of the track bar gets raised. this eliminates the need for the bends in the track bar. the track bar now resembles a panhard bar. a trackbar and panhard bar are the same thing. try to keep the new straight trackbar as long as possible or equal length to the draglink.
 
if your going otk with the steering, the axle end of the drag link gets raised up. to keep the trackbar parallel to the draglink, the axle end of the track bar gets raised. this eliminates the need for the bends in the track bar. the track bar now resembles a panhard bar. a trackbar and panhard bar are the same thing. try to keep the new straight trackbar as long as possible or equal length to the draglink.

I plan on running the tie rod UTK.

I guess I couldn't keep the RE track bar until I can make a new track bar?

Hmm, I was thinking of just selling my rubicon express bar and start from scratch. Wonder if I should cut it up and make that work?
 
I plan on running the tie rod UTK.

I guess I couldn't keep the RE track bar until I can make a new track bar?

Hmm, I was thinking of just selling my rubicon express bar and start from scratch. Wonder if I should cut it up and make that work?

but where are you locating the draglink?OTK?

you could keep the RE TB but you will get bumpsteer.
 
If you are going to run your track bar in the stock location you could use your current track bar.

Im confused now. Your draglink and track bar being out of alingment will cause bumpsteer. Your tie rod should make a difference
 
but where are you locating the draglink?OTK?

you could keep the RE TB but you will get bumpsteer.

The drag link will be OTK, tie rod will be under.

I'm just curious how bad it will be, I'm keeping the sway bar off too until I get extended mounts.

If you are going to run your track bar in the stock location you could use your current track bar.

Im confused now. Your draglink and track bar being out of alingment will cause bumpsteer. Your tie rod should make a difference


Well I bought a track bar bracket from ballistic because that's what they recommended me. I later found out that in order to have everything properly aligned, I need to make a new track bar.

I understand the concept of the track bar and draglink being parallel and equal length.

I wanted to see what everyone else was running so I could get an idea. I'm curious about track bar bracket setups on the diff mount and what style track bar people are running.

This thread has nothing to do with crossover steering.

911xj/tj is using inverted T with heims.

My kit is a crossover style steering, not a true crossover. Close enough?
 
I plan on running the tie rod UTK.

I guess I couldn't keep the RE track bar until I can make a new track bar?

Hmm, I was thinking of just selling my rubicon express bar and start from scratch. Wonder if I should cut it up and make that work?

I had a friend shorten my RE track bar and it works great. (Cut about 2-3 inches out of the center section).

Of course I had to raise the axle end mount... used the JKS bracket for that.
 
I had a friend shorten my RE track bar and it works great. (Cut about 2-3 inches out of the center section).

Of course I had to raise the axle end mount... used the JKS bracket for that.

Yeah, I guess I'll just see what happens as I go.

Hopefully I can come up with something, or just run the RE bar until I figure something out.
 
I got a track bar bracket from ballistic but according to them, I need to fab a new track bar that's straight (no bends). Was curious what other guys are running for track bars.

Thanks

Just curious as to which bracket you got from them, and how far it moved the mounting location above the axle, inner mounting width, etc? I too am going OTK with their steering setup but on WJ knuckles.
 
PC120028.jpg


this is what I ended up doing with mine and was able to retain my RE trackbar. I put the draglink upper end on top of the pitman arm to make angles nice. I also made a bracket for the draglink at the knuckle to help with length matching. I still have minor bump steer due to the draglink and trackbar not being at the same height, but It is very minor. I ran withou the axle dranglink bracket and it really wasn't too bad either. Eventually I think I will put the trackbar OTA and drop the draglink to the bottom of the pitman arm.
 
Hmmm, never thought about the draglink on top, wonder how it would flex?

Here's a dumb question, what does bumpsteer actually feel like? Does it get pretty violent as it gets worse? Or do some just get used to it?
 
I could never get used to it.

Everytime the front suspension either compresses or extends, the car pulls to one side or the other, and you have to be ready to correct it quick. So, anytime the road surface becomes uneven, has bumps, dips, whatever, your steering takes off to one side.

I drove 450 miles with it and it was the scariest white knuckle drive I have ever had (and probably a pretty dumb thing to do). My friend drove the last 100 miles and was ready to kill me.

And my axle side track bar was only about 1-1.5 inch from where it should have been.
 
Damn, so you have to be pretty accurate with the measurements?

So all in all, the track bar and draglink has to be the same length and they have to be parallel.
 
My track bar and drag link are not at all the same length. But, they are parallel which isn't really that hard to do. I eye-balled by comparing the drag-link which is straight, to a cord tied from the frame side track bar mount. I just moved the cord until they looked parallel, marked and drilled.

I don't get any noticable bump steer. From what I have read, the length differences only comes into play at extreme drop or compression... I haven't had any issues and I know plenty of Jeeps that are different lengths and work fine.

Here's some good info:

http://www.bulletproofsteering.com/geometry.html
 
Back
Top