• 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.

Best way to fix my steering? (WJ)

Destroyer

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Milton, GA
So here's the deal- I did a WJ swap over the winter and ran it with stock steering for a while. Eventually relocated the track bar to utilize the higher steering arm of the WJ knuckle. Using Chevy TRE's I ran the drag link from the underside of the pitman to the topside of the WJ upper arm. The tie rod is currently on the topside of the lower arms. Unfortunately I didn't find out until it was too late that you can't run a straight tie rod with the chevy TRE's without losing a LOT of steering. So, I bent the rod slightly to clear the diff and coil mounts and went on my way....until I mounted the wheels. The bent tie rod caused the TRE's to roll forward, into the wheel. So, I twisted the tie rod down, hoping it would stop the TRE's from rolling, but they still do. I have tried various spacers jammed between the knuckle and TRE's to keep them from rolling with no luck. This is my DD so I can't have anything wearing thru and I am way over budget on this swap already. What would be the best way of fixing this issue without dumping hundreds of more $$$ into this? Get the Ballistic Fab inserts and run the tie tod UTK for a major loss of clearance? Any other options I'm not thinking of, short of new knuckles, some DOM, inserts and WJ TRE's? I definitely don't want wheel spacers or new wheels.

IMAG0138.jpg


Thanks
-Destroyer
 
I use 3/4 hiems on my tie rod and a straight 1 1/8 alum bar. To run a straight tie rod, you need to trim off the bottom of the coil buckets. Mine just barely touches the stock dif cover at full turn, but I think my diff covers a little bigger than yours. Perhaps all you need to do is bend your bar straight and trim your coil buckets, your tre might put the tie rod to high though, if so buy some hiems and new bungs. I would also recomend running tapered hiem studs http://www.bcbroncos.com/steering LINKAGE.htm as apposed to just using a bolt. If you do use a bolt, I like to tap the knuckle and use a jam nut under it.
_TLM4419.jpg
 
I used stock WJ TRE's and JKS's tierod and draglink tube, Goferit flip inserts with all the links OTK. I had to trim the coil buckets a little but it clears my Riddler diff cover just fine.
 
You said you tried spacers but have you tried using one like JCR offroad makes? Just use it on one side.

Yeah that is basically what I did, but the TRE really needs to be leaned slightly back to fully clear. With the flat spacer it would clear going forward but when turning left it would start to rub.


Is there any way to run the smaller TRE's now that my knuckles are reamed for the 1 ton ends?

I hadn't thought of heims, I guess that could be my backup plan.
 
How much does it hit? Can you grind a little off the edge of the TRE?


Put a bungee cord on the tie rod to hold it up? :D
 
How much does it hit? Can you grind a little off the edge of the TRE?


Put a bungee cord on the tie rod to hold it up? :D

Bungee cord....perfect! :laugh:

But really, with the current spacer it has about a mm of clearance in some places, others it rubs. Once it gets any cornering force it rubs all the way around. I'm thinking maybe ream the knuckle to the point the TRE body is nearly sitting on the knuckle, then add grade 8 washers on the underside to fill any gap between the knuckle and castle nut? Then if that doesn't work try something else?

fd908b10.jpg


f6774a13.jpg
 
Back
Top