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Steering linkage rubbing after RC drop bracket install

X

XJFever

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Anchorage, Alaska
I talked about this in the write-up thread but decided to break it off to not get to off-topic from that thread.

As of now, I just finished the rough country drop brackets on my 99 Cherokee with a 4.5" RE lift. I kept on the RE control arms at first but swapped out the uppers for stock (.5" shorter) and moved the lower arms all the way back on the frame. The steering linkage is still real close to hitting the stabilizer bar bolt/mount and rubbing against the drivers side swaybar mount.

Making this slight change helped a little bit-now I can drive to an alignment shop WITHOUT the stabilizer bar/bolt in, but its still way to close.

I measured the wheelbase and they're about 101 on each side. I don't see what I did wrong or how to fix it.

I'm on my phone so I can't upload pics atm. I can add some later. Anyone got any ideas?
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x2. if they are fixed length arms meant for 4.5" of lift, theyre too long. you need something closer to stock length, something adjustable would be ideal
 
He's got RE lowers so they should be 16.25" long.
Whats your castor set at?
 
I measured both arms, and they both measured at 16"-stock and RE. Not really sure how to check castor. Actually, I'm bringing the Jeep to get aligned here in a bit, so maybe they can tell me the final specs.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
 
Tim_MN said:
Reduce the wheel base, tilt the pinion slightly more/less as needed for clearance, alter the stabilizer bracket mount/location, or get a track bar bracket from PolyPerformance.com. The PP bracket is longer and can be welded at at slight angle and will cure the problem.

http://www.polyperformance.com/shop...y-Bar-Relocation-Bracket-Weld-On-p-21291.html
Click to expand...

Ill keep all that in mind for when I decide to let a shop fix it. I figured since the kit said it would be OK to use with stock arms, it would work. The stock lowers I got measured the same as my others on there.
 
I had the same problem with my coils hitting the sway bar mount on the passenger side. Easiest fix for me was just to order sway bar drop brackets from Rubicon Express.

Rujbicon Express Swaybar Drop Brackets

They move the swaybar down an inch and forward an inch. Someone else can chime in and give the specifics of why it touches the springs when lifted but I think it was RCP_Phx that said it looks like your wheelbase is set correctly :roflmao:!

Edit: Nevermind I noticed your were talking about the lower mount and not the uppers!
 
So alignment shop doesnt want me to waste my money getting an alignment and still having to fix my steering problem. They're saying I need to shorten my arms even more, but doing that looks like it will bow the coil even more than it is. The coil is bowed forward at the moment. I'm stumped
 
I think I may have figures out the problem. I pulled the whole steering off another Jeep and compared it to mine and it looks way off. I had no idea I had bent my steering. Gonna install this one and go from there.
Blx6X.jpg
 
I can't picture this very well - can you send a pic? I can't imagine how, if your coil is "bowed forward" that shortening your arms would make it worse? Do you mean it looks literally bowed, as in ) ? Also, just FYI:

http://www.yuccaman.com/jeep/re_db.html
 
Woops, never mind. Looks like we posted nearly the same time.
 
XJFever said:
I think I may have figures out the problem. I pulled the whole steering off another Jeep and compared it to mine and it looks way off. I had no idea I had bent my steering. Gonna install this one and go from there.
Blx6X.jpg
Click to expand...

The draglink on the bottom is bent!
 
Your coils are bowed forward because your lowers are too short. Adjust them longer (using the slots in the drop brackets) which rotates the axles pinion down. This should give clearance to your steering and straighten out your coils. I had the same problem and this is how I fixed it.
 
Yea, I put on that other stock steering and it cleared it just fine. I brought it to an alignement shop again but they wanted me to replace my trackbar bushing and lower control arm bushings before aligning. So that's where I'm at right now. No rubbing now cause my steering was bent. Thanks for everyone's input.

With the control arm drops, new wheel bearings, and ball joints, the ride is so much better!

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
 
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