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IRON ROCK OTK Steering Setup

J

*Jonathan

NAXJA Forum User
Location
North Jersey
I installed the IRO OTK steering setup this weekend and its nice and beefy. I like it alot except for the fact that the drag link has up and down play (not side to side). This does not effect the steering at all, but it makes a banging noise when I go over large bumps in the road. There are no clearance issues anywhere so I know the bang is coming from the draglink lifting and then falling back down (that play I talked about). I called IRO and they said that they have never heard this issue. He said he has it installed on his jeep and that it has the play I'm talking about but that he has to actually push the draglink back down and that it won't fall down by itself. Anyone else with this kit have my same issue? The noise is a bit ridiculous on highway expansion gaps.
 
The actual heims are not banging up and down the bolt, rather the drag link is rotating on the heims and are banging when the heim hit full movement up and full movement down. Make sense? Its hard to explain.
 
http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/Merchant2/TJ_XJ_ZJ%201_2%20OTK%20Steering%20System%20Install.pdf

In this link you'll see what I'm taking about with the rotating draglink. Look at the pic's next to # 21 and 22. In one pic you see the drag link hiem where it attaches at the knuckle. Note that the heim is tilted down. Then look at the next pick where the drag link heim meets the pitman arm. Also notice how the heim is tilted down.

Since the draglink is bent to clear the tie rod it is able to pivot or rotate the heim joints up and down. It naturally wants to be in the down position so when you hit a bump and it is lifted up with negative gravity, it come crashing back down the resting position. Now bert01xj above says that he has no banging. How do I make mine like that? What did you do differently bert?
 
I'm 99% sure its the noise. If you lift up on your drag link and let it fall does it make a noise? Mine does and that the noise I hear. I had someone do it when I was in the jeep.
 
Hmm thats what the guy from IRO said that his does. He said that if he lifts it up it will stay there. I have no idea why mine is so floppy. It naturally wants to be down. (Don't read too much into that) :)
 
I think your joints are a little loose. You should call them back and ask why your joints are already loose and how the plan to fix it?
 
I will. Thanks!
 
wow - this is an interesting thread. I have the same problem - although I never thought it was a problem but instead normal. The drag link itself is heavy so it makes sense that it would rest on the down position.

If i lift my drag link up, it will just fall down. At first it was touching my tie-rod so instead I would space it out so it wouldn't hit the tie rod.

The draglink works jsut fine, but I can hear a clunking from the front as well which I attribute to the disconnects and also the drag link going up and down.

let me know what IRO says> My kit was purchased maybe 3-4 months ago and it was like this from the get go.

I'm using the 1/2" hardware as well.
 
OK just got off the phone with IRO. Man they are nice guys!!
They said that they have heard this happening and basically it is the nature of the beast. Heims should move fluidly when brand new (which mine do) so that rules out worn or faulty heims. He said that he recommend people to wait it out. Eventually the heims will firm up a bit and the drag link will not be able to move up and down simply from hitting a large bump. That makes perfect sense to me so I'll wait it out. He said that if after a while I'm still not happy then we can brainstorm and work something out but that he has never had anyone call him back. I guess it wore in?

For the record, I'm VERY happy with this kit (other than the noise I hear sometimes) and would still recommend it to anyone. I think he is right that the heims will wear in over time. The best part about this company is that both of the people I spoke with from that company had the kit on their jeeps. They probably all rock IRO stuff and can totally relate real world experience to our issues/concerns as customers.
 
I have the same problem with mine. I emailed them about it and basically got 'read the instructions' as a response.

I had some extra polyurethane bushings around and trimmed several 1/8" donuts off them and put them on the heim bushings. It quieted the banging.

You can also rotate the heims in opposite directions so it can't flop. That seems like it would inhibit flex though.
 
*Jonathan said:
OK just got off the phone with IRO. Man they are nice guys!!
They said that they have heard this happening and basically it is the nature of the beast. Heims should move fluidly when brand new (which mine do) so that rules out worn or faulty heims. He said that he recommend people to wait it out. Eventually the heims will firm up a bit and the drag link will not be able to move up and down simply from hitting a large bump. That makes perfect sense to me so I'll wait it out. He said that if after a while I'm still not happy then we can brainstorm and work something out but that he has never had anyone call him back. I guess it wore in?
Click to expand...

sounds reasonable to me. I have maybe 1000 miles on my kit and it still moves fairly easily. it moves even easier now since i sprayed them down with WD40 after a recent trail run...

I'd also like to comment that I've had 3 separate orders with IRO and in all cases they have been a pleasure, even when I had to cancel an order and ship something back etc..
 
How about making a small bushing for it? Something similar to the JCR bushing they use but just one that goes in between the heim body and where its banging against?

Doesn't have to be huge just big enough so that when it twists and bottoms out it will hit something softer then metal. Mayb some cut up "cutting" board?
 
XGarfX said:
How about making a small bushing for it? Something similar to the JCR bushing they use but just one that goes in between the heim body and where its banging against?

Doesn't have to be huge just big enough so that when it twists and bottoms out it will hit something softer then metal. Mayb some cut up "cutting" board?
Click to expand...

Good idea. Ill see what I can fab up. Hey are you in NJJC?
 
Sorry to revive a dead thread, but I recently installed this kit over the weekend, shop aligned it, and there's just an unholy amount of slop in the steering when it's not under load. I replaced my gearbox last summer, so I don't think it's that. Thoughts?
 
I had this problem. AND after about 8 months a nasty death wobble showed up. I believe their heims are crappy, I installed new heims from ORW, the high quality ones, bam, no more death wobble, no more problems, period
 
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