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over the knuckle steering question......

smokeyyank

smokeyyank

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Littleton, Crawlarado
Hello all,

New to the site but not the wheeling. I have a quick question about doing an otk swap. Currently I have a 93 xj with a 3.5 rubicon express lift with 31's. The tie rod and trac bar are pretty shot and I need to replace them. I use this as my primary driver and camping vehilce so I want to most practical option but eventually I do plan to lift it higher. Basically I've been debating whether I should just upgrade and replace the tie rods and trac bar or do a otk swap? For the otk swap I was thinking either the IRO or the rocky road outfitters. Any advice or input would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
An OTK swap is a good thing but you still need a sturdy tie rod and drag link. There are a bunch of choices out there. Take into account the tools needed to do the OTK mod.
 
Thanks for the replies. I have access to most of the tools, so that shouldnt be an issue. I would prefer just to keep is simple. I just want it done right the first time especially since I will have to replace most everything for the steering .
 
Most practical or most value for your dollar? There's lots of latitude when it comes to steering upgrades.

Doing it right the first time? For me, having been down with road with various steering configurations, this means a WJ knuckle swap. One of the best mods I've done on my rig, which not only made dramatic improvement to the steering, but also netted better braking as well.

Win/Win in my book.

More info here: http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=913774&page=9
 
Its really going to boil down to cost. How much do you want to spend?
I've heard good reviews on the IRO steering (which isn't really otk so you can use a trackbar in the stock location)

Haven't heard much on rocky road (at least nothing positive) so not sure there. Some of these steering systems look scary to me.

Another option would be teraflex steering, however its stupid expensive, and you still have to run a new 'over the axle' trackbar

Serious, jcr and a few others have a pretty nice setup you can run under or over the knuckle.

Clayton also has a top notch steering setup (otk) but its a little pricey

I run the rustys otk and like it, but ultimately I will end up with the wj setup so I don't have to run the heims stacked on top of each other (in single shear) and for the braking upgrade.

Like I said lots and lots of options!
 
Cool, well thanks for all the input. Ideally I dont want to spend a small fortune on it. I would say around 500 for right now. I guess you are right about the IRO not being a true otk.
 
I had the IRO before my current wj conversion. I can tell you that the iro is very beefy. Easy to adjust and have me great steering. For it to work you do need less than 4 inches of backspacing or 16 inch rims. If I were to do it again I would get another iro get and not do the wj swap. The wj swap opened up a can of worms that I wasn't really ready to deal with. It is sweet though.
 
Like others have said, the WJ swap is probably the best bang for your buck when in comes to steering, just because it kills 2 birds with one stone. But it is slightly labor intensive and costs around a grand maybe a little less if you source junk yard parts.

The biggest problem with a true OTK is moving the track bar over the axle to line back up with your drag link, which requires some welding.

The most economical for a DD with only a couple inches of lift would be just doing a HD Draglink and Tie rod with a adjustable track bar, personally I really like Teraflex's track bar cause it's adjustable with out removing it from the jeep. Also, RE makes a nice track bar in either double shear or single shear.

RuffStuff has steering kits that are pure beef and fairly priced,
Here's a good kit to look at, and I believe you can run this UTK or OTK, but it does require you to ream out your knuckles for the larger 1 ton tie rod ends. Which isn't hard to do

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/YLINK.html
 
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Ruff stuff kit is beefy (same thing as JCR kit); but it does have tie rod roll, mine is mostly fixed with spacers from JCR. The most annoying thing is the loss of turning radius due to tie rod clearance going over the knuckle.

Like I said IMO for 31s I would just do a HD tie rod. Bolt on and cheapest option.
 
Cool, well after sleeping on it. I think I'm just going to do a HD tie rod and drag link setup. I think for what I'm doing some of these kits are just overkill. I do like the Rustys Tie Rod conversion. Anyone have any input on that setup? Thanks
 
a raised track bar to match the elevated drag link of OTK steering may run into clearance issues with the oil pan. remember that OTK isnt just bolt on and go. now your playing with your trackbar angles, your sway bars, and all sorts of stuff.

IMO, stay away from inverted T. i do agree with whitexj98 though. get an HD track bar with a double sheer bracket. pick up an HD tie rod that uses factory rod ends and replace your factory drag link. if your really cheap, take all your old ones in a couple months later and warranty them out for spares.

but unless you give us more info about the rig and its use... im going to assume that this is all you need.





PS - stay away from the rock road garbage.
 
VAhasnoWAVES, thanks for the reply. I more than likely am just goin to stick with the HD tie rod, and HD trackbar rather doing an OTK. I am leaning toward the IRO setup for the tierod and track bar. Do they make an HD drag link though? I didn't see anything on their website. The rig has a 3.5 Rubicon express short arm lift with 31's. I already have the sway bar disconnects, just put new shocks and brakelines, has a ford 8.8 in the rear with LSD front and rear running 4.11's. I use it as my DD and weekend warrior. Never really gets abused to hard off road, but I'll beat it up occasionally.
 
im not a fan of the IRO stuff. but i know people who run it and are happy. the only factory replacement HD drag link is from currie. look into their correct link setup, youll never hurt that, but its more than most are willing to spend. a number of companies make HD replacement tie rods. last time i measured a stocker, it was .75" OD. so if you have the proper tools, you could just make your own HD unit.

curious to see what you choose. i like the direction you took your jeep (assuming the 4.10s arent there because there is also a 2.5 turning them. haha)

also... fancy disconnects or not, your going to hit the factory mount on the axle with an OTK tie rod.
 
Thanks, it's got a 4.0HO that I just had rebuilt so no stinky 2.5. The rear originally had 3.73 and they guy I bought it from had a new gear set for the front (since its was the 3.55) but it wasn't the reverse pattern so I just upped everything to the 4.10's in thought I may go up to 33's one day but for now it does awesome and has tons of low end, but cruises on the highway at 65 doing maybe 2000 rpms. The disconnects are the rubicon express ones and I have saw some that do require a bunch of fab work. I have the tools but then it because the issue of time. I'll keep it updated, I'm going to fiddle around some more tonight and explore some options. I do like that rusy's kit just becasue it has a new tie rod and drag link and my drag link is pretty shot.
 
I would stay away from the 'rustys tie rod upgrade' all the stuff I've seen said it sucks. Rod ends are small, wear out fast and hard to find.

Currie does have a beefy setup, which I ran, but wasnt impressed. For the price there are much better bang for the buck setups like jcr, serious etc.
 
Only problem with the wj setup is you need to burn in a raised trackbar bracket and some spacers on the knuckles. So it takes a little skill to do or money to have done.
 
After reading more reviews about the rusty's setup I think I'm going to can that idea. I have been thinking of poosibly just doing the ZJ upgrade or doing a 1 ton upgrade from serious. Anyone know how difficult is it to ream the knuckle?
 
The knuckles are fairly easy to ream. I used a Milwaukie "Hole Hawg" 1/2 chuck right angle drill and I bought the reamer on Ebay- "Xkut" brand.

I HIGHLY recommend using the reamer instead of the tapered inserts. Drilling out for the inserts leaves very little meat on the knuckle.
 
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