drag link end at pitman arm

Has anyone else with 4.5" plus lifts noticed that when the front end flexes, the drag link end at the pitman arm binds and actually holds the passenger side of the front end from reaching full droop?

I am very concerned that the drag link end will ultimately fail. I am against using a dropped pitman arm due drag link/track bar geometry reasons.

I am also wanting to stay with the inverted wye steering. Has anyone ever seen a tie rod end (or drag link end in this case) that has a small 20-30 degree bend in it to lessen the angle placed on the joint?

I know I've seen tie rod ends and drag link ends that have a small bend kicked into them, -but I can't remember where. Does anyone know where one of these ends could be found? Obviously, it would have to have the right threads, -and the right taper.

I'm running a RE 4.5 superflex on a '91.

Is my concern valid, -or should I lay off the crack and just wheel it??

TIA

Why do you want to keep the POS inverted Y steering? It is one of the worst things that come stock on these vehicles - up there with a D35c. As it droops, your tires toe-in, and as it compresses, your tires toe-out...



Oh, and the right solution is crossover hi-steer, or an inverted T highsteer, or a few other options... The ZJ pitman arm and moving the track bar end is a start though.



Oh, yeah, if you continue to wheel with this steering you will wreck it. Jsut a matter of time.

ratman572 said:

Has anyone ever seen a tie rod end (or drag link end in this case) that has a small 20-30 degree bend in it to lessen the angle placed on the joint?

Click to expand...

Yes. Currie HD drag link. It works quite well. My steering does not bind at all and I'm at 6.5" lift.

Many put a bend in their drag links when they make custom steering...I was one of them. It is to fix the exact problem you're describing. With your current setup flexing out the passenger side will wear that tie-rod end very quickly.

You can either limit the travel of your suspension or get a new steering setup.

Are you sure it's TRE bind at the Pittman end, or is it the fact your track bar is a different length than your drag link?
I think it's common for the driver's side to droop farther than the passenger side, due to the argument that goes on between the arc traveled by the drag link versus the arc traveled by the track bar.

Bender said:

Many put a bend in their drag links when they make custom steering...I was one of them. It is to fix the exact problem you're describing. With your current setup flexing out the passenger side will wear that tie-rod end very quickly.

You can either limit the travel of your suspension or get a new steering setup.

Click to expand...

Bender, I was wondering if it was possible to do this. I'm just a little leary of tweaking steering components. BTW, your name is very fitting!

I may give this a shot, -just to keep the thing from binding up.

xjbubba said:

Are you sure it's TRE bind at the Pittman end, or is it the fact your track bar is a different length than your drag link?
I think it's common for the driver's side to droop farther than the passenger side, due to the argument that goes on between the arc traveled by the drag link versus the arc traveled by the track bar.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I pretty much agree with what you're saying, -however, the problem with mine definitely seems to be that joint at the pitman arm being maxxed out.

I was sorta dumbfounded when I popped the drag link off with a pickle fork and the passenger side of the diff dropped about 2-1/2". Keep in mind I had the rig on a lift, with the suspension at full droop. In order to get the drag link end put back into the pitman arm, I had to jack up the passenger side of the diff just to get the taper back into the pitman arm. The drag link end is seriously bound up at full extension, -to the point of tweaking the pitman arm and wrenching the steering box. It can't be good.....

The drag link end simply cannot deal with that much angle.

DirtyMJ said:

Why do you want to keep the POS inverted Y steering? It is one of the worst things that come stock on these vehicles - up there with a D35c. As it droops, your tires toe-in, and as it compresses, your tires toe-out...



Oh, and the right solution is crossover hi-steer, or an inverted T highsteer, or a few other options... The ZJ pitman arm and moving the track bar end is a start though.



Oh, yeah, if you continue to wheel with this steering you will wreck it. Jsut a matter of time.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree. I'm tapped out money wise right now after buying the XJ, lift, wheels, and tires all in one shot.

I was looking at steering options, and all the ones you mention look like good alternatives.

For the moment though, I want to go play with my wheelin buddies and don't want to tear up the setup that I have right now. I'm trying to think of a way to band-aid what I have so it doesn't self destruct.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I wouldn't bend the stock drag link!

Those of us who have made custom steering linkages use materials that are much stronger than the stock stuff. I don't think the stock stuff is strong enough to handle a bend.

Bender said:

I wouldn't bend the stock drag link!

Click to expand...

Awww c'mon!!

Where's your sense of adventure???

No worries, -I wasn't about to bend it.

By the looks of it, it will bend by itself anyway, -or break.

So, -should I make my own drag link and tie rod?, -I am a machinist/fabricator by trade and could probably manage to
plow through a project like that without too many problems. I was already looking at reverse-engineering the currie setup and using the heavy heim joints.

What is the most commonly used material?

I know, I should probably just save up and buy the good stuff, -after all, being able to steer (particularly going 60 on the freeway), -is kinda important....