Cheap 38% bigger tie rod conversion.

Well you know how the tie rod is the weakest, and most vulnerable to being hit, part of the steering. It is only a thin hollow tube with 5/8" sized tie rods fitted at each end. Well I found a very cheap way to fit a 38% larger solid cast steel link that is stock in its place. I used a drag link instead that I had left over from a OTK conversion as you no longer use this when doing the over the knuckle flip. I did have to make up a longer adjustment collar to make up the difference though and even this adds to the beef of the setup. Here, having RHD's, we don't have the option of using the ZJ V8 tie rods which is similar, but if running a OTK, my setup also gives the extra clearance needed around the driver side swaybar bracket and uses you old left over drag link. If not running a OTK you would have to run a RHD drag link so might be easier to use a ZJ V8 tie rod instead. With a RHD we dont have that choice so would run a LHD drag link if no OTK was done. Could also just flip the drivers side though to get the tie rod up out of the way and use two stock drag links in the conversion. This would save the need for rasing and making a new trackbar bracket and swaybar brackets on the passenger side. Might not even have to change the swaybar bracket on the drivers side either as the bend in the drag link might give you enough clearance.
See my site in the Suspension and Steering modifications section. www.go.jeep-xj.info

As you can see, much more beefy.

Showing the longer adjustment collar from CrMo hex bar that is needed. Welding to stock adjustment collars together would also work with a solid bar inbetween and inserted partly into each and plug weld as well.


Have that much clearance that I have a near flat tie rod even at 4" of lift and all is tucked behind my bash plate when fitted. Makes for very easy turning.

NICE! Leave it up to Marcus to come up with a simple, inexpensive approach to hi-steer. Thanks for sharing!

I hate to sound like a groupie, but this is one of the cooler mods among many seriously cool mods you've done!

Thanks guys for the comments. Was just starting to think it was a waste of time putting it up on my site as no response at all from JU.

wow... a jeep with out rust...must be nice...where i am your floor starts to rust out in about 6 years.. love your write ups.

Are you saying I can do a tie rod flip by using a drag link on the passenger side (USA) and the sway bar braket won't interfere? How about the adjuster and other end? Does any body know what off the shelf parts will fit? Then I guess I just need a reamer or do I need the incerts?

Gojeep said:

Thanks guys for the comments. Was just starting to think it was a waste of time putting it up on my site as no response at all from JU.

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Nope.

Your site is the one I point folks to when they say they're looking to upgrade their Cherokee.

Keep up the good work!

Stumpalump said:

Are you saying I can do a tie rod flip by using a drag link on the passenger side (USA) and the sway bar braket won't interfere? How about the adjuster and other end? Does any body know what off the shelf parts will fit? Then I guess I just need a reamer or do I need the incerts?

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I have not tried it to see if the bend gives you enough clearance to clear the swaybar bracket on the drivers side but it maybe possible just to use a stock LHD drag link as a tie rod, in your case, flipped with a insert at the drivers side knuckle without changing anything else. You wont have to raise the trackbar or the swaybar bracket at all at the passenger side as stays the same. But you will level out your tie rod and give it around 2.5" of more ground clearance and get the 38% bigger tie rod at the same time.

As for the need for a longer adjustment collar, I have seen some longer tie rod ends around and if you could find one 5" longer than stock that fitted into the standard drag link hole at one end, or ream it out to fit, and has a LH 22x1.5 mm thread at the other, it would bolt straight into the stock adjustment collar. Otherwise just join two stock adjustment collars together as explained earlier and in my write up. But if you could find some rod that had half LH thread and the other half RH thread in 22x1.5 mm, you could just screw together the two adjustment collars.
As for clearance for the adjustment collar, you will have even more than me as no diff in the way.