Post lift steering issue

After recently installing a RE 5.5" lift, I've encountered a little steering issue. When I turn full passenger, my TRE contacts the steering stabilizer bolt, and the bottom of my sway bar disco (see pics).







Even after shaving the head of the bolt the TRE still touches. Also, I moved the passenger side disconnect to the outside of the mount so the bottom of it would clear. Both of these are temporary fixes, I would like to figure out the cause of the problem.

My caster is adjustable, but I'm hesitant to start messing with it because it drives perfect right now (no wandering/ vibes). My only thought is my drag link has been bent inwards during the past couple years of wheeling?

I've searched and found other threads regarding the same problem, but none of them came to a conclusion.

Ideas? Surely, after market steering is not the only answer.

Either your steering is bent in, or you have extended your control arms too far forward. Did you get the adjustable control arms?

-Alex

This happens a lot. Heat your draglink and bend it out a little, or upgrade to a better steering system.

X2 on what Alex and Cal said.

We sell HD steering, give the shop a call. Got em in stock too.

I just made a "pie" cut in the bracket,about an 1/8".Then re-welded it.Been great for a few years now!

I have the same problem on mine. Have you put on a drop pitman arm yet? I'm hoping that this will take care of the issue on mine. I'm fearing having to get this thing realigned after messing with the steering again though. It took the last shop almost five hours to get the front end aligned.

Well if you do a drop pitman arm you will also have to relocate the trackbar.

Is the axle centered? I don't see a shiny new trackbar in those pictures. Yeah, the inverted Y has issues when you lift. I went to a JCR and that pretty much fixed all the interference problems.

Well I played blacksmith today and bent the draglink out of the way. I now have a fair amount of clearance from the stabilizer bolt and sway bar disco.

Disco clearance:


Stabilizer Bolt clearance:


The new bend:


I'll eventually go to a HD setup, but for now this will work great.

Stockton said:

I have the same problem on mine. Have you put on a drop pitman arm yet? I'm hoping that this will take care of the issue on mine. I'm fearing having to get this thing realigned after messing with the steering again though. It took the last shop almost five hours to get the front end aligned.

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I didn't want to go the drop pitman arm route because my drag link and track bar are virtually parallel to each other, and I have no bump steer right now. I was afraid a dropped arm would screw with the angles too much.

I do my own alignments as far as toe-in, toe-out, and steering wheel centering. After I bent the drag link today I had to readjust everything, and it took less than 15 minutes to get back within spec.

markw said:

Is the axle centered? I don't see a shiny new trackbar in those pictures. Yeah, the inverted Y has issues when you lift. I went to a JCR and that pretty much fixed all the interference problems.

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Yes the axle is centered, because of the very shiny brand new RE1665 holding it in place.

TORX said:

Well I played blacksmith today and bent the draglink out of the way. I now have a fair amount of clearance from the stabilizer bolt and sway bar disco. I'll eventually go to a HD setup, but for now this will work great.

Click to expand...

Before you call it good... make sure you check it with varying amounts of droop in your front suspension. Mine has no clearance issues at normal riding height (I also have a RE 5.5" lift) but when the front axle droops I get major contact between my drag link/tie rod joint and my lower sway bar mount.

did you get some tires yet?

WaXJ_Skier said:

did you get some tires yet?

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Nope.

I refuse to wheel anything larger than a 30" tire on 3.07 gears. My holdup now is trying to find a replacement for the 35. As soon as I find one 4.88s are going in, and then its off to American Tire.

fyrfytr1717, thanks for the heads up. I'll be sure to flex test it before any wheeling.

TORX said:

Nope.

I refuse to wheel anything larger than a 30" tire on 3.07 gears. My holdup now is trying to find a replacement for the 35. As soon as I find one 4.88s are going in, and then its off to American Tire.

fyrfytr1717, thanks for the heads up. I'll be sure to flex test it before any wheeling.

Click to expand...

have you considered just doing an 8.8?