• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Video question: crossover steering issue...

Nui 'Ula

NAXJA Forum User
Location
PNW
For your viewing pleasure...I've been searching a ton, and can't seem to find a definitive answer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez4n4ZthVDo

Long story short...I will be replacing the front axle assy with one that still has all the OE brackets on it. It *looks* like the PO chopped off the sway bar bracket in order to make room for the crossover steering. Is there a way retain the sway bar bracket on my new axle, AND retain the crossover setup? Or will I need to go back to the factory draglink setup in order to run a sway + quick discos? Please LMK. Links/brand names/prices are helpful. Thanks! :worship:
 
more detailed comment:

you have a couple of things going on

to start
your steering geometry is wrong. you will have bumpsteer because the Drag link and the trackbar are no longer parallel.

there are a couple ways to fix this.

you can:
go back to stock geometry steering A La Currie or Polyperformance.
your knuckles are drilled for heims, so you either need some JY knuckles, or inserts, which is a less than ideal solution.

you can:
weld on an OTA trackbar mount and make a new trackbar to go with it.
SFR makes a great setup for this.
http://www.stinkyfab.com/vehicle-specific/jeep/xj-mj/otk-track-bar-kit-for-jeep-xj-mj-zj.html

Personally, this is the option I would take.

also, when you decide to upgrade your steering and brakes for WJ stuff down the road you won't have to change the panhard.

as far as the swaybar goes, thats easy. I linked you to a set of raised brackets, there are a dozen other MFGs out there.


as far as the passenger UCA, you don't need it. IF and this is a big IF, you upsize the hardware in the drivers UCA to at least 1/2" grade 8.
Currie Part# CE-9112M2 presses in to replace the stock bushing and accepts a 1/2" bolt.

you may feel the need to run a passenger UCA, that is up to you, however there is nothing wrong with a single upper radius arm if setup properly.
 
At this point, my only option is which ever is the least expensive. :/ As I see it so far...

Keeping crossover:

New sway brackets
New track bar mount
New track bar
Welding + transport of axle to whoever is doing the welding

Going back to OE
Junkyard ZJ drag link assembly ($12.50, bought yesterday)
Knuckes
ZJ TRE's

...plus I can sell the X-over setup to help offset costs.

EDIT: Ugh, I can't decide. lol.
 
Last edited:
more detailed comment:

you have a couple of things going on

to start
your steering geometry is wrong. you will have bumpsteer because the Drag link and the trackbar are no longer parallel.

there are a couple ways to fix this.

you can:
go back to stock geometry steering A La Currie or Polyperformance.
your knuckles are drilled for heims, so you either need some JY knuckles, or inserts, which is a less than ideal solution.

you can:
weld on an OTA trackbar mount and make a new trackbar to go with it.
SFR makes a great setup for this.
http://www.stinkyfab.com/vehicle-specific/jeep/xj-mj/otk-track-bar-kit-for-jeep-xj-mj-zj.html

Personally, this is the option I would take.

also, when you decide to upgrade your steering and brakes for WJ stuff down the road you won't have to change the panhard.

as far as the swaybar goes, thats easy. I linked you to a set of raised brackets, there are a dozen other MFGs out there.


as far as the passenger UCA, you don't need it. IF and this is a big IF, you upsize the hardware in the drivers UCA to at least 1/2" grade 8.
Currie Part# CE-9112M2 presses in to replace the stock bushing and accepts a 1/2" bolt.

you may feel the need to run a passenger UCA, that is up to you, however there is nothing wrong with a single upper radius arm if setup properly.

Here is a bit better description as to where he is at.
The front axle is getting change.
He needed to re gear it add the upper control arm mount and sway bar mounts. Total cost of fixing the existing one was more than changing the axle out.

The plan is to replace that missing upper control arm

Right now the option is to go back to stock steering and use a stock sway bar with quick disconnects or somehow modify the crossover to gain the clearance needed for the sway bar.

He has all the parts minus the pitman arm (its been drilled also) to go back to the stock setup as well as the parts to keep the crossover.

Since he has all the parts but the pitman arm I personally think he should go back to stock until a way can be figured out to make the crossover and sway bar coexist, especially since all the options so far cost the same or more than just replacing it with a new crossover kit.
 
Last edited:
At this point, my only option is which ever is the least expensive. :/ As I see it so far...

Keeping crossover:

New sway brackets
New track bar mount
New track bar
Welding + transport of axle to whoever is doing the welding

Going back to OE
Junkyard ZJ drag link assembly ($12.50, bought yesterday)
Knuckes
ZJ TRE's

...plus I can sell the X-over setup to help offset costs.

EDIT: Ugh, I can't decide. lol.
Check your PM's............
 
Sway bar would be the last thing i would look at. With the steering angles vs track bar angles that things going to be a hand full to drive. I have a lot of road miles and drive it 25mils a day a good part of the summer with no sway bar and long arms. Smoother ride it think.
 
Here is a bit better description as to where he is at.
The front axle is getting change.
He needed to re gear it add the upper control arm mount and sway bar mounts. Total cost of fixing the existing one was more than changing the axle out.

The plan is to replace that missing upper control arm

Right now the option is to go back to stock steering and use a stock sway bar with quick disconnects or somehow modify the crossover to gain the clearance needed for the sway bar.

He has all the parts minus the pitman arm (its been drilled also) to go back to the stock setup as well as the parts to keep the crossover.

Since he has all the parts but the pitman arm I personally think he should go back to stock until a way can be figured out to make the crossover and sway bar coexist, especially since all the options so far cost the same or more than just replacing it with a new crossover kit.


with a set of raised sway bar links like I linked in my first post, the steering should work fine. some clearancing of mounts may be needed, but any decent fabricator should be able to make it work.

the trackbar is the bigger issue.

I'm not voting for or against either way. whatever you do, just be sure you understand all of the steps involved.
 
Hopefully this will help you understand what's being talked about in regards to the track bar/drag link setup. I also agree that getting the steering geometry right should be a much higher priority than the sway bar. With good geometry not having a sway bar just means more body roll. Having a sway bar and screwed up geometry means it still drives like a deathtrap.

 
Hopefully this will help you understand what's being talked about in regards to the track bar/drag link setup. I also agree that getting the steering geometry right should be a much higher priority than the sway bar. With good geometry not having a sway bar just means more body roll. Having a sway bar and screwed up geometry means it still drives like a deathtrap.


Have you tried UTK WJ with KJ drag link?
 
Has everyone but myself seemed to have glossed over the "least expensive route" comment by the op?
Really so far the only real options being presented cost more than just replacing the crossover with a 1ton utk kit or going back to stock
 
Last edited:
Back
Top