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Rusty's Steering conversion

Fenris

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Reno, Nv
O.k Here goes, Yup I searched, No I'm not here to start a bash,
What I got '97 2 door hp 30, 8.25, weekend warrior
What I bought RE 5.5 xd lift, OME shocks, hack and tap with RE rear drive shaft. Dirk at DPG is the man to go to.
I bought Rusty's steering conversion (newer T style) a while back.
I'll be installing the suspension in mid december. I want to install the steering conversion at the same time. Should I?
My question.... Is anyone running anything close to this system (RE 5.5 w/ Rusty's steering). Hows it holding up, any issues good or bad. I read some about dead spots in steering kind of worries me, how bad is the dead spot on yours.
Is anyone running this steering conversion or is better to run stock steering with the 5.5" lift?
I do not plan on going over 5.5" LOL so I was hoping not to do hysteer or over the knuckle, but if I have to I will for safety.
Any help or comments are welcome

TIA
 
I have a 99 XJ with 6" of lift and the steering sucked unti I installed the RE drop brackets. If you didn't get these with your Re kit, I highly suggest you order them . You won't need the steering convwersion.

BTW, Dirk IS the man!!
 
FrankNBrew said:
I have a 99 XJ with 6" of lift and the steering sucked unti I installed the RE drop brackets. If you didn't get these with your Re kit, I highly suggest you order them . You won't need the steering convwersion.

BTW, Dirk IS the man!!

The need to improve your steering geometry is only based on the lift height!It has "nothing" to do with whether you have short arms,drop brackets,mid-arms,or long arms!
 
Fenris -

Good to see you got the RE5.5"... If you need an extra hand on the install let me know. It will be good practice when I get my drop brackets installed (in January?). :)

Anyways, about the steering. I should introduce you to Ryan. He's got Rusty's steering on his ZJ and seems to like it. He just did some major modifications again so I'll have to see if he still has it. But at any rate I was intrigued by his comments since I've read others comments about having problems with it, including the www.jeepin.com article.

Most guys I know with the 5.5"kit have retained the stock steering geometry. Some have used a DPA and others have used ORGS extended swaybar mounts for clearance for the drag link, but thats about all that was needed and it works well. So just wondering why the Rusty's system looks appealing...

What I plan on doing is the Currie HD steering which is the same geometry as stock except for slightly better angles to the drag link ends. I'll probably also do the Goferit tie rod flip for the drivers side knuckle. This would be as close to a T- setup as you could get I think, with components significantly stronger than stock, plus the stock parts could still be used as spares. There is a current (or very recent) thread on the Currie setup if you are intrested and we've had threads on it in the past too.

Thats just a few ideas... maybe you've already looked at them, but I thought I'd mention it just in case.

Later
 
Oh and another thing...

I remember seeing that with Rusty's tie rod conversion, you actually have LESS ground clearance to the steering than the stock setup.

I may still have some close up pics of Ryans steering if you want me to email them to you... I'll have to look.
 
Thanks guys,
I bought the steering setup as a heavy duty trail spare that uses interchangable tre's. I bought it last year without doing a search first, doh. I have had good luck with Rusty's other products and service, so I went ahead and bought it prior to a trip on the rubicon. I will be installing drop brackets and I already have the RE HD trackbar setup on my rig. I was just hoping to get some feedback on using the Rusty setup. The jeepin.com article is from Rusty's early (1st < style) setup that was redesigned.
Eric thanks I would like to take a look at Ryans setup and discuss his impression of the whole system and lift. I'll be doing my lift in december and let you know of a date as soon as I firm it up (i.e. finish what I started, TJ flares and raised shock mounts).
Keep it coming guys
 
I live in Reno as well and have a Rusty's 6" lift with various mods. Feel free to give me a shout. Your more than welcome to take a look ;)
 
Dennis not you again. Hey you want to help put on a lift it'll be real fun, lol. Hey thanks for the pics from moonrocks. Lets plan another trip.
 
Read the review on jeepin.com .... I bought the kit from rustys and sold it because of similar problems as Jason.

Best setup I hve seen so far was a home brew ... not sure hwere I have the link but I'll look....
 
How about Full Traction's "K-Link" steering setup? I looked on their website and they don't list it for the XJ,but the new issue of 4WOR says it's available for them :dunno:
 
Georgia Mike said:
How about Full Traction's "K-Link" steering setup? I looked on their website and they don't list it for the XJ,but the new issue of 4WOR says it's available for them :dunno:

Saw that too ..... At first I was excited, but now I'm not sure what I think. I don't see how that would work with an XJ because the lower link would be be making an X compared to the tracbar... and so when the suspension cycles I'd think it would get crazy :confused:
 
LOCKED UP said:
Saw that too ..... At first I was excited, but now I'm not sure what I think. I don't see how that would work with an XJ because the lower link would be be making an X compared to the tracbar... and so when the suspension cycles I'd think it would get crazy :confused:

It looks a bit like the steering I saw on a 4Runner. But that of course has IFS.

03014wd_tech26_zoom.jpg
03014wd_tech25_zoom.jpg


03014wd_tech27_zoom.jpg
 
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