TJ steering on a YJ

[kranky_kel]

Yet, in further attempts to turn my YJ into a TJ...

Has anybody heard of or tried mounting the TJ steering (tie-rod and draglink) onto a YJ? I would imagine it would not be any different stock. However, the reason I ask is that I am trying to come up with a plan to mount my tie-rod on top of the knuckles.

I have seen a couple of kits. None of the kits have an answer for what you do with the draglink and where it ties into the tie-rod. If you flip a YJ tie-rod upside down, the draglink will then need to bolt to the now backside of the tie-rod. Therefore, you would get a scissor effect on the drag-link and tie-rod.

When I studied a TJ steering, I could see where I might mount the steering on top of the knuckles and it could work.

Anybody willing to donate a stock TJ steering linkage for experimenting?

[John]

There's a guy on the POR board that has one set up, and he claims that there's no contact with his leafs.
As for flipping the tie rod, I'll assume that you're still SUA since that would put the tie rod in the middle of the leafs when you're SOA.
I had mine that way, I used a tie rod from Rusty's since it uses CJ7 TRE's at each end and let's you just rotate it around. For using the stock tie rod you'd just need a 3rd insert and treat the hole in the tie rod the same way as the hole in the knuckles.

With mine I was about 4-4.5" of lift and with the stock pitman arm there was some contact with the TRE at the pitman arm and the tie rod. The solution was a CJ7 pitman arm.

[kranky_kel]

"For using the stock tie rod you'd just need a 3rd insert and treat the hole in the tie rod the same way as the hole in the knuckles. "

Do you have experience with the sleeves?
Why I ask is, I called OK4wd.com this morning to order some sleeves and a reamer. They told me that the YJ kit only comes with two sleeves. I asked why, and in that case what do I do with the tie-rod and drag link. Then they told me that the kit does not really work with the YJs, that it designed for CJs.

I had assumed that I could use a third sleeve like you described, but OK4wd.com told me different. When I get home, I am going to check to see if the taper on the knuckles is the same as the taper on the tie-rod.

http://www.ok4wd.com/product.asp?id=218

[John]

Like I said, I've used the the inserts. I just got them from Goferit But I used a tie rod from Rusty's instead of flipping the stock unit.
I've still got a few pictures on line here if you want to see them.

[NAILER341]

Originally posted by John
Like I said, I've used the the inserts. I just got them from Goferit But I used a tie rod from Rusty's instead of flipping the stock unit.
I've still got a few pictures on line here if you want to see them.

so how does your jeep perform on the freeway without the damper? i have been wanting to get my steering out of the rocks, and have been conciderng toose inserts as well. your set-up looks nice, but i want to be able to drive on the freeway without any trouble.
feedback?

[John]

I never noticed the lack of a stabilizer Erik. I'm SOA in the front now so I swapped knuckles back and put the tie rod back to normal and still don't have one either. Still no change, but with just a dropped pitman arm I have bump steer. I'll be doing the WJ knuckle swap next for the brakes, and I'll flip the drag link to the top with these same inserts. I still won't bother with a stabilizer.

[Matt Pascoe]

I also used the Goferit flip inserts on my SUA YJ. You need 3 inserts, one for each TRE and one for the draglink to tie rod connection. Actually you would need a fourth one if you want to continue using the stock steering stabilizer.

Drives so nice I never reinstalled the steering stabilizer.

John, I looked at your pics and see that you used the stock tie rod at first. Then it looks like you switched to an aftermarket tie rod. How did you attach the draglink to the tie rod?

I want to build a new tie rod and draglink out of DOM w/threaded inserts but haven?t found a good way to attach the draglink without changing the passenger side knuckle.

Thanks,

Matt

[John]

The whole time I had the Goferit stuff I ran a Rusty's tie rod and drag link. It's a solid piece and uses CJ7 TRE's.

If you're building your own set up you could get a drag link attanchment piece from Poison Spyder and put it on top of the tie rod though.