Currie drag link, the cat's meow?

[Jerry Bransford]

I might suddenly have a "problem" with my stock drag link where I would need to order a replacement. I'm going to go with the Currie unless someone says they've got a better recommendation. What's a cheaper dealer-source than buying direct from Currie? Thanks guys!

[Robert J. Yates]

Jerry,
You are going to buy a "new" stock draglink???

The Currie is a dialed in product, ultra strong and it bolts right up. You'll need it before JV.

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally posted by Robert J. Yates
Jerry,
You are going to buy a "new" stock draglink???

Oh heck no Robert, a new stock draglink from the dealer would probably cost more than the Currie... so I was really only confirming that it's the Currie draglink I should be getting and not some other newly emerged leader of the drag-link world.

The Currie is a dialed in product, ultra strong and it bolts right up. You'll need it before JV. Perfect, that's exactly the kind of confirmation I was looking for. Thanks much Robert.

[Jolleyman]

I disagree, the Currie IMO is a POS! Mine barely survived one trip through the Rubicon. Geometry of the Y-style simply doesn't work with a lifted TJ that gets used. Again this is just my experience but after waiting as long as I did and paying as much as I payed, I'm thoroughly disappointed in the Currie unit. I've got a used one for sale if you're interested. I'm going to do what I should have done in the first place and build my own high-steer system.

[Robert J. Yates]

Hmmm,
From 2 trips over the Rubicon, I don't see where its any tougher than JV and there are quite a few of us whos Jeeps work pretty nice with this steering out there.

Now, if you have the 1st generation Currie kit your rant would be understandable but they have gone to great lengths to make that right - the 2nd generation is strong as hell.

If you want to bitch and moan about the stock steering configuration, that is fine but it has nothing to do with the viability of the Currie product.

[TObject]

I have Currie steering. It survived one trip over the Rubicon, and a bunch of Johnson Valley trips just fine. This is third steering on my jeep and by far the best. I've got 4" of suspension lift

[Jolleyman]

I'm sure that the Currie steering may work fine for some. In fact, it was based upon the opinion of folks on this board that I decided to try it out for myself. It is strong, I'll give them that, but I don't appreciate the fact that on my TJ, the draglink contacts the trackbar bracket. As I pre-stated, this is entirely an expression of my personal opinion and experience with this product. If it worked fine for you, then great. And no, I did not get a first generation unit. I waited quite some time for this thing on backorder on the premise that all these issues with clearances had been worked out. All I know is that on my TJ, it has clearance issues.

[Stu Olson]

I am trying to understand everything here....

Your first post was not very specific.

The 2nd post addresses the contacting of the bracket.

What other issues are you having?

[Jerry Bransford]

That interference problem Jolleyman speaks of has to do with the zerk fitting, right? Did I read somewhere that replacing the standard zerk that comes with it with a flat needle-type zerk fitting cures the interference problem? I'm installing the Currie kit soon so I'm real curious what needs to be done to fix this issue, not that I'm 100% sure I'll even experience it.

[Mark Hinkley]

Jolleyman,

Do you mean the sway bar mount. If so I have extended replacement sway bar mounts which replace the stock mount and raises the bolt for the sway bar up. There are two versions a 1" and 2" extended ones.

For duability the New Currie ones are quite nice. I have one that was in a JeepSpeed rig for 5 races and it is still tight.

Now for high lifted rigs the Y steering is not the way to go. Check out a wj conversion for a crossover steering setup then you get brakes along with it.

mark
orgs mfg

[Stu Olson]

Originally posted by Jerry Bransford
That interference problem Jolleyman speaks of has to do with the zerk fitting, right? Did I read somewhere that replacing the standard zerk that comes with it with a flat needle-type zerk fitting cures the interference problem? I'm installing the Currie kit soon so I'm real curious what needs to be done to fix this issue, not that I'm 100% sure I'll even experience it.

This is what some folks have done and reported that it works well. Myself, I installed a small flush mount plug and simply pull it once in a while and squirt some grease in via a temporarily installed zirk. My buddy, who sent me the little plug, has been doing this for a year or so without issue.

[Tim]

jerry,

i would like to see a picture of the currie drag link. i saw the tie rod on their website but not the other...

(we are talking about the link from the passenger knuckle to the pitman, are we not?)

confused as usual. help me out here, i'd like to know more about it.

[Scott Hill]

I drove JV with stock stearing for 2 years


but I am swapping to Currie tomorrow I have a stock and RE tie rod if some one needs one cheap


Scott

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally posted by Mark Hinkley

Now for high lifted rigs the Y steering is not the way to go. Check out a wj conversion for a crossover steering setup then you get brakes along with it.

Hmm, I have 5.5" of suspension lift. I have several folks I trust totally who are recommending the Currie setup to me. Is my 5.5" too tall for this setup or am I asking about nothing that will affect me? Is this Y steering more suceptible to bumpsteer with a factory Pitman arm? The geometry doesn't look all that different from what I have so I'm a bit confused as to why it's being called a Y steering setup, which reminds me of a YJ steering setup.

And Tim, here's a good link that shows the Currie installation and some great photos and writeup by Stu... http://www.stu-offroad.com/steering/steering-1.htm

[TJRON]

Originally posted by Jerry Bransford
.........I'm a bit confused as to why it's being called a Y steering setup, which reminds me of a YJ steering setup.

The "Y" set up has the drag link going to the knucke and the tie rod branching off it, forming a kind of Y.
Regular steering has the drag link going to the knuckle and the tie rod going from knuckle to knuckle.
I believe the "Y" set up allows the track bar to effectively start and end as close to the same parallel points of origin as possible. It also allows the toe in to change some as the suspension compresses and flexes. The more flex, the more this can vary.
The higher the lift the more the "Y" gets stretched and thrown out of whack. I could be wrong, but this is the way it was explained to me. Of course this is theory and could all be BS in the real world.
I use a Rock Krawler drag link and bracket. This brings the drag link down some and with a drop pitman arm the little bump steer I had is pretty much eliminated. I did this due to ripping my track bar bracket off the frame and needing some extra support. It just turned out it made the steering a tad bit better.
Anyone, please feel free to correct me or add to this. I'm willing to learn and I have thick skin!
I was under the impression it is problemic to properly locate the track bar with "normal" steering on a TJ. Is that true?

[William]

Originally posted by Scott Hill
I drove JV with stock stearing for 2 years


but I am swapping to Currie tomorrow I have a stock and RE tie rod if some one needs one cheap


Scott

Scott,

I'll call you this afternoon or tonight.

[Jolleyman]

Guess I'm stirring the pot with some unpopular news here. Anyhow my issues with the Currie have been entirely related to clearances. Yes, I did use the needle zerk in the draglink end but there still was only about 1/8" clearance between the link and my trackbar bracket. There was some minor rubbing on the bottom of the swaybar link at full lock but I was able to fix that. What happened with mine was there simply wasn't sufficient clearance between that draglink and the trackbar bracket, so off-road the thing connected repeatedly with the bracket to the point that it has gouged out the backside of the link, flush need zerk is long gone. By the time I finished the Rubicon, the whole steering was a bit loose but it did survive the flogging keeping me in forward progress so I'll own up and admit that the thing is tough. What I won't do is say that this is a quality setup because of these clearance issues I've had with it. If I wanted to make it work I would need to relocate the trackbar bracket in addition to my already relocated swaybar links, but I'd rather just build a system that will work without doing all that and do it right. As background, I'm running the RE 5.5" LA lift with a dropped pitman arm and 35" MTR's.

[TObject]

Self-confidence

I like that!

[Jeff Weston]

Did it not clear when you first put it on? If not, did you call Currie and ask for an exchange or refund? It sounds to me that you either got a bad unit or your brackets are a bit out of whack. That's a lot of money to spend to not have it work right.

[Jolleyman]

Originally posted by Jeff Weston
That's a lot of money to spend to not have it work right.

AGREE! Thus my opinion...

I thought there might be some clearance issues when I installed it but figured I'd give it a shot since I was only two weeks away from my planned trip to the Rubicon and Fordyce Creek and I wasn't about to miss out on going. Since it got my through those trails, I guess I was satisfied enough with the purchase to eat the cost with the lesson learned. I didn't want to pursue a refund or exchange for something else that wouldn't work so I let it go without a second thought. I'd prefer to focus my energy and attention on finding a solution to my steering problem than waste time with expressing my disatifaction with what hasn't worked so far which is why I'm now building my own system.

[Tim]

thanks jerry and stu, that is quite stout compared to the stock stuff.

just one more question: did you have to buy the set or can you purchase the drag link seperate from the tie rod incase something gets damaged? in my case i am only interested in the upper drag link to go with my zj tie rod.

[TJRON]

Originally posted by Jolleyman
Guess I'm stirring the pot with some unpopular news here. ........
What I won't do is say that this is a quality setup because of these clearance issues I've had with it. .......

You're right. It's not right. I think it's the best bolt on out there, but it's not right.
I ground my sway bar bracket down to accomodate it and it still rubs on the nut I put in to replace the zerk fitting. Actually it rubs on the bracket that holds the steering stabilizer that's welded to the track bar bracket.
I also think using special tie rod ends instead of off the shelfers was poor design.
I believe it was suggested by Currie to put the drag link in a press and add a bit more bend to it if it rubbed. Any truth to this and what effect does that have on its heat treatment? I would be glad to do this if I thought it wouldn't effect it's strength.

[Stu Olson]

Justin,

Aside from the Currie steering, the remainder of your D30 front (I mean the axle brackets, etc., not shafts or hubs) is still stock?

I just went out to the garage and crawled under and around and over the front axle the best I could without putting it up on jackstands. I can find on rub marks to indicate any clearance issue problems on my Currie steering. It has been on for 4 months now. It was not on when I ran the Rubicon but it has seen some shorter trails here in AZ that are more challenging than the Rubicon, IMO.

So....the question then becomes why you had such a problem and I've had none?

Is it wheelbase? I don't have a long arm kit and I know my wheelbase is almost 2" under a stock TJ.

Is it the brackets? Mine or yours is somehow bent which causes or prevents the rubbing?

Is it inconsistant manufacutring from Currie? Mine was built right, yours was not?

I could care less about you stirring the pot....but I am interested in finding out just what is different. Case in point....I installed a set of production run corner guards a few months ago. The driver's side did not adequately clear the fuel filler. We measured mine and the TJ used for the prototype.....mine was located slightly off from the other TJ. Nothing was done wrong by me or the guy making the guards or the company that laser cut the holes in them (except that the folks at the Jeep assembly plant were not being overly exact on their setups).

Any further input you have would be appreciated.

[TJRON]

Maybe how much castor is dialed in effects it? Control arm lengths? Pitman arm used? Track bar used?

[TObject]

Originally posted by T.Dome
just one more question: did you have to buy the set or can you purchase the drag link seperate from the tie rod incase something gets damaged? in my case i am only interested in the upper drag link to go with my zj tie rod.

No, you cannot mix and much without additional fabrication required. Thus, you ether buy the whole Currie steering setup, or not.

[TJRON]

I ran the first generation drag link with a stock type tie rod for a long time. They use the same size tie rod end as stock, so why not? Currie used to sell them seperate but you kind of got screwed price wise. The tie rod was like $50 if you bought the system.

[Jeff Weston]

Are you sure about that Sergey? Doesn't the Currie setup tierod ends use the stock taper? If so, is there another reason it wouldn't work?

FWIW, Currie lists the draglink on their website as available for separate purchase.

http://128.121.255.231/purchase/prod...26925&item=423

I'd call Currie and ask them if you are planning on trying this mod.

As for Jolleyman's clearance issue, I think Stu is on to something. Perhaps the fact that he is running a long arm lift and the front axle may be shifted further forward may be causing the clearance issue. If so, perhaps pulling the front axle back a bit would cure the problem and save a lot of trouble and expense???

[Jerry Bransford]

I just called Currie about the clearance issue and they admitted to it. First, they said they have re-designed the drag link with a slight amount of extra bend for greater clearance away from where it inteferes with the front swaybar mount (AFAIK). The bad news is they are going to finish selling what's left in stock before ordering any of the new design.

Second, I was told the clearance issue is easily solved by grinding a little off from the passenger-side swaybar bracket on the axle. Whether that's a good cure or not, I don't know since I haven't read anyone saying that's what they did.

Finally, they said John Currie drives his TJ every day with this interference problem and hasn't asked for anyone to fix it, so it doesn't sound like it is bad for everyone... different Jeeps and all that.

Anyway, just thought you all would be curious what I was just by Currie's sales department told a few minutes ago.

[Jolleyman]

Stu,

I think the reason as to why I have a problem and you do not can only be speculation so we're not going to get real far. If we were neighbors, I could just wheel on over and we could go over every little detail but that's not likely to happen. Everything (brackets, knuckles, etc) on my D30 was factory when I installed the Currie. None of the brackets are bent as far as I can tell either but I did pretzel the stock draglink before I went to the Currie so maybe that affected something ever so slightly that I wouldn't notice a difference??? I didn't mess with the castor setting from stock and it was checked out by a good alignment shop after I installed the Currie so I don't think there would have been an issue there. There may be enough of a difference in the lift itself to account for it but I'm not entirely convinced of that.

I don't know for sure but I do believe that every Jeep is built differently so what works for one may not be as good of an idea on the next. After all, that's why we name our Jeeps isn't it?... because they're individuals!

[Jeff Weston]

Originally posted by Jerry Bransford
I just called Currie about the clearance issue and they admitted to it. First, they said they have re-designed the drag link with a slight amount of extra bend for greater clearance away from where it inteferes with the front swaybar mount (AFAIK). The bad news is they are going to finish selling what's left in stock before ordering any of the new design.

Oh, you're talking about it grazing the swaybar mount? Mine did that from the factory. All it did was rub up against it though, no damage was done as a result.

FWIW, all other things being equal, if you increase the bend in the draglink you will slightly decrease its strength. Which ever one I end up with, I'll grind or relocate the swaybar mount if necessary. I have total confidence that I'll be better off with the Currie than the stock one I have now.

Good luck with you custom setup Jolleyman.