Calgary Jeep Association
4x4 Related Groups => Tech Talk => Topic started by: Pookapotamus on January 10, 2011, 08:55:49 AM
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ok so all my steering components are worn out and i am looking at upgrading. i have seen the currie kit and the rugged ridge kit and the iron rock off road kit.
does any body have any advice on what to go with? what are the benifits? do i want wheel to wheel or inverted "Y"?
please help
Pook
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Hey Pookie! Got your message!
I have the rugged Ridge kit on my XJ and so far so good! It was a snap to install, and align! The only issues I have had so far, were one of the lock nuts backed off after the alignment shop did their work, and they blame the fact that there is lateral movement on the drag link when turning. They of course realigned it and tightened everything down, and I have since had no issues. This movement is normal on this kit, and can be felt in the steering wheel at times, (almost like there is a couple inches of dead space) but otherwise its been awesome! If you want to get together some evening to take a look just let me know when and where, and ill definately show ya what I mean. Other than that, I like it, it performs as expected, and reduced the bump steer by a fair amount!
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I have the currie and really liked it, the old stuff was all worn and I had a few bad parts, so replacing it with that was great, a little bid of play, but I blame that on a loose steering box that I knew needed to be replaced, but could not justify spending that kind of money off at the time(I had allready spent a bunch and it was only a little loose and I could live with it for a while till I saved a bit more money).
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build it yourself pook. I've went with the balisticfab kit, welding required, but its beefy. http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Steering-Kit-78-with-High-Misalignment-Spacers_p_1337.html
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Raf i've heard using heims on steering isn't a great idea......... is it?
what do you doo? drill out the knuckle for the bolts then bolt it al lup?
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Heims are no good here in AB with our Silty mud. They will wear out and knock. I've tried them on many application. They wear out and get loose. If you absolutely want to use heims; use the EVO Heims...they are local,greasable and rebuildable. I use a EVO heim on my upper arm and I have still to tight it up a few times a year. I only drive my Jeep to the trail/ Back home and on the trail.
with your set up... I would use the Currie drag set up...It's beefy and tough.
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For any dual purpose rig out there, the only sensible option is the currie. Its very stout, reasonably priced, and performs like stock.
Inverted T's like the rugged ridge compromise steering performance due to poor design.
The one linked to ballistic has the wrong track bar geometry and heims should be left to dedicated trail rigs when ever possible. Or at a minimum the knuckles need to be sleeved with steel inserts after they are drilled to accept the heim. The reason behind the sleeving is that the soft knuckle steel will indent with tightening the heims and slowly loosen over time. Metal sleeving helps with the soft cast metal on the knuckle.
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ok so my best option is the currie! thanks guys!!
thanks billy that was the answer i was looking for.
Pook
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Holy Frack!
6 opinions offered on a Jeep board, and three of those opinions actually agree on the Currie setup? WTF! The moons have aligned, the end is nigh, and the motha-frackin apocalypse must be coming. :o
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This is what I'm doing.
http://shop.savvyoffroad.com/product.sc?productId=44&categoryId=7
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Holy Frack!
6 opinions offered on a Jeep board, and three of those opinions actually agree on the Currie setup? WTF! The moons have aligned, the end is nigh, and the motha-frackin apocalypse must be coming. :o
Relax, it's only Monday, crap show doesn't start till Tuesday.
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Relax, it's only Monday, crap show doesn't start till Tuesday.
So true. Exec meeting is tonite, so I'm sure that we will manage to deliver lots of interesting cr@p for the member's amusement tomorrow. :)
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I had the rugged ridge steering , what a piece of crap pm me if you really want to know what i think of it . now have currie steering I feel safe now.
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well crap, looks like i'll be switching to TRE's in the future once the heims wear out. i had no idea they that bad of a choice for steering.
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For a build as big an beefed up as yours Raf, the heims can be set up to work well with only a minor amount of work. Specially with flat top knuckles.
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For a build as big an beefed up as yours Raf, the heims can be set up to work well with only a minor amount of work. Specially with flat top knuckles.
I'll have to stop by your shop when i'm back in town and pick your brain about steering. The FOA's should be arriving soon so things will start moving along.
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I'll have to stop by your shop when i'm back in town and pick your brain about steering. The FOA's should be arriving soon so things will start moving along.
Awesome. Part deliveries are like christmas all over again :)
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just a random question. i've been surfing a few forums and i've seen that V8 ZJ tierods/draglinks offer a beefed up steering from the stock XJ/TJ stuff. has anyone ever run it? is it that much different? i was pricing new tierods yesterday for my 93 4L Zj and the V8 ones definitley look bigger and beefier.
anyone running it?
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just a random question. i've been surfing a few forums and i've seen that V8 ZJ tierods/draglinks offer a beefed up steering from the stock XJ/TJ stuff. has anyone ever run it? is it that much different? i was pricing new tierods yesterday for my 93 4L Zj and the V8 ones definitley look bigger and beefier.
anyone running it?
The V8 ZJ steering "upgrade" has been discussed on here before John. Bill once called it a "hoax" and that it was better to sleeve your stock tie-rod. I was somewhat skeptical as I've also read that it was slightly beefier than my stock XJ steering. There's a slight bend on the driver's side that will rob some ground clearance but I thought" what the heck " check" that crap out. I picked one up only to find it a "marginal" improvement at best. The tie rod and TRE are just a wee bit bigger than stock.
I'd use it if the parts were free or I was a cheap bastard. A lot of hype but not a great upgrade.
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The ZJ V8 steering setup is a "cheap/marginal" upgrade over what the stock TJ/XJ/ZJ 6 cylinder stuff. The tubes are beefier but the TREs are pretty much the same. If you bent your stock stuff chances are you probably would have bent the V8 stuff as well. Although since is solid the V8 stuff does bend back nicer on the trail with the help of a winch. ;)
I would look at Evolutions MJ steering/suspension upgrade thread. Don't get any beefier than that! Pretty good price on the their custom TREs. They are actually less than what I paid for a similar Moog part.
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The V8 ZJ steering "upgrade" has been discussed on here before John. Bill once called it a "hoax" and that it was better to sleeve your stock tie-rod. I was somewhat skeptical as I've also read that it was slightly beefier than my stock XJ steering. There's a slight bend on the driver's side that will rob some ground clearance but I thought" what the heck " check" that crap out. I picked one up only to find it a "marginal" improvement at best. The tie rod and TRE are just a wee bit bigger than stock.
I'd use it if the parts were free or I was a cheap bastard. A lot of hype but not a great upgrade.
thanks for the clarification gents.
maybe i need to troll the board even more Noel, i dont' recall that. all good though; thanks!
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For anyone interested I can get the Currie steering setup for $415.
Dave