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Old Feb 7, 2019 | 10:34 AM
  #1  
raminboy's Avatar
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From: Houston, tx
Year: 1999 sport
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Default steering upgrade

so im looking into upgrading my steering. i want something stronger and move to something closer to the cav fab steering but i do not want to ream my knuckles. rustys makes a steering kit like this but i have read some complaints about TR roll. i figure i could solve this with cavfabs cure. but want some more imput. remember, do not want to ream the knuckles or i would just get cavfabs 1 ton
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Old Feb 7, 2019 | 10:53 AM
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From: Greenville, SC
Year: 1999
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Originally Posted by raminboy
so im looking into upgrading my steering. i want something stronger and move to something closer to the cav fab steering but i do not want to ream my knuckles. rustys makes a steering kit like this but i have read some complaints about TR roll. i figure i could solve this with cavfabs cure. but want some more imput. remember, do not want to ream the knuckles or i would just get cavfabs 1 ton
It only took me like 15 minutes to drill the knuckles out and there's dana 30 knuckles everywhere if you decide to go back to tie rod ends. Cav fab doesn't have a cure for tie rod roll because they use heim joints. The best option keeping factory size tie rod ends would be a v8 zj tie rod since it's solid.
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Old Feb 7, 2019 | 11:27 AM
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Originally Posted by SatiricalHen
It only took me like 15 minutes to drill the knuckles out and there's dana 30 knuckles everywhere if you decide to go back to tie rod ends. Cav fab doesn't have a cure for tie rod roll because they use heim joints. The best option keeping factory size tie rod ends would be a v8 zj tie rod since it's solid.
my bad ruffstuff has the "cure"... its rubber or poly washer that goes between your TRE and the knuckle.

Also, how hard is it to keep the bit straight? i live on a military base and they wont let us work on cars here so i really cant afford to screw up my knuckles because replacing them would be an ordeal in my situation. p.s. i could get away with replacing the steering but taking the entire axle apart to replace the knuckle would be a no go
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Old Feb 7, 2019 | 12:08 PM
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From: Greenville, SC
Year: 1999
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Originally Posted by raminboy
my bad ruffstuff has the "cure"... its rubber or poly washer that goes between your TRE and the knuckle.

Also, how hard is it to keep the bit straight? i live on a military base and they wont let us work on cars here so i really cant afford to screw up my knuckles because replacing them would be an ordeal in my situation. p.s. i could get away with replacing the steering but taking the entire axle apart to replace the knuckle would be a no go
I didn't have any issue with keeping it straight. It wasn't fun doing the Pitman arm because it's was raining hot metal shavings on me, but that's the only thing that really stands out about the install. I did it with the knuckles and pitman arm still on the jeep and I just went fairly slow and used a lot of cutting oil to keep the bit happy
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Old Feb 7, 2019 | 12:29 PM
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Originally Posted by SatiricalHen
I didn't have any issue with keeping it straight. It wasn't fun doing the Pitman arm because it's was raining hot metal shavings on me, but that's the only thing that really stands out about the install. I did it with the knuckles and pitman arm still on the jeep and I just went fairly slow and used a lot of cutting oil to keep the bit happy
Thanks, ill think about it and make a decision.
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Old Feb 7, 2019 | 01:51 PM
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First of all, I would stay away from anything that needs the cure. It is never completely gone. If the company cannot come up with something better, stay away from it. Also stay away from heim joints since they wear out quickly and need to be replaced
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Old Feb 7, 2019 | 04:27 PM
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From: Greenville, SC
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Originally Posted by 4.3L XJ
First of all, I would stay away from anything that needs the cure. It is never completely gone. If the company cannot come up with something better, stay away from it. Also stay away from heim joints since they wear out quickly and need to be replaced
So what do you suggest then? I've never heard of any kits that don't use heims and don't have a roll issue... unless you swap to a wj knuckle and have a separate tie rod and drag link mounting point.
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Old Feb 7, 2019 | 05:19 PM
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currie is the answer
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Old Feb 7, 2019 | 05:21 PM
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Quality heims will last as long as quality TREs. I know there are a few kits out there that allow you to bolt on crossover brackets like the WJ knuckle but to the XJ knuckle for a simple crossover steering for TREs. The only TRE setup without some roll that I can think of is a Y-link setup like Currie/RE/Synergy make that mirror's the stock setup but beefier. IRO makes a heim upgrade system that doesn't require drilling, and I think it's upgradable to a beefier end if you ever wanted to drill them out. I've had Cavfab's steering shortly after they came out and still on the original heims no issues
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Old Feb 7, 2019 | 06:34 PM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by SatiricalHen
So what do you suggest then? I've never heard of any kits that don't use heims and don't have a roll issue... unless you swap to a wj knuckle and have a separate tie rod and drag link mounting point.
Currie makes a good OEM type of steering upgrade. Personally, I have never lost a tie rod end from shearing. And I have done some crazy stuff when I was younger. I bent a double tubed D44 front once and didn't have a steering failure. It is our cheesy tie rods that are a problem. A simple ZJ V8 tie rod fixes that or you can go heavier with some after market stuff if you want. But unless you stick with the OEM design, you need to consider other options that change the style of drag link used, such as a WJ or Tereflex knuckle
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Old Feb 7, 2019 | 07:23 PM
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Originally Posted by unidentifiedbomb
Quality heims will last as long as quality TREs. I know there are a few kits out there that allow you to bolt on crossover brackets like the WJ knuckle but to the XJ knuckle for a simple crossover steering for TREs. The only TRE setup without some roll that I can think of is a Y-link setup like Currie/RE/Synergy make that mirror's the stock setup but beefier. IRO makes a heim upgrade system that doesn't require drilling, and I think it's upgradable to a beefier end if you ever wanted to drill them out. I've had Cavfab's steering shortly after they came out and still on the original heims no issues
Think the IRO kit with the 1/2" is what i will go with... over the knuckle, no drilling, stronger.
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