Steering upgrade
 

What is the best choice for steering upgrades. I don't want anything crazy I wanna do something like the rustys conversion with the solid tie rod and then a bar from the steering Box to the solid bar. But who makes the best setup for the best price?

Get a tierod from a V-8 ZJ from your local junkyard and swap it out with your POS OEM XJ tierod, and call it a day. I have a front locker, 4.56 gears and 33 inch tires...and wheel like a madman...and I have never bent this setup in 2 years. I tacoed 3 stock XJ tierods before switching.

I have read about the zj conversion but I wantin to go aftermarket and beefy... I know rustys sells it for about 220. But I didt know what other vendors had to offer and I was hopin to get some tips on other kits

the ZJ V8 steering parts are beefy, that's the point of the above suggestion.

it's your money, but an effective and cheap solution is the ZJ V8 steering parts.

Rusty's setup is crap.

There is no good option for XJ steering that is bolt-on and actually addresses the issues without creating other issues (ie: clearance).

If you are ready/willing/able to do some extensive modifications and some fabrication to your front end then there is a multitude of options (1-Ton TREs, high steer, crossover steering, etc.) but none of the ones worth anything just bolt on. You have to drill, cut, weld and/or ream to get any of them on.

If on the other hand you are just looking for heavier steering without any interest in actually correcting the inherent issues involved with the worthless Y steering linkage then look at Currie or the ZJ V8 setup.

Hey guys, I'm looking in to the same thing. I was considering the ZJ tie rod as well but I've read that the tie rod END is still the weak link to that set up. Is this true and is it the same TRE that is on the cherokee? I'd like to know this way if I ever need one I know to order it specific for the ZJ set up. Thanks.

What is so wrong with the rustys setup? I run it on my 88 but it has never seen pavement but it takes some abuse and hasn't gave in yet... But like I said im lookin to upgrade my 01 cuz its just worn out and my dd at the moment I have a torn acl and lcl and am about to have surgery so ne huge modification while I'm completely capable of it won't be in any condition to for the next few months todo it so im looking For something similar to the rustys kit I just didn't know if there was a better kit out there or not.

Research it . . .

Seriously.

EDIT: And the answer depends on which Rusty's steering you have but both setups have flaws.

i searched and didnt find very many negetive post about rustys. some people said it was bad bud didnt say why. this is goin on my dd and it gets wheeled but not hard. i dont need 1 ton steering just wanna improve over stock. i like the looks of the serious off road kid but u gotta ream ur knuckles and its about 60 bucks more than the rustys kit.

No you don't have to ream the knuckles, just order the inserts. Drill out the knuckles and pitman arm to 7/8" and put the inserts in.

E-Z

There are plenty . . .

#1 - Heim joints. Some people love them and think they are tits but most find them an issue for steering. They loosen up and you never get a good alignment after that. Death wobble all over them. They also bind sooner in the arc of travel than TREs do.

#2 - The OTK has not 1 but 2 rods mounted to a single stud in single-sheer. Plenty of other setups do this. I don't like any of them that do it.

#3 - Their tie-rod setup is ridiculous. There is NO way to get an effective toe setting with it. Toe is one of the big causes of death wobble.


Then get the ZJ V8 tie rod and be done with it. You obviously don't have a need for serious setup.

X 543 zj v8 tiered.

You can ask any guy on the Cherokeeforum from the PACNORWEST chapter. I have 4wheeled with most of them and most of the NAXJA guys in Washington state. I beat the $hit out of my Jeeps drivetrain on every wheeling trip we go on. There is nothing that I have not and wiil not try (short of deep water, that is just stupid)....if I feel the urge to do that, I will buy a boat. As you can see from the pic, the ZJ tierod is just as thick as the OEM XJ Draglink. The XJ and ZJ Draglink is the same. The "VERY" obvious weak link in the XJ steering linkage is the stock dinky tierod. Unless you are running 38 inch tires, the ZJ tierod upgrade is all you need......and if you are running 44s the point is moot because you should have them attached to 1 ton axles that will come with the 1 ton steering when you get them. So, short of 38s the ZJ draglink will keep you steering straight for a fraction of what you will spand for an aftermarket setup. Remember it's always your choice with your rig and your money. I hope this helped.

Oops, forgot the pic.

Huh - that is the 2nd weak link I see in the stock setup. The first is the whole "inverted Y" thing.

It is a ridiculous design and whoever thought it would be a good idea needs to get out of engineering and start flipping burgers.

You really seem to have big beef with the Jeep "Y" steering setup. Just curious, have you broke anything in your steering linkage on your XJ besides the tierod?? If so I'm guessing you are running some HUGE tires.

I was looking around for an aftermarket setup to buy like the guy who started this thread. The Rusty's one sucked, I had 2 friends with XJs who had their Rugged Ridge "HD" steering linkages come apart on them and everything else I would have had to mortgage the house to buy. When I heard about the ZJ tierod I was scepticle because lets face it, XJs are cooler than ZJs....lol. I tried it out because I got a smokin deal from a friend on mine $20. I've beat on it ever sense and so far, no bends.

I do have a big beef with it. I am concerned with strength AND correct geometry.

My gripe has nothing to do with it breaking. Maybe to you as long as it stays together it is fine but that isn't the only factor. There is no strength issue with the Y's design. That issue lies in the XJs tierods.

If you can tell me ONE SINGLE reason why engineering a steering setup that is GUARANTEED to cause inverse toe changes (And knowing it will even before the design is even on paper) with suspension travel is a good idea I will let it go.

Get back to me on that one . . .

I agree with what you are saying about the geometry changing with wheel travel, especially huge wheel travel in the case of a lifted XJ taversing off road terrain. I have seen a couple aspects of the XJ that prove it was never meant to be lifted or driven off road when the 50 pound head dudes designed it.

1.) The design of the steering.
2.) The design of the sway bars and links.
3.) The fact that the front suspension works best the closer to horizantal the upper and lower control arms are.
4.) The all aluminum transfer case hanging there "behind" the cross member where anything can hit it.
5.) The way stupid slip yoke design of the rear drive shaft.
6.) The "UN" adjustable OEM trac bar which only works correctly if the Jeep is at stock height with suspension level.

...and there are many others I'm sure I could think of with time.

Ok I know the zj conversion is a good mild upgrade the reviews I have read r great. but I am something more than that. I wanna go with UTK and something with TRE as like you I'm not A huge fan of Heims. I'm just looking Opinions on the diff setups out there. The reason I wanna do this is because this is only my temp. Daily driver once my 1 ton dodge is fixed the 88 is gettin sold and this will become a streetable wheel. So I'm planning Fo future upgrades it will eventually have 5-6in of lift with 33s locked and geared. But it needs new steering now due to the tre bein worn out.

frankZ i really like the look of your kit as well looks beefy but i wasnt wanting to buy a 60 dollar reamer. by using the inserts is there any downside as far as strength or reliability?

100% agreed.

I also believe that the XJ is one of the best wheeling platforms out there. The shortcomings are easily (though not necessarily cheaply) addressed and the XJ can be made into a stout mid-level (Where most of us wheel) performer. Addressing the Y link is one of those tasks.

Then the Serious setup with inserts is for you. Be prepared to relocate your swaybar mounts and fab up a steering stabilizer setup (Though that is probably not absolutely necessary).

I don't see the inserts having any strength issues. All the do is allow you to drill a straight hole and "insert" the larger taper needed for the tons. Since it has a slit in it I assume it is ever so slightly undersized and designed to expand a little giving you a solid fit. The load is ultimately going to be supported by the castle nut and the base of the ball joint on the TRE so the insert isn't really taking any load. It's only purpose is to center the TRE and maintain a tight fit.

I think I'm gonna order the serious offroad UTK kit and use the inserts. I like that he is active in the forum and the kit looks sturdy

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...ston/008-3.jpg
Just pulled this off mine today and im only running 33 12.50 lol. the y link steering is crap.

and ive personally watched 3 people bend the tie rod that gos from driver to the center peice.

Wow long arm u did it right.... I was in my 88 and was competing in a competition called rock and rampage at a local offroad park and it was a times obstacle corse it was pretty technical but it had a small gap jump at the end and let's just say I got a lil heavy on the skinny pedal comin outta the corse and caught some big air and it broke my upper control arms trashed my steering and broke the ball joint outta my trac bar. It pretty much trashed everything but was almost all stock stuff. Yeah had to replace all of it lol.

Currie HD steering upgrade im running it super beafy

chase gentry

Curry makes great pieces but, kinda spendy.