Yes the rotor splash shield does act as a spacer so you did the right thing. The mini truck guys do this all the time because the shield just gets bent up in the rocks.
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If you think you might upgrade your steering, I recommend getting that RHD steering arm from Cruiser Parts now rather than later. Who knows how much inventory they have. A few years ago these arms were unobtanium! It's only $139, so just buy it and save it for a rainy day. That is unless you plan on going with Hellfire knuckles![]()
$99 wow! I know a few folks paid A LOT more than that before Cruiser Parts brought them in.Better get them before they get popular. I bought mine from Cruiser Parts six months ago and it was $99. Others are charging more than double.
Good Job on the steering upgrade. I went with the RS Heim kit when I did my upgrade. Have you experienced "the dead spot" in the y-link steering?
Thanks, glad it helps!that looks great thanks for the thread. when i go hydro assist i think i'll do what you have done.
question: when running the rhd arm could you also have a tie rod in the back as well. for double shear? does the back of the arm come up to the same height as the drivers side lhd arm, above the control arm? or could it be bent to do so?
Thanks, glad it helps!
I really don't think a tie rod in the back also would work, but I have no idea. The hole on the rear arm sits about 1.5" lower than the front hole.
But you could bend it to fit. That's what my buddy did on his 3rd gen 4Runner with an FJ80 axle. He didn't know these RHD arms were easy to get so he took the stock arm, flipped it around and bent it up a bit higher with heat so it matched the arm on the passenger side.
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I wonder if the stock tie-rod were replaced with the GM 1-Tons, if that would put the tie-rod higher in elevation creating more clearance from the front arms when doing caster correction. As in...Are they taller? I realize a larger diameter tie-rod is required which may cancel and gains.
Thoughts?
Friggin nice upgrade Jose! Just to be clear...the above parts list with the addition of http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/TREYLINK.html but I didn't know it was a draglink TRE" would be the best way to go? Also, I know this is difficult to quantify and your mechanical expertise definitely eclipses mine, but how much of a PITA would this project be for the "average" shade-tree mechanic?![]()
No sorry, I don't think he has a build thread anywhere online. But I do have a few photos of it. It has an early FJ80 front axle, stock birfs and is now on 40s (37s pictured). He wheels the snot out of this thingDo you have a link to your buddies build?
Ah yes, I do remember coming across your thread but i guess I didn't read close enough. And that's good to know! I did see that TRE on ruffstuff http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/TREYLINK.html but I didn't know it was a draglink TRE. I figured it was just a regular Y-link TRE that he sells in the kit I bought. DOH!
Oh well. But I do plan on going hydro assist in the future when I get bigger tires. When I do, I'll just remove the stabilizer and use the OD tube clamp on the lower tie rod to mount the ram![]()
Great write up!!
If I were to use http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/TREYLINK.html in place of the drag link tre shown in this write up, so i could mount steering stabilizer in same location, would the 7/8 inserts work with the pitman arm instead of getting it reamed?
Thanks...
The tie rod might sit a tiny bit higher, but it would be pretty negligible I'd say. Even less if you run the heavy duty tubing.
BUT, I just thought about this. You could perhaps run the poly spacer bushings I discussed above. Put those under the stock TREs on the tie rod, I'm sure that would raise a bit.
Thanks! With regards to the kit, you only need the full Y-link kit. No need to buy the separate TRE in your post, that already comes in the kit.
I think this is the easiest and cheapest way to get a GOOD steering upgrade. If you could spend an extra couple hundred bucks, you could get a high-steer arm from Slee and run a crossover steering setup. That would get rid of the tie rod "roll" and the deadspot we were talking about.
You would need to talk to Slee and buy just the passenger side arm from this kit:
http://www.sleeoffroad.com/products/products_steering_main.htm
Then instead of the Y-link kit from RuffStuff, you buy the crossover kit which is the same price: http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/XOGMSTE.html
As far as difficulty, I'm the same as you. Just a garage with basic hand tools. If you don't weld, you'll have to find somebody to cut and weld on the 4 bungs to the tube, very easy job. I had my buddy do it for a case of Monster
For the pitman arm, you'll want to have a local machine shop do that since taper reamers are pretty expensive. For the steering arms, you could have them ream those out too if their labor is reasonable or just drill them out to 7/8" and use the RuffStuff inserts.
one thing i was wondering, if you go with the Slee high steer arm doesn't that block the abs port on top so you would be running without abs?
Don't think this is something folks would want to do on a truck that's used on the highway every day however.