Did I do something wrong? RE: Disc brake conversion (1 Viewer)

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Oct 27, 2002
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I have recently completed a disc brake conversion on my early '75. I used a minitruck donor axle and bought a pair of '79-'84 FJ-40 steering arms in order to use the TREs I already had. However, now my tie rod appears to be way too long. With driver's side at full left lock, the passenger side tire is only just barely pointing straight. This is with the TREs almost all the way in, only a couple threads showing per side.

Is this expected? The write-ups I've been following never mention having to shorten the factory tie rod. Or did I use the wrong parts?

TIA
 
Yeah, the mini tie rod is too long. I used the 40 rod and installed the starter bushings.....
 
On mine, I used the minitruck steering arms along with the stock tie rod and TREs (modified steering arms obviously).

In order to get the toe alignment correct, I tried running the TREs all the way in, but the tie rod was still too long. The limiting factor was that the TREs couldn't thread any farther into the tie rod even though there were threads showing. So I chopped about 1/2" off the threaded end of one of them, so that it could thread all the way in. Worked perfect.

The angle of the arm in relation to the knuckle is different between drum-brake cruisers and minitrucks. It's entirely possible (but I don't know for sure) that the disc-brake arms have the same angle as the minitruck arms, necessitating a shorter tie-rod.
 
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If you are running the factory Fj40 tie rod tube, swap the steering arms from side to side. sounds like you have the arms slightly pointing in, where they should point outboard, towards the tire....

-Brett
 
It sounds like there is a heck of a lot of toe-out.
About the only way to get that much would be to install the steering arms on the wrong sides. When viewed from above the steering arms should be angled outward.
 
Yep, that's exactly what I did. What a moron I am. Thanks all!
 

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