Drag link issue

[Desk Jockey]

I bought a JT outfitters BDO HD drag link and tie-rod set for my 1979 FJ40 project. It’s all installed and looks nice, but there is an issue with the figment—specifically of the drag link trying to occupy the same space as my Bilstien shock.
I’ve pounded the steering arm onto the steering box as far as it will go (notice 5lb hammer on tire), so I feel that I am out of options… any suggestions?

 

[B y r o n]

All you have to do is remove the shock and then mount it with the boot on the top. The body being smaller in diameter will now clear everything.

 

[Mark W]

Remove the boot.

If you are not doing a lot of desert racer silliness in your '40, you really do not need to worry about gravel pitting on the shaft. Are there drain holes on the other end of the boot too... not just on the top? Otherwise, unless you are in a bone dry environment, the water that always winds up inside the boots will accelerate corrosion and pitting on the shaft. No big deal on the unswept portions, but not so good (for the seals) on the swept portion of the shaft. On most rigs it will be a very small negative. But why incur any negative just for cosmetics?



Or, heat the pitman arm and reshape it to pull the draglink in some.

Or, change out the upper shock mount to lean the shock out more.

Or modify the upper shock mount to lean the shock out more.

Or add an extender bracket to the upper shock mount to lean the shock out more.

Or relocate the lowershock mount to bring the shock out more (not a lot of room to really affect it much though...).

Or... just let the damn boot rub. It will not hurt the draglink, and the boot really is only for cosmetics. Call the boot wear a "battle scar" and show the world you are too tough to worry about s*** like that.

Mark...

 

[mattressking]

You can run it as is with zero issue, I recommend keeping the boot on and leaving it, all will be safe.

 

[Rocky_LC]

Agree with everyone that you can just run it, but you could check into the Ford shock tower mod. I believe this will tilt your shock out further for a little more clearance…

You might need new (longer) shocks, though!

Rocky

 

[Desk Jockey]

Thanks Fellas; All great suggestions…
So… I called JT Outfitters and asked them. Turns out they do not sell (or even manufacture) the part that the Toyota Manual refers to as a “drag link” . The “drag link” that JT Outfitters sells is what the Toyota manual actually calls the “Relay Rod”. In other words, I have a beefy relay rod shoved in as a drag link. Sure enough, I went back to JT Outfitters and read the description under the part and it describes the “drag link” as going from the passenger steering knuckle to the center-arm.
Ugh.
Sorry for the stupidity. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Mark W]

Thanks Fellas; All great suggestions…
So… I called JT Outfitters and asked them. Turns out they do not sell (or even manufacture) the part that the Toyota Manual refers to as a “drag link” . The “drag link” that JT Outfitters sells is what the Toyota manual actually calls the “Relay Rod”. In other words, I have a beefy relay rod shoved in as a drag link. Sure enough, I went back to JT Outfitters and read the description under the part and it describes the “drag link” as going from the passenger steering knuckle to the center-arm.
Ugh.
Sorry for the stupidity. Thanks for the suggestions.

We all knew what you meant from the picture. The system on the FJ40... also on the FJ55... is more complicated and maintenance intensive than what is found on the 60 and most similar vehicles.

Toyota even had to come up with an extra name or 2 for all those pieces.

Are you sure that you put the relay rod in place of the drag link? I have never noticed that they were the same length. Might be just more confusion about the naming of the pieces. You may in fact, have what you wanted. Just calling it by a different name.?

Mark...

 

[Desk Jockey]

We all knew what you meant from the picture. The system on the FJ40... also on the FJ55... is more complicated and maintenance intensive than what is found on the 60 and most similar vehicles.

Toyota even had to come up with an extra name or 2 for all those pieces.

Are you sure that you put the relay rod in place of the drag link? I have never noticed that they were the same length. Might be just more confusion about the naming of the pieces. You may in fact, have what you wanted. Just calling it by a different name.?

Mark...

Thanks Mark. So JT outfitters doesn’t manufacture a drag link at all. Joe said that because their HD bars are so strong, they needed a weak link in the chain so as no not break the steering box or some other part of the steering. So while I bought the tie rod kit which included the relay rod, I also bought a second when I ordered the “drag link”.
I’m only running 35s and no real off road activity, so there shouldn’t be anything I need to worry about with needing a weak-link, Taking your suggestions, I’ll probably just figure out how to make it work.
Thanks again
-Wright

 

[Mark W]

Thanks Mark. So JT outfitters doesn’t manufacture a drag link at all. Joe said that because their HD bars are so strong, they needed a weak link in the chain so as no not break the steering box or some other part of the steering. So while I bought the tie rod kit which included the relay rod, I also bought a second when I ordered the “drag link”.
I’m only running 35s and no real off road activity, so there shouldn’t be anything I need to worry about with needing a weak-link, Taking your suggestions, I’ll probably just figure out how to make it work.
Thanks again
-Wright

I agree, based on your comments, I see no reason for you to need to worry about anything in your steering failing due to not being strong enough from your expected usage.

I have seen one drag link in an FJ40 that was bent due to not being strong enough. But... It was in a 40 on 35 operating in very deep muddy ruts. The driver was a good friend of mine. A girl who absolutely refused to let the guys treat her like a girl and she quite often was pushing her rig harder to make sure that she always kept up or even led the way.

It was a 1968, with the great big early model steering wheel. I had just upgraded it to mini truck power steering for her. In the past she had been used to hanging all of her weight on one side of that large steering will to muscle the rig around when the steering got difficult at slow speeds in deep ruts and rocks. She was not a tiny girl, so this made a significant difference when she had to force that old rig to turn when it really didn't want to.

I had not said anything to her because it did not occur to me that this would be a problem, but toward the end of the day as we were heading back to the trailhead she was pretty badly crossed up in some deep stuff and working hard to get the rig turned to climb out of it.

Between the "new to her strength of the power steering coupled with her practically bouncing on the steering wheel with all the leverage that big wheel gave her, it turned out to be more than the drag link could handle with the tires jammed up beyond turning and it bent pretty severely.
It was simple enough to straighten it out for her... after we all poked fun at her over it. Of course.

From glancing at your picture when I first noticed this thread, I don't remember you having power steering. So it will be virtually impossible for you to overpower the factory steering system if you're only running thirty five and not planning on getting crazy with it.

Mark...