fj80 high steer anyone?

[billy138]

Great news! How does one find out if they're on this list? I've been following this a while and can't remember if I got in on it. I just know I want them and I want them now!! Hahaa!

pm's (or in some cases e-mails) will be sent to all on the list. if you see that they're out and you didn't get a pm, feel free to contact me to see where you're at on the next list. you might still get a set from the first batch if you didn't get a pm right away.

im sorry i did not read the entire thread so this question might be answered already but...

will these arms throw your panhard and drag link out of alignment under an 80 series?

definitely considering getting in on the second batch my 81 is calling for 42" PBRs and i dont want tons. thanks billy for a great product!!!

absolutely, you will need panhard bar re-location. slee has a kit, but i'm not sure it will work with these arms, unless the tie rod is placed under the arms. dont quote me on that though. one day i'll have a panhard re-location kit to go along with the knuckles.

So I just read most of this thread or atleast all that I could handle. It sounds like a bunch of 80-series guys are down for some new product and options and then there are 2 guys that don't need hi-steer and hate change that cant seem to find a use for this new product? But 1 of them agrees that it is in fact a great product idea just he doesn't need it?

i think we're beyond that now. i hope.

i'll take it as a challenge for me to show that these are needed, but at the same time these are not for everyone. people say "go one tons!" all the time, and i dont need those, so it is what it is....

 

[ToyRoverlander]

people say "go one tons!" all the time, and i dont need those, so it is what it is....

And for us ROW guys it's great too! Tons might be a dime a dozen at US junkyards, they're much harder to find here and much more expensive. Not that LC axles are cheap.. Anyway, your product is awesome, and exactly what I need! I reckon i'll be in for a set (or perhaps 2, a mate of mine will need them too) from the 2nd batch. Price seems very reasonable for what you're getting and keeping in mind it's a brand new product and all the time and effort you put into them. Nothing but praise!

 

[Land Speeder]

So I just read most of this thread or atleast all that I could handle. It sounds like a bunch of 80-series guys are down for some new product and options and then there are 2 guys that don't need hi-steer and hate change that cant seem to find a use for this new product? But 1 of them agrees that it is in fact a great product idea just he doesn't need it?

So Billy sent you over to mud? You have a vested interest in this so of course you're going to say this.
For your information, the two you refer to have wheeled harder on thier rigs than the majority of 80 owners. And Rick has brought tons of very useful mods to this group, so it's funny that you'd try to discredit him. But you said two, there's alot more.
The current project I'm working on will require hi-steer. I love these knuckles even for the current project. But DAMN, not for the price, and let's go back to the beginning of any thread created for these knuckles, it's why Billy took on this endeavor, to beat the competitions price, he hasn't.

All i need are arms. It's that easy. Billy even admits he's only seen two broken knuckles? And one wasn't even in person, it was on the pirate thread? I'll stand behind my "solution to a problem that doesn't exist".

Oh by the way, I was done, until you came back on here and called me out.

How many spare knuckles do ya'll carry to the race versus spare 8" hi-pinon thirds? Every racer i know carries these thirds like thier eggs, in the half dozen...

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

So Billy sent you over to mud? You have a vested interest in this so of course you're going to say this.
For your information, the two you refer to have wheeled harder on thier rigs than the majority of 80 owners. And Rick has brought tons of very useful mods to this group, so it's funny that you'd try to discredit him. But you said two, there's alot more.
The current project I'm working on will require hi-steer. I love these knuckles even for the current project. But DAMN, not for the price, and let's go back to the beginning of any thread created for these knuckles, it's why Billy took on this endeavor, to beat the competitions price, he hasn't.

All i need are arms. It's that easy. Billy even admits he's only seen two broken knuckles? And one wasn't even in person, it was on the pirate thread? I'll stand behind my "solution to a problem that doesn't exist".

Oh by the way, I was done, until you came back on here and called me out.

How many spare knuckles do ya'll carry to the race versus spare 8" hi-pinon thirds? Every racer i know carries these thirds like thier eggs, in the half dozen...

Dude, chill out! There's no conspiracy theory here, just a product for us mini-truck guys that want a better steering solution for 80 knuckles.

I think the main reason for Billy beefing up the knuckles was to make sure there weren't any issues with the new steering arms ripping off. I'd like to see Slee's arms punished without the tie-in to the lower arms in place. Obviously Slee didn't design them this way, but that's my point. If you don't beef up the knuckles, you have to go to a double steering arm setup. If you want a true high steer setup, and you can get beefy ass knuckles AND high steer arms, for damn near the price of the competitions arms only, it's a no brainer in my mind.

 

[Land Speeder]

Dude, chill out! There's no conspiracy theory here, just a product for us mini-truck guys that want a better steering solution for 80 knuckles.

I think the main reason for Billy beefing up the knuckles was to make sure there weren't any issues with the new steering arms ripping off. I'd like to see Slee's arms punished without the tie-in to the lower arms in place. Obviously Slee didn't design them this way, but that's my point. If you don't beef up the knuckles, you have to go to a double steering arm setup. If you want a true high steer setup, and you can get beefy ass knuckles AND high steer arms, for damn near the price of the competitions arms only, it's a no brainer in my mind.

You got that right... "us mini-truck guys".... this ain't a mini truck forum! Below is from the other thread that regenerated the strength debate... which, besides price has always been my discern. I won't chill out until an apple is called an apple and the facts that what everyone has been running on thier 80 for the last 20 years is fine.

i cant say that stock knuckles aren't strong enough for anyone, and i only know of 2 failures, one on my last rig and someone else who posted up recently on pirate i believe. i have heard that stock knuckles have broken on fj80's in austrailia, which is why someone over there came out with a heavy duty knuckle with integrated arms. they're not highsteer, but stronger than stock. my system is both high steer and stronger than stock, and the only reason i made them beefier is, well, why not? a new knuckle had to be made so i made it better. the other advantage is that some people want high steer, but not so high that it limits uptravel. the 3rz 4runner that is running this right now has the tie rod under the arms with a 3link for better uptravel, while my 83 has the tie rod on top of the arms to clear the deaver springs.

so there it is, you might not need anything stronger than stock, but it's available if you decide that you do.

Billy, I sincerely thank you for saying this. This is all I've been trying to rebut when you've kept saying the factory knuckles aren't strong enough. So thank you. Now if you can just work on price!

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

You got that right... "us mini-truck guys".... this ain't a mini truck forum! Below is from the other thread that regenerated the strength debate... which, besides price has always been my discern. I won't chill out until an apple is called an apple and the facts that what everyone has been running on thier 80 for the last 20 years is fine.

Where has Billy stated that the stock knuckles are a significant weak link? I searched this thread and didn't see it, but maybe I missed it?

He said that his knuckles are stronger, which I believe, but I haven't seen where he harps on the stock knuckles being an achilles heel.

With regards to price, are you on crack!? How much do you think he should charge? Do you have any concept of what things cost? Just because Trail-Gear can take all of their manufacturing off-shore and employ labor camps to make their products, doesn't mean that something produced with pride in the USA should be the same price. In my mind they're totally different products, not to mention the fact that the 80 market is a significantly smaller niche market than mini-trucks(even if we're just talking about their axles).



Billy, kudos to you for maintaining your patience, I would have lost it by now.

 

[Land Speeder]

Jeebus. This is why I stay out of tech.

Where has Billy stated that the stock knuckles are a significant weak link? I searched this thread and didn't see it, but maybe I missed it?

In the other thread he did. You know, you posted there too! But even still, if the knuckles are not a weak link, then why, on an 80, should they be replaced? This is an friggin' 80 forum. Why replace something that ain't gonna break?!
Don't act like I'm alone on this, this product is great for the folks wanting these axles under non-80 rigs who NEED hi-steer, and a moot point for 80 owners. Say i'm wrong. but if you do, prove to me how.

With regards to price, are you on crack!?

Why you gotta bring my addiction into this?

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Don't act like I'm alone on this, this product is great for the folks wanting these axles under non-80 rigs who NEED hi-steer, and a moot point for 80 owners. Say i'm wrong. but if you do, prove to me how.

Why wouldn't 80 owners want high steer? It's not like it's reserved only for people with leaf springs or something.

High steer gets the vulnerable steering components up out of the rocks. I know that I've personally damaged both draglink and tie-rod on my 80(yep, wheel the 80 too ) and would love to upgrade to high steer.

I understand that you don't think the strength gains in the knuckles are an absolute necessity, but I don't understand why you're hating so much.

 

[Land Speeder]

Why wouldn't 80 owners want high steer? It's not like it's reserved only for people with leaf springs or something.

High steer gets the vulnerable steering components up out of the rocks. I know that I've personally damaged both draglink and tie-rod on my 80(yep, wheel the 80 too ) and would love to upgrade to high steer.

These knuckles are for competitons only, not road use. Are you going to put them on your 80 as well as your minitruck?

I understand that you don't think the strength gains in the knuckles are an absolute necessity, but I don't understand why you're hating so much.

because he was pissing me off acting like i was wrong and saying i was name calling in the other thread.... just got extremely pissed.

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

These knuckles are for competitons only, not road use. Are you going to put them on your 80 as well as your minitruck?

Yes, I've already inquired with Billy about two sets. One set for the FZJ80 axle sitting in my driveway waiting to go under my mini-truck, and one set for the front axle of my 80.

 

[Land Speeder]

Yes, I've already inquired with Billy about two sets. One set for the FZJ80 axle sitting in my driveway waiting to go under my mini-truck, and one set for the front axle of my 80.

Interesting. For the sole purpose of saying you have it? or spending $800+ not to damage a $150 item (tie rod)? I'll back off of that logic.

 

[sleeoffroad]

It would be nice to do hi-steer on a 80 with 4" + of lift to reduce steering input on bumps. However the catch is you have to raise the panhard rod the same amount. No-one has made a bracket that accomplishes this. If the knuckles can be used, ABS retained and the drag link raised, then the missing parts is the panhard. If you have that, I can see where it would be a nice upgrade.

Knuckles hardly ever break. We have never done that. I believe the one is Australia was related to bolt on portal boxes. That is why Mark's Adapters did a new knuckle as well. They should have done the hi-steer addition. Not sure why they did not.

What does happen with knuckles is people thread the trunnion cap bolts into the caliper mounts and visa versa, and that effectively ruins a knuckle. Seen plenty of those. Sometimes one can use a thread insert to fix it, but not the most comforting thing to have on your steering axle or brake components.

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

What does happen with knuckles is people thread the trunnion cap bolts into the caliper mounts and visa versa, and that effectively ruins a knuckle. Seen plenty of those. Sometimes one can use a thread insert to fix it, but not the most comforting thing to have on your steering axle or brake components.

Christo, you bring to light an interesting issue that I wasn't aware of.

What happens if these bolts are mixed? Are they the same diameter but different pitch? Just trying to understand what the problem is.

Thanks,

Ary

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Interesting. For the sole purpose of saying you have it? or spending $800+ not to damage a $150 item (tie rod)? I'll back off of that logic.

You have established that you are cheap, I get that. However, I don't like to damage any critical component if it can be avoided, especially one that controls the direction my vehicle is going.

You're not going to believe me when I say this, but 80 mods have not been perfected as of yet. As Slee pointed out, going with high steer and relocated panhard will improve handling with regards to a lifted vehicle. These knuckles/arms are one piece to the puzzle.

 

[sleeoffroad]

Christo, you bring to light an interesting issue that I wasn't aware of.

What happens if these bolts are mixed? Are they the same diameter but different pitch? Just trying to understand what the problem is.

Thanks,

Ary

Same diameter, different pitch. People swap them all the time.

 

[Land Speeder]

You have established that you are cheap, I get that.

I'm extremely cheap. But that's no defense for an 80 axle on an 80 not needing these knuckles. The defense is they are pointless, unless you just want them for bling.
Don't damage the rear, cut it off! That will avoid it from being damaged.

However, I don't like to damage any critical component if it can be avoided, especially one that controls the direction my vehicle is going.

How can this be an argument when these knuckles will not be for road use? You're going to put your family, and all other familys on the road, to that test?

You're not going to believe me when I say this, but 80 mods have not been perfected as of yet.

I believe you! I've tried making THREE 80's a hard core rock crawler. trust me... I believe you. not many folks have modded 80's to wheel harder than me. And most those guys i know by first name and a handshake. But I wheel with a whole lot more mini/1stgen runners than i do cruisers, and alot of buggys and some ftoys. I know what these knuckles do for them. I'm very much in the know of that market and the ruffstuff and trailgear housings for yotas. I know how awesome the 6 shooters are. I know how awesome these knuckles have the potential of being.
I've got one last project to a front yota axle that I'm working on before I go to a Dana 60. it's a one off homeshop fab that will never be marketed. it's pieces that i have laying around so I'll try it. If it doesn't work, then i gotta give up on the 80 rock crawler dream, as those that have pushed these rigs harder than me have as well....

 

[Riad]

However the catch is you have to raise the panhard rod the same amount.

Christo,

Dumb question, how do you raise the pan hard rod? How far up can it go? I had made mine removable while back and doing pretty wel with it, not to digress, but isn't radiator hose/bottom gonna hit the rod if it is raised any higher? Can it be relocated somewhere else ?

Thanks

Edit: Or are we talking about the rod that goes between axle and frame? In that case a taller bracket on the axle side should suffice, right? Sorry for hijack/digression

 

[billy138]

this thread is officially a trainwreck. i think it's about time i delete the whole thing.

 

[Land Speeder]

this thread is officially a trainwreck. i think it's about time i delete the whole thing.

Why? it's tech, not a vender thread.

 

[Land Speeder]

Could the old Man-a-Fre front panhard drop brackets work for these knuckles? I know they didn't work for the stock setup. We tried that locally a few years back. Massive bumpsteer....