Moving front axle forward and interference issues (4 Viewers)

[coldtaco]

I wanted to move my axle forward 1”, did the flip the springs around. Noticed after cleaning up after my trip that the bolt locking the tube to the pitman arm has worn a groove in the tube connecting the wheels. Tuesday when the specialty stores open, I will see if I can get a round head bolt that will hopefully help glide past the other tube. Anyone else have this problem and found a fix? I would rather not try and drill a new hole since my drill skills aren’t what they should be

 

[Sundowner]

I'm not following the part about the pitman arm, but that can be cleared up later.

The damage pattern looks vertical, from here, so that looks like a travel issue coming from that adjuster bolt. If so, yeah: you're gonna have to reorient that bolt, reduce the head size, rotate the clamp, or otherwise move things out of the way. I've also seen people intentionally bend drag links and/or tie rods, but I don't usually like that solution. Failing all of that: offset TRE? Ugh, I wish I knew this axle better. I'll look at mine here in a bit and see if anything seems evident.

 

[coldtaco]

Don't know the proper terminology for the two tubes maybe should have just said the upper and lower tubes

 

[Sundowner]

Okay, looked at my stuff and got my head on it, now: you shifted your tie rod into your drag link with the relocation of the axle.

The upper link - pitman to knuckle - is a drag link: remember that by thinking that the steering box drags on the steering arm of the knuckle. The lower link is the tie rod: it ties the two knuckles together. The interference is coming from the pinch bolt that clamps the threaded adjustment collar. When your suspension goes into compression, the now-non-existent vertical gap between the links causes interference; the result is what you're seeing. I'm guessing that you didn't cycle the suspension when you did the axle shift; otherwise, I think you would have seen the interference. For now, reinstall the bolt so you can see what needs to be done to correct it. That said, the fixes are probably as follows:

1. Rotate the drag link for an immediate fix; all you have to do is get that bolt head out of the plane of contact. That'll probably throw your steering wheel off, but it's an instant fix.
2. If the contact is minor, install a low-profile fastener. If you can't get one and it's really close, grind down the head or literally shave it so that it doesn't hit.
3. Mod/swap the pitman to pull the drag link forward and back into the correct alignment as it relates to the tie rod.
4. Use an offset TRE on the side closest to the contact point, if that's even possible. If this was a Dana axle I know it would be possible, but I still don't know the Toyota front end well enough to quote parts.
5. Install a solid tie rod with a proper clearance channel already in place.

Those last three are more trouble than they're worth for a 1" gain in wheelbase...but if you're running a tire that requires a forward shift, then this is just part of paying to play. And there are probably some better solutions that I'm not thinking of, but it's late and my brain is tired. Regardless, I'd rotate that collar before I did anything else; those links aren't seriously contacting, or you'd have felt the steering bind during a compression/turn.

 

[coldtaco]

Thanks. Anyone else who has done this have clearance issues?

 

[Sundowner]

Wish I could be of more help, but I'm just going from general knowledge, still. Based on looking at my own steering, a 1" forward shift on the axle would almost certainly cause the same problem you're having, and I think it would hit at about 4" of uptravel. No way to tell without cycling, but it's uncomfortably close.

 

[Jull]

I also turned the front Terrain Tamer springs around this summer and had the same problem but not as bad. The solution was that I turned the clamp to a different position and it no longer rubs against the steering rod. There is not much clearance but it seems to be enough. In that picture clamp is turned to a better position.

 

[Sundowner]

I also turned the front Terrain Tamer springs around this summer and had the same problem but not as bad. The solution was that I turned the clamp to a different position and it no longer rubs against the steering rod. There is not much clearance but it seems to be enough. In that picture clamp is turned to a better position.

Did you happen to cycle your front suspension during the spring flip, by chance?

 

[bj70bc]

i did this as well with using the u bolt flip kit and the forward most holes in the plate, had to rotate the clamp a bit, not a biggie

 

[coldtaco]

The steering stabilizer was in the way of moving the clamp in a good position, other parts where also rubbing like the springs around the tie rod boot. Oh well, swapped the springs back.

 

[coldtaco]

Might be a difference between a lhd and rhd also

 

[HZJ75 FARMER]

I'm interested to know why you would want to do this? One of my vehicles was set up this way when I bought it, I just presumed it was set up by someone who didn't know what they were doing, and had just accidentally put the springs around the wrong way.

If you have the springs around the wrong way, the double wrap eye is at the wrong end. It's supposed to be on the chassis end and not the shackle end, for safety reasons.

 

[Sundowner]

I'm interested to know why you would want to do this? One of my vehicles was set up this way when I bought it, I just presumed it was set up by someone who didn't know what they were doing, and had just accidentally put the springs around the wrong way.

Free wheelbase gain, a better approach angle on the front, a bit more tire clearance on full compression when turning, tire/suspension movement change, etc.

If you have the springs around the wrong way, the double wrap eye is at the wrong end. It's supposed to be on the chassis end and not the shackle end, for safety reasons.

Spring direction doesn't matter so much if you're doing lower-speed crawling, and if you're concerned about the above reasons, low-speed crawling is probably on your list of Important Stuff.

 

[Hulsty]

On mineI re-drilled the perch 20mm, 25mm was to much forward.

 

[coldtaco]

On mineI re-drilled the perch 20mm, 25mm was to much forward.

I don’t have a good record of drilling accuracy

 

[Sundowner]

I don’t have a good record of drilling accuracy

You keep saying that, and it's starting to make me wonder exactly what crimes you've committed.

 

[HZJ75 FARMER]

Free wheelbase gain, a better approach angle on the front, a bit more tire clearance on full compression when turning, tire/suspension movement change, etc.



Spring direction doesn't matter so much if you're doing lower-speed crawling, and if you're concerned about the above reasons, low-speed crawling is probably on your list of Important Stuff.

Righto, thanks for the explanation. Makes sense if you're into that sort of thing. Further confirmation in my mind that my springs were fitted by someone who didn't know what they were doing, the rest of the vehicle definitely wasn't set up for rock crawling.

 

[Sundowner]

Righto, thanks for the explanation. Makes sense if you're into that sort of thing. Further confirmation in my mind that my springs were fitted by someone who didn't know what they were doing, the rest of the vehicle definitely wasn't set up for rock crawling.

You may be right, but in my defense: most crawlers that I've seen aren't really set up for it, either.

 

[Fishbulb]

I redrilled everything an inch forward and didn't have any clearance issues.

 

[Sundowner]

I redrilled everything an inch forward and didn't have any clearance issues.

Question, because I'm still new to this particular setup: what's "everything" in this case?