Steering components

[CruisinGA]

Sure its nice. But waaaay overkill for a truck running 33's or 35's.

You don't need Luke's (or any) custom arms, or some super beefy fancy bling setup to have safe, tight steering.

I would try to repair your current Saginaw or replace with FJ60 or other Saginaw, done properly.

Stay focused on the problem at hand, you have s***ty steering and need to fix it.

Sometimes having a problem to fix makes us lose sight of reality and suddenly "while your in there" anything and everything seems easier to do, perfectly reasonable and cost effective.

My $.02

 

[CruisinGA]

Once again, some pics would make it easier to judge your current setup.

It may be cheap and easy to repair your current setup so you have safe, tight steering.

 

[skyshark186]

Overkill only means it wont break. Has there ever been a disadvantage to being overprepared? What about underprepared?

My point is, i dont like the way it is. I dont trust it, and while i could probably replace whats there and make it decent i would rather have a bulletproof system thats just as easy to put on as a cheaply done decent system that i may kick myself for not upgrading one day.

Let me rephrase my original question. Would there be any drawback to putting in a good crossover system to replacing my half assed attempt at steering now?

My box is fine. Everything else isnt. Its bent, broken, or misaligned and if im gonna take the time and effort to fix it i wanna make sure its the best i can have it so that i dont have to worry about it again. Overkill is far better than getting down the road a year and having to redo what i just did because i decided its not what i wanted or i bash it on a rock and break it.

Besides, the whole reason you own a cruiser is because its better than everything else. If i have a chance to buy readily available upgrades for it why not. Is it really the consensus that if it saves a little change and is ok that is better than spending a little more and getting something truely worthy?

 

[Mace]

believe me , you can break overkill if you try hard enough

If your TR and DL are bent simply replace them with stouter units. Going to Xover is a bit of a waste for your rig. Fixing what you currently have will be both more cost effective and simply a better idea in the long run.
As you sit right now a good xover system would probably smack the crap out of the frame with any flex..

Additionally, adding a good xover system adds additional leverage on the steering knuckles and adds to the damage potential. Run what ya brung

Fix it. If you do a SO then spend the money on hysteer.
Other than that there is no reason to

There, is that better???

 

[skyshark186]

Thats much less frustrating yes. Who makes a good replacement for my battered column? Thats one thing i have yet to find.

 

[Mace]

Either go stock or get a flaming river column...

Flaming river is of course the uberbling

 

[skyshark186]

Sweet, i need some bling. Ill look em up. My semi stock looking thing isnt working real great, so i may have to change it.

 

[HI^C]

PICS and MORE PICS

Not good with steering, college, and flaming river bling, and wanting to change it all?

damn

What kind of $$$$ are you looking to spend.

I am sure stock replacement rods can be had used, upgrade thickness rods can be purchased.

Not sure your skills, but from the sound of it, it needs to be bolt in or it doesnt happen?

""" and no one wants to touch my cruiser cus of all the conversion work """ road trip it this way. I am not doing all that much, and even less of it pays.
$$$$$$

 

[skyshark186]

Im a fully capable welder, without a welder. I took courses and was actually certified for a while. So i COULD do it. I just cant because of no welderness. Yup its a word.

The way it is it sits a little over half way down my axle housing. That to me, is wayyyyy to low. Just seems like the first area of impact for anything. I dont like that at all. Ill get pics up tomorrow, as its already dark.

I will try to get a picture of the column shaft in its lowest and highest position tomorrow, youll see what im talking about. And ill get some pics of the slightly bent drag link and tie rod.

As far as money goes, IIRC its gonna cost me what maybe 150-200 to get a decent set of heavy tie rod and drag link rods and then whatever more if i have to change the ends? That sound right? If so why not spend a couple hundred more and get a system ill never have to think about ever again?

Pics will be key, and ill get em up in the morning.

 

[Mace]

Im a fully capable welder, without a welder. I took courses and was actually certified for a while. So i COULD do it. I just cant because of no welderness. Yup its a word.

The way it is it sits a little over half way down my axle housing. That to me, is wayyyyy to low. Just seems like the first area of impact for anything. I dont like that at all. Ill get pics up tomorrow, as its already dark.

I will try to get a picture of the column shaft in its lowest and highest position tomorrow, youll see what im talking about. And ill get some pics of the slightly bent drag link and tie rod.

As far as money goes, IIRC its gonna cost me what maybe 150-200 to get a decent set of heavy tie rod and drag link rods and then whatever more if i have to change the ends? That sound right? If so why not spend a couple hundred more and get a system ill never have to think about ever again?

Pics will be key, and ill get em up in the morning.

Right on..


BTW, if ya want to do it uber cheap we can do that too...

 

[skyshark186]

I worked in a couple full service shops. Im not a fully certified mechanic so i didnt get to do everything, but ive done quite a bit. But when i moved up here i left the mass majority of my tools behind. Im down to the bare minimum.

I dont mind being uber cheap, i just dont want the work to reflect that. I have no problems with not paying much for something, i just dont wanna ever have to do it again because it gets back to where it is right now. Most of the problems with my truck come from someone doing things cheaply if not for free in their backyard.

On a side note, the cruiser community has been awesome to me. Saved me numerous headaches and been kind in general. All the help ive gotten here has really been great. This is the only 40 ive ever been in. Honestly ive never even really looked closely at one till i bought mine. So my knowledge of them is below zero. Thanks everyone, and ill try to return the favor when possible.

 

[Mace]

I worked in a couple full service shops. Im not a fully certified mechanic so i didnt get to do everything, but ive done quite a bit. But when i moved up here i left the mass majority of my tools behind. Im down to the bare minimum.

I dont mind being uber cheap, i just dont want the work to reflect that. I have no problems with not paying much for something, i just dont wanna ever have to do it again because it gets back to where it is right now. Most of the problems with my truck come from someone doing things cheaply if not for free in their backyard.

On a side note, the cruiser community has been awesome to me. Saved me numerous headaches and been kind in general. All the help ive gotten here has really been great. This is the only 40 ive ever been in. Honestly ive never even really looked closely at one till i bought mine. So my knowledge of them is below zero. Thanks everyone, and ill try to return the favor when possible.

cheap does not mean bad.. It is just reevaluating what has to be bling

 

[skyshark186]

I was being sarcastic about the bling. And if you can honestly find anything you could call bling on my cruiser i would really be suprised. I sold everything that was chrome. It went to pimp.

Honestly, if i could get the steering fixed, the brakes working as good as they do on the final pump wiithout pumping them and get a new clutch in it my cruiser would be just fine.And if i could get the top and doors to align correctly that would be nice, but thats not a mechanical issue.

Dude, i seriously know less than nothing about powersteering. Which is obvious, but. I have no idea where to start on this project, and it would be swell to have someone knowledgeable help me or show me.

The best way to learn is to hang around with people smarter than you.

 

[skyshark186]

Sorry for the delay, and sorry pics. Best i could do. The lower joint on the steering column, was taken from the same angle. Its got about two inches of lateral movement, and a good solid three of vertical.

 

[skyshark186]

More On the one of the stabilizer you can see where its been hitting the diff cover

 

[skyshark186]

One more.

 

[bustanutley]

The physical system looks fine, High steer arms have no place in your setup. Your angles look good. To fix your problems I say replace your TREs and your steering u-joints and you should have a tight system given that your box isn't sloppy.

Oh and you might want to consider getting a steering shaft with some slip to it for safety and to deal with frame flex, and while your at it get rid of the spud shaft, those have often been deemed to be unsafe and unnecessary. You can take the shaft off an 80s XJ and lengthen it. The lower joint will fit on the box.

 

[HI^C]

if you plan on staying SUA for ever, just replace the bendy rods and find and fix the slop maker and be done with it.

if your thinking of SOA, just find the slop maker and fix it, drive till you go SOA then change everything.

I think the drop on the pitman is fine, lower you will hit the springs. under flex you still might.

the setup is factory, factory lasted this long on more then just your cruiser, and will continue to do so.

 

[skyshark186]

My limited knowledge will be tested. I think im gonna start with the column. Tear it out and get something solid in its place. I replaced the ends not to long ago, two months or so. I think if i get rid of that it should tighten up quite a bit anyway.

Ill work on that first, then tear into the rest of it.

 

[HI^C]

about 97% of the time, the insides of the column never has any slop in it, NEXT TO NEVER. tilt section, or the end bushing/bearings, but rarely.


I think your looking at this wrong, you seem to want bling style, or something super trick, but just plain and simple stock componets would work fine.

Your asking for more headaches then you have. IMO not worth your hassel. If you had more skills and tools to do what you want then i would say go ahead.

Get more pics of the column? MAKE sure it is light out, LOL is it factory, is it GM, is it aftermarket? what makes you think that this is the slop maker?

so far i have not seen anything i would say is hacked together, well maybe the pics (just given some crap)