• Welcome to ClassicBroncos! - You are currently viewing the forums as a GUEST. To take advantage of all the site features, please take a moment to register. It's fast, simple and absolutely free. So please join our community today!
    If you have problems registering or can't log into your account, please contact Admin.

TRO Questions

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
If I get the reamer....

Question #1:
Then it is as simple as ream the top of my steering knuckle arm to the right depth, flip the tie rod to the top of the knuckle arm, then install a stock/flat pitman arm?

I am already using a track bar riser at the axle and no drop bracket at the frame.

Question #2:
Will I still need the adjustable/longer drag link that the vendors sell to recenter my steering?


I may have other questions...lol...
 

Whoaa

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 26, 2014
Messages
1,059
I got the reamer, marked the depth I wanted w/ a sharpie, chucked it in a dewalt rechargeable drill. On the first one I was conservative and just went a little and then checked it, went a little more and checked it again, once I got the depth perfect I wrapped masking tape around it and reamed the other side and that took all of 2 minutes. The TRO is simple and easy, after putting it back together it makes you wonder why it wasn't this way from the start.

I re-did all of my front end steer parts at the same time. Interestingly enough I'm not happy with my [new] current set-up, so I'm redoing it again, LOL.
 

SteveL

Huge chevy guy
Joined
Jun 24, 2001
Messages
11,613
Loc.
Hawthorne ca
I m thinking you still need the little bushings for your knuckles. Back when I did mine chuck said it was necessary to get full contact with the tie-rod ends. Otherwise you don't ream deep enough and it creates an hourglass shape in the knuckle hole. That keeps you from getting full contact between the tie-rod end and the knuckle. I think you also need to ream where the drag link hits the tie-rod.
 
OP
OP
bronconut73

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
I m thinking you still need the little bushings for your knuckles. Back when I did mine chuck said it was necessary to get full contact with the tie-rod ends. Otherwise you don't ream deep enough and it creates an hourglass shape in the knuckle hole. That keeps you from getting full contact between the tie-rod end and the knuckle. I think you also need to ream where the drag link hits the tie-rod.



Two great points Steve!

I remember hearing about the hour glass shape and that possibly being an issue.
So bushings, check.

If I flip the stock tie rod over the hole for the drag link is up side down....hmmm....if I got one of the vendors tie rods that allow separate tie rod ends it could be flipped independently of the tie rod ends.

Or could do the Duff (formerly Stone Crusher?) heim steering....
Decisions.....
 

Green_Bastard

Full Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2014
Messages
257
You should ream straight through and use tapered sleeves to avoid the hourglass. I used the rough stuff 1 ton setup with ”the cure”. I haven’t driven it yet but I like the setup so far.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OP
OP
bronconut73

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
In your opinion would I be better off with the Duff Heim steering or one ton oem stuff or stock Bronco stuff for this TRO project?
 

Tucknkitty

Newbie
Joined
Nov 9, 2013
Messages
48
BN73,

Unsolicited I know. I would recommend- the system you choose not only places your drag link and track bar on the same plane but also keeps them as close to the same length as well. I know if you’re gonna go TRO - you’re gonna have to ream anyways but I would look into the wh 3 way or the bc broncos heim set up (depending on use and inspection requirements for your state) - bc they both leave the drag / trackbar lengths relatively close.

It all depends on your set up and how the impacts of the longer draglink affect your steering / bumpsteer / vagueness and most importantly your expectations of how you want your rig to handle.

I really liked the idea of the 1ton and similar setups - for strength, ease of use, and availability but that systems drawback outweighed ease of use and availability.

TnK
 
OP
OP
bronconut73

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
BN73,

Unsolicited I know. I would recommend- the system you choose not only places your drag link and track bar on the same plane but also keeps them as close to the same length as well. I know if you’re gonna go TRO - you’re gonna have to ream anyways but I would look into the wh 3 way or the bc broncos heim set up (depending on use and inspection requirements for your state) - bc they both leave the drag / trackbar lengths relatively close.

It all depends on your set up and how the impacts of the longer draglink affect your steering / bumpsteer / vagueness and most importantly your expectations of how you want your rig to handle.

I really liked the idea of the 1ton and similar setups - for strength, ease of use, and availability but that systems drawback outweighed ease of use and availability.

TnK


It is solicited lol...
And thank you.

Decisions. Decisions...

Every time I start at this I run into this.....

Heim or not.

One ton or not

Hard to believe that I keep coming back to stock or the WH version of it....

One thing I gotta do,... is TRO.... no matter what
to get my angles righteous.
Having trouble finding a stock pitman arm. Saw a used one on EBay.
 

sykanr0ng

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Messages
5,363
In your opinion would I be better off with the Duff Heim steering or one ton oem stuff or stock Bronco stuff for this TRO project?

My own Bronco, I want the WH Clydesdale set-up.
Second choice would be the one ton OEM stuff, built with RuffStuff parts.
 
OP
OP
bronconut73

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
Does the Ruff Stuff parts take care of the tie rod issue where the drag link connects?

Something about the GM tie rod being weak right there and not quite at the right spot.
 

sykanr0ng

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Messages
5,363
Does the Ruff Stuff parts take care of the tie rod issue where the drag link connects?

Something about the GM tie rod being weak right there and not quite at the right spot.

No it's still the same.
Why it is my second choice.
 
OP
OP
bronconut73

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
Is it just me or does it seem like there is a gap in this market?

Clydesdale is on my bucket list but can't justify it now while I still need a BC top. Ahem...lol.

GM one ton has its issues.

Heim linkage....I don't know....I hear good and bad...

Stock is a bit weak...I guess....

Its the tie rod actually....
A threaded rod, the right length, with a reinforced hole for the drag link is what is needed.

Some thing stronger than what's being offered but not all the way to the Clydesdale....have I missed an option.
 

Skiddy

Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
11,557
I have the stone crusher, but not tro. works great for my use without any issues. will they last as long as tie rods I don't know. had mine on for two years of not so easy wheeling;D
sorry not much help huh lol
 

sykanr0ng

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Messages
5,363
Is it just me or does it seem like there is a gap in this market?

Clydesdale is on my bucket list but can't justify it now while I still need a BC top. Ahem...lol.

GM one ton has its issues.

Heim linkage....I don't know....I hear good and bad...

Stock is a bit weak...I guess....

Its the tie rod actually....
A threaded rod, the right length, with a reinforced hole for the drag link is what is needed.

Some thing stronger than what's being offered but not all the way to the Clydesdale....have I missed an option.

You're not wrong, and I'd be right there in line with you to buy one.

It needs to have the drag link at an upward angle like stock which the one ton does not.
 
OP
OP
bronconut73

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
Monster Mike & Suzy @ Duff, Jim @ WH, Dirt Donk @ everywhere, Tom @ TBP, Jeff @ JBG, Melissa at The Hut, Jason @ BC, Gravel @ Ruff Stuff, etc...

Are y'all listening?
Gap in the market.
Ya'know us Bronco Sheople will beat a path to your door.
 

Whoaa

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 26, 2014
Messages
1,059
X3, I'm in the market also, and as already mentioned the clydes dale is just too much for me...not the cost as much as the massive size. There has to be a happy medium somewhere?

Ruff stuff sells some trick parts to make your own, it requires some welding. Welding it myself is not a deal breaker, but I agree there is a gap in the market for heavy duty stuff -but not "pile it in the rocks" heavy duty.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,355
Well we think we have one of the gap-fillers for your list (almost) in the form of the 3-way adjustable ones that you mentioned earlier.
I say "almost" because the draglinks are generally normal sized units, or only nominally stronger than stock. So it's the tie rod ends to a certain extent, but especially the tie-rod itself that is stronger by a mile.
Luckily it's rarely the rod ends or the draglinks that are the failure points when it comes right down to it though. It seems to be almost always the tie-rod itself.
So these kits with their slightly beefier rod ends and substantially over-qualified tie-rod fix that issue right out of the box, so to speak.

If I remember (and I just posted this a week or two ago, so the info is around here somewhere) our tie-rod is 1.125" solid chrome-moly steel rod, so is VERY strong.
And it has the other positive qualities you're looking for. Proper draglink length and location. Proper angling of the draglink's lower end. Plus the beef.
And like you mentioned, you can simply leave the tie-rod's tapered hole for the draglink oriented where it is, and flip the rod ends over to the top of the knuckles. Tighten back down and away you go. No re-reaming needed other than the knuckles.

One additional, though slight, advantage to this design too, is that to a minor extent your custom setups can be tweaked a bit to make sure that the draglink and trackbar are parallel. Since each setup is different you sometimes run into this issue because often enough, just going TRO does not a perfect match make for draglink angles with a stock pitman arm and whatever custom riser/lowering method you're using.
But by twisting the tie-rod a bit you can lower or raise the lower draglink end a bit. This is only within a very narrow range of course, or you start to negate the benefit of keeping the draglink end pointed at the proper 60° upward angle.
But if all you need is a slight tweak, you can do it and not loose all of the anti-roll properties.

To one previous question, I believe that Ruff Stuff offers the passenger side rod end in either taper so it's already set up for either over or under. Your choice when ordering so I don't believe it costs any more one way or the other.
It's already tapered in one direction of course (I forget which way, but I believe it to be TRO already) but they probably enlarge them for the larger rod end either way. After all, it was never a draglink connecting point remember. It was for a steering stabilizer shock mount.

I know we need to put more information on our web pages for these parts. Was just talking about that last week but have not moved forward on it yet. We really need to put in at least some of the more essential details, rather than leaving it up to the viewer to know it all intuitively!

So there 'ya go. A little more info to make your choice even harder!;)

Paul
 
Top