Best type of 1 ton steering for an EB

[Hinmaton]

I'm building another Trail Rig / Crawler 14 bolt rear w/ 4Link rear w/ 14" 3.0 coilovers / KP D60 front w/ Cage radius arms (flipped) w/ 14" 3.0 coilovers. The customer wants high steer arms on both knuckles, but the tie rod will sit TRO. It will have ram assist and a 4x4x2 box. On Long Horse, I just modified a BCB heim / Y link setup and it worked great.
My question is: based on EB frame geometry and steering box placement coupled with full width one ton axles, is this the best system or should I be looking at cross over style. If the answer is crossover style, how does one setup the track bar to eliminate bump steer? The draglink will be nearly a foot longer than the track bar. Jeep folks seem to hate Y links, but I don't understand why? Is it because Jeeps end up with the opposite situation (short draglink and long track bar)?


Thanks,
Hinmaton

 

[Hinmaton]

Pictures for attention?

This is what I’m running and I think it works great, but it’s not quite full width and it’s not a Dana 60.

This is the rig I’m working on and the front axle is in the stock location with radius arms, it’s really tight.


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[bmc69]

Hard to hurt the late 70s F-150/Bronco steering boxes (with rotation reversed).

 

[Yeller]

Hi H!

I always hate it when customer insist on stuff that just adds expense with no function, that’s how I feel about high steer on almost everything. Sometimes it works out that the passenger side will package and work but rarely does the drivers side do anything. I’m not looking at the rig so I’m guessing a lot lol.

I would look really hard at cross over style and do what you can to get the track bar longer, not only for bump steer but with 14” of shock, it needs all it can get. As for street driving the different lengths will have some bump steer, but it won’t be horrible. Of course closer is better not not end of the world. Packaging is going to be TIGHT but doable.

Don’t know how it will package with your design, but it may work to you advantage to put the ram on the backside of the axle attached to a high steer arm. Kind of like mine is on the front but to the rear. It’s something to consider.

 

[Hinmaton]

Hi H!

I always hate it when customer insist on stuff that just adds expense with no function, that’s how I feel about high steer on almost everything. Sometimes it works out that the passenger side will package and work but rarely does the drivers side do anything. I’m not looking at the rig so I’m guessing a lot lol.

I would look really hard at cross over style and do what you can to get the track bar longer, not only for bump steer but with 14” of shock, it needs all it can get. As for street driving the different lengths will have some bump steer, but it won’t be horrible. Of course closer is better not not end of the world. Packaging is going to be TIGHT but doable.

Don’t know how it will package with your design, but it may work to you advantage to put the ram on the backside of the axle attached to a high steer arm. Kind of like mine is on the front but to the rear. It’s something to consider.

Right!?
The similar lengths is why I went with the Y Type linkage on mine, I suspect it would work on this one too. Are you saying Crossover would be better though?
I like the idea of the ram on the backside! Hmmm, I'm wondering if I could flip those high steer arms and run them on the backside too... would that mess up my ackerman?
well, it would mess up the coilovers pretty good unless I can convince him to go with 12's.

 

[bmc69]

I started out putting high-steer tie rod on the D-60 in my '78..had to abandon it.

Ended up with this..and it works fine.

 

[Hinmaton]

I started out putting high-steer tie rod on the D-60 in my '78..had to abandon it.

Ended up with this..and it works fine. View attachment 901544

Having the flipped pitman arm is the way. So that’s an f150 box?
I like how you have your ram tucked in there too.


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[1969]

 

[Hinmaton]

View attachment 901562

Dang! That’s big boy stuff.


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[Yeller]

Putting the tie rod on the back is hard on Ackerman angles, they have to be pretty far inboard to work correctly. But for a ram that doesn’t matter.

There’s really nothing wrong with y type, it works fine as long as you put the assist on the tie rod. It comes down to packaging, what fits and is geometrically sound. I was just looking at it as you have a high steer arm that is affectively useless for a tie rod but might work for a drag link.

Just put the coilovers through the hood, it needs some nice eye brows of the mounts sticking up then you have room for steering lol

 

[Hinmaton]

Hahahaha

 

[rocknhorse76]

I went with a heim crossover setup with TRU, ram assist, and 4x4x2 steering box. Moved the axle end track bar mount all the way out the inner c and frame end mount outboard of the frame. Track bar is like 6” shorter than the drag link, but in the same plane and I have zero bump steer with over 5” of uptravel. I’ll dig up some pics later.

 

[Hinmaton]

I went with a heim crossover setup with TRU, ram assist, and 4x4x2 steering box. Moved the axle end track bar mount all the way out the inner c and frame end mount outboard of the frame. Track bar is like 6” shorter than the drag link, but in the same plane and I have zero bump steer with over 5” of uptravel. I’ll dig up some pics later.

Yeah, I’d like to see this setup.
So, you went TRU with the tie rod or with the drag link in the crossover position?


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[bmc69]

Having the flipped pitman arm is the way. So that’s an f150 box?
I like how you have your ram tucked in there too.


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Yep..F-150 box, tapped for the assist ram. I found out after it was all together that I should have had my trac bar riser on the axle a bit taller. Told myself I'd "fix" that someday, but its not proven to be a problem.

 

[rocknhorse76]

Yeah, I’d like to see this setup.
So, you went TRU with the tie rod or with the drag link in the crossover position?


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Tie rod is under the steering arms and drag link is on top. I’m running a ‘97 BJ D60 that has fairly high-mounted steering arms. Drag link and track bar are at almost the exact same angle at ride height, and the track bar sits outboard of the frame at both ends. I’m also using offset heims on the tie rod for diff cover clearance.

 

[rocknhorse76]

Here are a few pics I had on my phone. I can take more later today if needed.

 

[Hinmaton]

Here are a few pics I had on my phone. I can take more later today if needed.

That looks really good and you’re right that steer arm is plenty high. Is that a 99-04 SD60 or an OBS D60?


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[rocknhorse76]

That’s a ‘97 so OBS. The ‘95-97 are very similar to the 99-04. I cut 4.25” off of the passenger side tube for about a 65” WMS and to put the chunk in a better position. Everything clears like it was meant to be there.