TRO with Helwig?

[RODRIG3911]

Anyone mount their steering over the knuckle with a Helwig swaybar?..

One of my next projects will be new steering linkage with heims, and I recently installed a Helwig quick disconnect sway bar. Looks like it would be a close fit for a TRO setup. Anyone have any luck with this, and if so, pictures of their setup? Thanks fellas

 

[SteveL]

Hmmm. I was thinking of adding the sway bars. I'm running the f-150 tro set up.

 

[Spaggyroe]

I've done it. I'll get some pics tomorrow.

 

[Dfroman]

I had to grind clearance on the Hellwig brackets. I can take pics if needed

 

[ngsd]

Is this what you are looking for?

 

[RODRIG3911]

Is this what you are looking for?

Ngsd that‘s exactly my goal man, thanks for the pic! Did you have to do anything special for clearance or did it just fit like a glove?

 

[RODRIG3911]

I had to grind clearance on the Hellwig brackets. I can take pics if needed

Thanks man. Basically just wanted to know if it’s possible without too much fab work. Some grinding is no problem... What linkage are you running?

 

[ngsd]

Ngsd that‘s exactly my goal man, thanks for the pic! Did you have to do anything special for clearance or did it just fit like a glove?

Mine fit but they are all a little different it seems. This is a 66 Frame with a 76 front Axle and Duff Heim Steer.

 

[RODRIG3911]

Mine fit but they are all a little different it seems. This is a 66 Frame with a 76 front Axle and Duff Heim Steer.

I didn’t think about them being different, but that’s true... Mines a 68 frame with a 74’ Dana 44.. I know 76-77 are unique. Duff heim is what I’m wanting to do. Guess I’ll try it when I’m ready and if it doesn’t work with a little grinding, I’ll go under again

 

[Dfroman]

Thanks man. Basically just wanted to know if it’s possible without too much fab work. Some grinding is no problem... What linkage are you running?

I have the equivalent of the Clydesdale 1 ton steering

 

[RODRIG3911]

I have the equivalent of the Clydesdale 1 ton steering

Man, if you can fit that with a little grinding I should have no problems with a smaller one. Thank you

 

[JefeAZ]

Duffs tapered knuckle studs only work when mounting the tie rod below so I ordered the Heim steering with studs yesterday. I would like to do TRO but I just don't see enough room and would rather not drill them out just to see if it will work. They said 4 weeks to ship.

Also wondering how different the '76 knuckles are from previous years. It looks like there's plenty of room on ngsd's. The heim steering product page even says:

WILL NOT WORK WITH HELLWIG SWAY BARS WHEN MOUNTED ABOVE THE KNUCKLE

Here is mine with the passenger wheel turned all the way left. Maybe 2" of room above the knuckle.

 

[kman67]

I have the Chevy 1 ton TRO setup. I had to make a spacer out of 1/8” thick flat metal that goes between the bracket and the radius arm. This is the only pic I have now. I should be able to get more pics tomorrow. I forgot to add that I do have a dana 44 from a 76-77 bronco.

*Edit: After cycling my steering the tie rod is touching/rubbing the sway bar mount. Maybe after driving it a while things have settled. I could add a thicker spacer, maybe 3/16"? Or I could bend the mount like .94 OR said in post #18.

 

[RODRIG3911]

Duffs tapered knuckle studs only work when mounting the tie rod below so I ordered the Heim steering with studs yesterday. I would like to do TRO but I just don't see enough room and would rather not drill them out just to see if it will work. They said 4 weeks to ship.

Also wondering how different the '76 knuckles are from previous years. It looks like there's plenty of room on ngsd's. The heim steering product page even says:

WILL NOT WORK WITH HELLWIG SWAY BARS WHEN MOUNTED ABOVE THE KNUCKLE

Here is mine with the passenger wheel turned all the way left. Maybe 2" of room above the knuckle.

I didn't see that Hellwig says it won't work, good catch Jeff!...
I'm going to put a little effort in doing mine that way, but if it's not going smooth, I'll just go back to under also... It does look like the Hellwing bottom arm mounts are angled down a bit (Mine too). Maybe they can be bent to be parallel for a little extra clearance

 

[Spaggyroe]

Here's a pic of my setup. I use the "GM 1 ton" tie rod ends. Also, my knuckles are off an F150.

 

[kman67]

So I took a ton of pics and my tie rod end didn't come close to my sway bar bracket, maybe 1". If it were to get closer I believe it would go under the bracket by about 1/4". Maybe mine is different because I have 37" tires and can't turn that sharp because the tires hit the radius arms. Maybe the 76-77 knuckles have the tie rod end mount pushed more outboard? I also do have 1.25" spacers on my hubs to add to the confusion.

 

[RODRIG3911]

Thanks guys for the pictures. You're giving me extra hope ;D

 

[.94 OR]

I would think if you had access to a press brake, you could bend the lower sway bar bracket so the mount is pushed back towards the coil spring a bit freeing up room underneath.

 

[RODRIG3911]

I would think if you had access to a press brake, you could bend the lower sway bar bracket so the mount is pushed back towards the coil spring a bit freeing up room underneath.

I was thinking the same thing. The Hellwig arm helms were kinda short for my lift anyways, that bending it up would fix that as well.

 

[.94 OR]

I utilized my front dual shock mounts with adjustable rods. I don't have a TRO though.