Crossover Question

[BGKYK5]

Preface: I am looking for a way to save money on crossover steering. I currently have a 10B 8 lug front axle. Don't worry, I'll do it right when (if) I get a D60 - which will be sooner if I can save some money on the crossover now. Like 3 years instead of 5 .

I was looking under the front of my K5 today and had this...

Question: Has anybody tried crossover steering with the draglink attached to the stock tie rod instead of a steering arm on the knuckle? I was thinking that if I pulled my tie rod off, turned it around a reinstalled it with the hole for the steering stabilizer on the right side, it would make a handy place to attach the draglink. Granted the draglink would have to be some custom crazy shape to fit under the spring. Actually it might no be too different than ORDs bent draglink. Of course it would be shorter and the angle would be worse, but I figure it would save $250 or so on flat top D44 knuckles, steering arms, and machining, and some of the stuff I do need to get (2WD box, pitman arm) would be reusable on a D60. That way I don't spend so much on a (hopefully) temporary 10B. If the stock tie rod won't work (not enough meat for TRE to attach, steering stab too far under spring, etc.) what about a custom tie rod and drag link.

Now tell me why it is a bad idea.


(And sorry, for the life of me, I just can't write shorter posts )

 

[Jason4x4]

It's been asked before, it isn't a very strong setup, and the angle would be bad, If you bought the crossover stuf, when you went to the 60, you could sell all of it and not lose very much, the stuff is high demand here.

 

[dremu]

There are some Jeeps that do this; Billavista has some explanation of it.

Seems to be like you'd have double forces on the tierod, which is skinny in stock form anyway... scary.

The draglink geometry I wouldn't even try to contemplate in my head, but yeah, it would be weird.

I don't know specifics -- save the weakness of the stock tie rod -- as to why this wouldn't work, but it just seems like one of those things that you don't want to mess with.

-- A

 

[Muddytazz]

Not that I'm a ford fan, but stock fords are setup with the draglink going into the tie rod.

 

[resurrected_jimmy]

does the draglink on a furd go to an idler arm first?

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Jeeps (stock) also run their draglink from the steering box to the tie rod (although their setup is wierd, the tierod and draglink are kinda one in the same).

I agree that its not a good idea.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Jeeps (stock) also run their draglink from the steering box to the tie rod (although their setup is wierd, the tierod and draglink are kinda one in the same).

I agree that its not a good idea to purposely mount the draglink to the tie rod.

 

[gmc4cw]

the cheap way to do crossover on a 10 bolt is to wait for the 60. if you were to run your draglink to the tierod I suspect that you would not be able to turn all the way to the stops. the steering box does not have enough swing. on a crossover setup the draglink attaches to the steering arm closer to the balljoint or kingpin then the tierod. you could correct this with a custom pitman arm but thats more money you don't need to spend.

if its steering or brakes the last thing you want to do is something questionable to save a few bucks.

 

[thedrip]

everyone seems to be forgetting that the drag link would have to run directly through the leaf spring to make this work at well. Inverted-t on a spring-over-axle like we have just doesn't package well, in addition to the strength concerns.

My d44 crossover draglink fit my d60, I just had to cut 1/2" off of it, had plenty of thread length. If you cut, make sure you cut the side with RH threads... $15 tap instead of $65+ tap if you end up needing to extend the threads. My d44 histeer tie-rod fit the d60 in the stock position perfectly!

 

[BGKYK5]

That is kinda what I thought you all would say. Of course it is not ideal. Has anybody run something like it with any success? How hard are flat top D44 knuckles to come by? The prices are crazy on Ebay.

 

[mr.smartass]

Seems like one of those things you would see on a truck with 6in blocks on the front and a 12in body lift.

 

[BGKYK5]

Have you seen my truck?


Just kidding of course....


I kept the body lift to just 9 inches...