Lets Talk Steering

[gary63]

Will I'm getting ready to rebuild a dana 30 hp for my front and then replace it and the steering system (linkage ,gear, pump).When I change the D30 a lift is going on too. It will be in the range of more than 4.5 and may end at around 6.I have the JKS adj.coil sacers that set 1.5 at 0 adj.and can go up to 3 in. I will only use them to level things out.But if I go with a 4.5 lift it will end out around 6.I have been told at 6 in the stock steeling needs to be changed so I'm looking and thing of my options the good and bad. This will be a DD and trail jeep.So any input would be helpful I will most likly replace everything deling with steering pump,box,bracket and so. thank

[denverd1]

refurb v8 durango boxes are on ebay about as cheap as you're going to find.
should prolly do a track bar drop bracket at that height
and a dropped pitman arm. Should keep things lined up.

are you going to upgrade your link/tie rod?

[NW99XJ]

I'm going thru similar things right now myself....
I have done a fair amount of research on the subject as well....
What I would recommend is to brace and strengthen the steering box area as much as possible.
The C-rok inner & outer brace combo is a good system, there are and many others out there as well including the JCR steering box spacer bracket and unibody reinforcement kit. Just do some research on your own in this regard to determine what is going to be best for your particular set-up....but the basic proncible of this is to brace/sandwich both the inner and outer areas of the unibody around the steering box.

As far as the box itself..... The stock XJ Steering box is good enough for daily driving duties and light to moderate wheeling for tire sizes up to 33"...... You can increase its capabilities by overdriving the pump with a smaller pullet like the ones available from Gen-Right, or PSC......PSC also offers an upgrade pump kit, capable of producing much more pressure to the pump. There are also write-ups on how to swap out a WJ (grand cherokee) pump for the stock XJ pump.

If you are looking for a stronger mount, you can convert to a FOUR hole mount vs. the stock XJ THREE hole mount by installing a steering box from a YJ (square headlight wrangler.) The bore of the box is the same and the ratio is the same, except the YJ box is a fixed ratio of 3:1 vs. the XJ variable ratio of 3:1.... (basically the response of the box changes on the XJ the more you turn from center - the YJ is the same across the whole steering range.)

If you want more power all together, you can directly swapout the box for one from a 1998-99 V8 Dodge Durango.
The mount and the selector shaft (output shaft) are the same as the XJ, but the bore (internals) are different (bigger/stronger).

Another option would be to modify the steering box (any of the above) to add a hydraulic ram assist.
These kits are a bit more expensive and requires fabrication skills.

Agood piece of advice would to add a cross brace from the passenger side unibody/frame rail to the box itself like the one from MORE (mountain off road enterprises.)

As for the steering linkage, a good upgrade with absolutely no modifications required is to swap out the tie rod and drag link with those from a ZJ (grand cherokee)....
This is about a solid 50% stronger than the OEM XJ steering linkage.
If you want a much stronger than that kit, that also requires little to no modifications, would be the Currie Currectlink system..... or the ORO (off road only) U-Turn steering kit.

If you want to take on some fabrication, you can go over the knuckle (OTK) or under the knuckle (UTK) with a 1-ton inverted T set up like the ones available from JCR offroad.
Both IRO (Iron Rock offroad) as well as Rusty's offer complete kits to do a serious upgrade...usually with heim joints...and all of these generally will use 1.25" diameter 1/4" wall DOM (drawn over mandrel) tubing.
Going OTK with a D30 almost always requires removal/relocation of the sway bar end link mounts, and track bar bracket. The spring buckets also usually have to be trimmed and then boxed in as well.

In ANY case the track bar is going to have to be dealt with, as the more you lift the more the axle will be pulled to one side. An adjustable track bar is going to be required for lifts of 4.5" or greater.
In the case of OTK and/or Inverted T steering set ups the Track bar will have to be relocated to above the axle.

If you want a true high-steer set-up and better braking as well, you can swap the knuckles from a WJ (grand cherokee) ....this is a pretty entailed process as there is a lot that has to be taken int consideration, and done right, in order for this to work properly. But if you are building an "off the vehicle" HP D30 and have the time, means, and funds, this would be a good option to go with.
I would also consider doing things like adding a light truss, and outer axle tube seals. You may also consider sleeving the axle tubes.
I would recommend gusseting the knuckle C's

Bottom line?.....check out some of the set-ups of fellow Jeepers, research available options, and the reviews/comments of these options. Determine what your capabilities are, and what you are comfortable with doing as far as modifications and fabrication. What all of this will do to your budget, and how long you are willing to take to complete this.

[4.3LXJ]

You might be OK with a drop pitman arm. 2" drop would get you back into the ballpark of the range of motion for tie rod ends. But, not all lifts are created equal. I suggest you install the lift, then let it droop as far as it will go without the boots on the joints. If the stud starts to deform the outer part of the joint, then you will have to think of what you will do. It is guaranteed you will need a double shear trac bar, so plan on it.

[gary63]

I was looking at ironmans front end parts to start with and I can trade for a PSC new pump and gearbox I have the backbone on and the plate on the other side.I also have a ant-rock kit.As for sleeving I have some and truss kit but as steve 4.3lxk brot up on sleeving there may not be any room for the outside ofter market seals that I'm running now that I like.so I looking in on that. but how is high steer for the street and for a dd.
it will be a trail jeep too but I wont something that if need to be fix I wont have to refab.I may have to go that way but just looking at options.

[4.3LXJ]

High steer can be for both street and DD. All it really does is raise the end of the tie rod so there is less angle to it. In my case, it was 5". But if you do a high steer on a DD, you need to move the track bar over to the driver side and make the passenger side end as high as the new drag link. You need to keep the drag link and trac bar parallel and the same length to avoid death wobble.

[gary63]

so if I end up with a lift around 6 do I need or have to go to the high steer becouse I would rather not.but if it will make it drive better or nast longer (not counting hitting anything) I would go that way.Never did a high steer most thing I had was big anof or allready set up that way.

[bigjim350]

I'm at 6.5" and have a stock steering setup other than the zj ite rod. My jeep has been like this for 2yrs and does just fine on and off road.

Sent from my nerdy smartphone

[gary63]

that is the one that was green and is now white?What size of tires are you running?

[bigjim350]

yep thats the one. Running 33" tires