FSJ Dana 44 - SOA (spring over axle) Steering Solutions

[Jeep4myBoys]

Here's a better pic of cross-over steering from JoshD in PHX.

Well, I guess I get to see one close up then . . . I bought Josh D's GW and I'm picking it up on Sat (I'm thinking of doing the SOA on my 82 Chero, not the GW!)

[Tad]

Well, I guess I get to see one close up then . . . I bought Josh D's GW and I'm picking it up on Sat (I'm thinking of doing the SOA on my 82 Chero, not the GW!)

You will have to look at his Wrangler, that's where that setup lies.
NT, WT, does not matter, the concept is the same for all our rigs.

[malodin]

here is my home built steering solution








think they will hold up?

[uplandhawaii]

Did you cut that out of a solid block? I don't know if I would trust the lock washer and nut set up, but everythig looks solid. Thats one hunk of steel there.

[malodin]

thats not a lock washer it is a factory gm cone washer, yes it was built out of 2"x3" solid(not sure type steel)

[uplandhawaii]

My mistake, one of the pics looked like a lock washer. Is this a set you made? I recall you mentioned you have a mill right?

[malodin]

upland, i can see how it looks like a lock washer, they stick out about the same thickness as one(i coppied the factory gm cone washer depth)(within thousandsths)

yes the mill/drill/tap and the arms are all my own making...

[j20brett]

very nice work there. I dont think you will bend those

[malodin]

soon, very soon i will have my own mill and metal cutting band saw and will be able to pop the arms off and mill/drill/tap the knuckles.

if anyone needs them mill/drill/tap i can do it now, just takes me a while as i am doing them at work on my off time. next month i should have a set or two pre done and that way you can send me yours and i will swap them out.

pm me for price if you would like.

[j20krawler]

sorry but...

i know you guys are most likely tired of posting about this over and over agian, but... (here comes the question that is most likely posted already) what exactly do i need to purchase for full high steer steering... all these shortened terms for components is kindof confusing for people that have never messed with steering (other than installing a DPA). i have a 4" DPA already but i dont know what i NEED to complete a high steer kit... Please and thank you!

[malodin]

so far here is what i have purchased and had on hand.

2 flat top knuckles milled drilled tapped.
2 high steer arms(like the pictures)(made those)
2 4" long stud kits as i did not want to counter bore the arms(lack of proper size counter bore)

then its a matter of figuring out what steering parts you will need.

this is up to you either run heim joints or TIE ROD ENDS(TRE). bassically the connection goes from the DPA down to the passenger side arm outer hole(i think) then you tie both high steer arms together with a rod(hence tie rod) and your set.

i will be running either my stock fsj widetrack tie rod(though i think its bent) or the chevy tie rod i got with the front axle.

[j20krawler]

yet another dumb question...

iam confused about the knuckles... and the arms...and the stud kits, lemme try and use the thing between my ears real quick.... so the knuckles are the things that connect to the axle that let your tires turn.. and the arms are the rods that connect fromt the DPA to the knuckles, and the studs are the machined pieces of metal that raise the whole steering set-up to be over the leaf springs correct???

[uplandhawaii]

Yes the knuckles do as you say. No the arms go on top of the knuckles, the tierod and draglink connect to them and the pitman arm. The studs are used to attatch the arms to the knuckles.

[Tad]

i am confused about the knuckles... and the arms...and the stud kits

It's ok, a boatload of this is confusing until you have it all sitting in front of you.
Let's use Casey's pic from page 1 (with some labels added).



Then match it up to it's location here...


or here...

[malodin]

j20krawler, alot of it is all figure out as you go once you get your knuckles milled and a set of steering arms(those are about the only standard stuff you can grab off the shelf)(even the arms there is so much variety in though)

basically what you have to do is get the knuckles milled/drilled/tapped first thing, install them on your axle, then figure the amount of room between your leafs(if your spring over axle) or if your spring under you would then only need a set of flat steering arms(easy to make) then work out the kinks from there.