New Steering set-up!

disco_drum

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2006
1,990
13
41
Woodstock, GA
I finally got around to welding up my new steering. I bought a HD kit from Barnes 4wd that included 1.5" DOM tubing (.25 wall thickness) and all the weld bungs, misalignment spacers, and 3/4" heims joints needed for the job. All I had to do was cu the tubing and weld in the bungs. I also had to drill out the pitman arm and the knuckles to accept to new hardware. Here are some photos of the setup.

Here is a close up of the welded in bung. TIG welded everything. I used a rosetta weld as well as welding all the way around the insert.
<a href="https://ibb.co/izokny"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/ir5n0J/IMG_6552.jpg" alt="IMG_6552" border="0"></a>

Here is another with the heim joint in place.
<a href="https://ibb.co/maRufJ"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/imghZd/IMG_6553.jpg" alt="IMG_6553" border="0"></a>

Here is a side by side with my old (so called) heavy duty Terra Firma stuff. It was complete crap and lasted just a couple of trips before it bent.
<a href="https://ibb.co/mVHZfJ"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/fTdJ7y/IMG_6554.jpg" alt="IMG_6554" border="0"></a>

Links in place
<a href="https://ibb.co/bSyUEd"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/hr3wud/IMG_6555.jpg" alt="IMG_6555" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://ibb.co/n5A9Ed"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/gRfn0J/IMG_6556.jpg" alt="IMG_6556" border="0"></a>

All I have to do now is fab up a quick steering damper bracket!
 

disco_drum

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2006
1,990
13
41
Woodstock, GA
You went to all that and didn't mount the tie rod on the front

Hydro assist is difficult without at least 5" of lift

Why would I mount in on the front? I mean...i like it behind the axle where it is a little bit protected. All the Jeep guys i wheel with always always comment on wishing their tie rod was behind their axles....
 

fishEH

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2009
6,927
201
Lake Villa, IL
Well if you look at your old rods the one on the front is straight and the one hanging below the axle on the back is bent, there is a good 4" more clearance on the front

You also need to get you hands on a RHD steering knuckle if I'm not mistaken. Seems like just exchanging one set of problems for another. Yes it hangs down lower behind the axle, but its also somewhat protected by having the axle in front of it. Yes its higher in the front but also possibly more prone to hitting rocks.
 

roverover

Well-known member
Feb 27, 2005
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Lancaster PA
www.UsedLandRoverParts.com
You don't need a different knuckle on a D2 it is setup for left or right hand drive

Not even close to as prone as behind the axle if you go over a rock any taller than the bottom of your pumpkin it will hang on the steering if it's out front it is about the same as the bottom of the axle tube.
 

p m

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 19, 2004
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La Jolla, CA
www.3rj.org
You also need to get you hands on a RHD steering knuckle if I'm not mistaken.
... and if you use a RHD steering knuckle's arm for tie rod, you'll end up with reverse Ackerman angle. Pretty badly.
I have a Rover axle with a front-mounted tie rod under my jeep - it was not an easy conversion.
 

fishEH

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2009
6,927
201
Lake Villa, IL
Question for Disco_Drum. Why not run the bolts up from the bottom? That way you wouldn't have the thread hanging down and run the risk of messing it up?
 

disco_drum

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2006
1,990
13
41
Woodstock, GA
Question for Disco_Drum. Why not run the bolts up from the bottom? That way you wouldn't have the thread hanging down and run the risk of messing it up?

I considered this very thing. I finally chose the way i did it so that the non-threaded portion of the bolt was handling the bulk of the stress. I assume the non-threaded section is stronger.
 

p m

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 19, 2004
15,617
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La Jolla, CA
www.3rj.org
I considered this very thing. I finally chose the way i did it so that the non-threaded portion of the bolt was handling the bulk of the stress. I assume the non-threaded section is stronger.
It is a single-shear application - so the only thing that matters is that the shear plane crosses the non-threaded portion of the bolt.
 

jymmiejamz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2004
6,008
361
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Los Angeles, Ca
JKymme If you have any pics I would love to see what your setup was we have a couple of 3" trucks that would go hydro assist if they could.

We found on a 3" truck the ram and tie rod would bind before full compression

Unfortunately I don't think I do. I'll see if I can maybe find some on Pirate, but I don't know if I posted any. Basically I drilled out the pitman arm and had the drag link on the bottom with a heim joint and then used a long bolt though the pitman arm which had the ram on the top side. I was told it would eventually wallow out the pitman arm, but I never had any issues, and pitman arms are cheap. For the frame side there is a good spot on the passenger side to weld some tabs for the ram.
 

jymmiejamz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2004
6,008
361
35
Los Angeles, Ca
I searched through my posts on Pirate and couldn't find any pictures. I did take a trip down memory lane when I was living at my parents house and had a bunch of cars and a 3 car garage to work in. What a time to be alive!
 

seventyfive

Well-known member
Jan 3, 2010
4,280
100
over there
This is what I had.
51066208-EF85-4D51-B159-0A4F690BBC41-3839-00000B38D839B774_zpsa3761252.jpg
 
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