Repackaging panhard and steering dilemma

[paulevans76]

Currently trying to reconfig my front suspension (Y-link radius arm) to lower it a few inches and maintain as much uptravel as possible. Part of what I'll need to do is relocate my panhard mounts. Right now the panhard and drag link are about as lined up as they could be, so anything I do about the panhard I'll have to mirror in some way to the drag link.

Notice the current uptravel limiting location of the axle side panhard mount:


The frame side:




I'm going to need to move the axle side panhard mount down somewhere where the tie rod would probably currently interfere - maybe lower on the front of the housing between the coil bucket and the diff? I'm sure it will probably end up needing a bend or two. I wish I could package it behind the axle, but my oil pan is in the way. Unless I put it WAY behind it

That brings it steering. Notice in that shot above that my steering arm and the current high steer arm are pretty well sized together.

So regarding steering, there's only a few ways to go:

1 - Y link steering to the stock knuckle location - I think I'd lose steering angle, as the stock arm looks a few inches longer. Moving to that location would probably provide enough room to mount the panhard lower on the housing though.

2 - Try to squeeze the panhard mount lower on the housing while leaving the steering as is, and then raise the upper panhard mount to match the angle - which I think would be great, but the first part looks like it's probably not possible:


3 - Maybe I can switch to a crossover setup where I run the drag link to the highsteer arm, perhaps with an offset tie rod end to give some extra room? Then run the tie rod in the stock knuckle location, and raise the frame side pahnhard mount to match the angle?

4 - leaf it and no more panhard!

Am I missing any other ways to set this up? I drive this pile to the trail still and would like to maintain that as long as I can, so hydraulic is out.

Thanks for any feedback/ideas.

Bonus fun: I believe I'll also get to fab up new motor mounts to get them out of the way of the uppers when I lower it. Was looking at a generic LS motor mount swap kit with a sleeved bushing/tabs/tube, and just drill the engine side plates for my motor mount bolt pattern

 

[paulevans76]

Just realized I posted a similar question a year ago and advice was to set it on the bumps and build steering and panhard from there. Maybe I should just try that and if/when I run into a problem, then post up

Finishing up the body lift reduction at the moment and then I'll jump into this. If anyone has any advice or guidance, though, I'm all ears.

 

[Jason W.]

You just have so very little room to work with!

 

[Jody Treadway]

I would establish ride height, mock the steering where it will be and then build the TB around it. You can get creative with the track bar by adding a bend or moving the axle mount around.
Make sure at ride height the TB/DL relationship is good. No need to match them at full bump or anythiing,
Good luck man, you have very little room to work with

 

[Chris_Keziah]

If it were me I'd move the tie rod to on top of the factory location and build a mock up drag link. Sit it on the bumps leaving some clearance for compression. Now it could just be the pics so I may be wrong with this but I'd make a track bar mount that is in front of the coil spring and maybe a touch lower. Highly doubt any off the shelf bracket will work without looking janky. I did it similar on my TJ for the issue your having with frame clearance, along with getting a much longer track bar. Grant I had more room to work with I think the concept transfers. You'll likely need a bent drag link and track bar. Moving the tie rod down will allow for you to move the frame side bracket forward as well.

 

[paulevans76]

If I run Y link style to the stock knuckle location, and the center of BJ to tie rod mount measurement is a few inches longer than my pitman arm, won't I be losing steering angle? Swapping a longer pitman would make things tough, bc moving the box fwd any further and I'd just about run out of frame. Fwd facing box might be an option, but it would need to be inside the frame and it would be crowded right there by the motor mount with all the other shit that's close by.

If I go crossover style and do the tie rod on stock location and leave the drag link on the high steer arm, I might be able to squeeze everything in but maybe cutting it close on draglink to frame.

 

[Chris_Keziah]

If I run Y link style to the stock knuckle location, and the center of BJ to tie rod mount measurement is a few inches longer than my pitman arm, won't I be losing steering angle? Swapping a longer pitman would make things tough, bc moving the box fwd any further and I'd just about run out of frame. Fwd facing box might be an option, but it would need to be inside the frame and it would be crowded right there by the motor mount with all the other shit that's close by.

If I go crossover style and do the tie rod on stock location and leave the drag link on the high steer arm, I might be able to squeeze everything in but maybe cutting it close on draglink to frame.

Keep your drag link going to the high steer arm. Basically go to crossover steering, wasn't real clear in my post but it's what I meant. It'll be tight but there's more room there than you think.

 

[Jody Treadway]

It'll be tight but there's more room there than you think.

... I'll only put the head of it in...
I promise that I'll never try to...

 

[paulevans76]

10-4 and hahahaha