Soa cj7 Dana 30 drag link on top of steer arm

Clubbs

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Location
Blounts Creek
I'm considering the infamous soa on my 85 cj7. Pretty simple conversion, just trying to figure out the best way to handle the steering geometry. Looks to me that I can re-ream the steering arm and put the drag link on top of the arm, but I've never seen this done... I know I should just swap in a set of Waggy axles and all that, and maybe will, but for now has anyone seen this drag link flip? I suppose I could put a set of 44 knuckles on and do a proper high steer but then that's stub shafts, brakes, hubs, spindles, and I may as well do the Waggy swap.
 
The drag link flip is fairly common with CJs and a 2.5" lift. You can either ream the whole from the top, or drill it out and use weld in bungs. But I don't think it's going to work for SOA. If the drag link will clear the springs, there won't enough room to remove the drag link without dropping the axles. But I would be surprised if the drag link didn't contact the spring, especially at droop. I've a drop pitman arm for a 4" used and it works ok if you are using stock springs. About the same as a 2.5" lift with stock steering.
 
Plan is to use stock yj Springs. So a dropped pitman arm and the draglink flip ought to work out ok?
 
The issue most face with OG D30s in SOA... is that the leafs will either interfere with your DL in the stock location (under steering arm, even with a drop pitman) or the leafs will occupy the same space as your DLs path to the top of the steering arm.
 
Sure seems like the best case is to do a high steer, but I'm not up for another $450 invested in a Dana 30. I'll see what it looks like. Maybe I'll end up parting a Waggy, just wasn't planning on full widths or even Waggy axles for this project.
 
cj_soa_zlink.JPG


:lol:
 
Another rookie question... I have a yj drop pitman arm and it fits on the box fine, but the taper is bigger for the draglink. I don't suppose a yj draglink end will have the same threaded end as my 85 cj would it? So I'll have to buy a new yj draglink and use my reamer to open up the hole in the knuckle. Or is there some mysterious draglink end part number someone can share with me?
 
I had the part store pull a yj drag link and it's the same as my cj. This arm is just reamed out to big.
 
Clubbs said:
I had the part store pull a yj drag link and it's the same as my cj. This arm is just reamed out to big.
Click to expand...

Then your "YJ pitman", depending on length (5.5" c-c = YJ/XJ/TJ... 6.5" c-c = CJ/Waggy/Bronco/etc.) << is likely one these for larger TRE.
I'm running ('79?) Bronco drop pitman and use a custom bushing in the taper to allow the stock size TRE... oddly, the TR/DL (1.25" x .375" wall DOM) Andy/CRS fabbed years ago & Speedways Motors TRE's have taken everything I've thrown at them for years
 
I thought about making a bushing, I've got a tie rod reamer, but ordered a wj drop for $30 from advance auto. If it's 6.5 cc and the right taper I'll use it otherwise I'll make a bushing like you mentioned above.
 
Caver Dave said:
Then your "YJ pitman", depending on length (5.5" c-c = YJ/XJ/TJ... 6.5" c-c = CJ/Waggy/Bronco/etc.) << is likely one these for larger TRE.
I'm running ('79?) Bronco drop pitman and use a custom bushing in the taper to allow the stock size TRE... oddly, the TR/DL (1.25" x .375" wall DOM) Andy/CRS fabbed years ago & Speedways Motors TRE's have taken everything I've thrown at them for years
Click to expand...

I got tired of waiting on the pitman to come in and it was probably the shorted one anyway. So I sleeved the one I had and reamed it out tonight. Put it together and went for a first test drive with no shocks yet. Those yj springs on top are crazy soft. Got a little bump steer and the rear driveshaft has vibe so it's going to need a cv joint. I found an old cv shaft with the right size joints in the shop so I'll rebuild that and get it shortened.

Caster angle feels a little on the soft side with respect to the return to center. I have lift shackles on and accounted for them when I welded on the new perches, but think I'll ditch the lift shackles now.
 
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