Steering linkages

family xj

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2006
Location
Jacksonville NC
I have the 44 up front and want to build a better steering set up. I have looked at doing the CHevy TRE's and then doing Heims. I have came up with the plan to do a Heim set up over the knuckle. I thought about high steer but that would be a lot of money that I don't have right now and if I ever go high steer I can still use the set up I want. So the plan is to run the Heims. I have been looking for the best prices. Where are you guys getting the heims, inserts and spacers from? I already have the 1.5" dom tubing. Should be an easy build. Thanks for the advice.
 
Ballisticfabrication.com is where I got all of my stuff. But barnes4wd.com here on the board is in NC and they have all of the same stuff for the same or better prices, but also nc taxes.
 
masonboro automotive stocks some heims... if you wanted a size they didn't have he could order them for ya....

i'm about to swap over to heims for my tie rod and keep the tre's for my drag link.... he's going to hook me up with 2" teflon lined heims (forget the size).... can't wait to have my steering somewhat fixed and ready for hydro assist!

masonboro auto.... 397-9131... danny...

-Erik
 
make sure you get some quality hiems. there are lots of different grades out there. I would get some good ones. don't just get the cheapest ones you can find.
 
I decided to do an over the knuckle and run Chevy TRE's. TRE's are cheap and can be had anywhere. All I need now is a reamer. Any recomendations?
 
I got the 7 degree (1/2" - 1" is what they call it) reamer from snap-on... it was $45 and it was here within 2 days. Some people have said that 7 degree was the wrong taper, but its 1.5" per foot, which is right.. or is it 1" per 1.5 feet? Either way, it worked for me. A suggestion - take a nut that has about the same sized inner diameter as the shaft of your reamer and weld it onto the end so that you can use a socket and ratchet to ream with. The extra torque really comes in handy.


Snap-On Part number: R121
Description: 1/2" - 1" reaming tool
 
Ordered the Snap on Reamer this morning. Said it will be here next week. Wish i would have done this Monday so I could have finished the steering this week. Oh well I guess I will work on the brakes.
 
You should be happy with it. I do recommend however that you weld the nut onto the end, because that little bitty bar they send you with it leaves a lot to be desired for reaming a pitman arm. What I did to make sure I got the right taper was set the micrometer at 3/4" and find out where that was on the reamer, and put a piece of tape on the reamer so that you stop at the 3/4" mark. As I said about how some people say that 7 degrees is the incorrect taper and that 13 is what you need... my reamer matched my BTF steering arm taper exactly, so either BTF is doing something wrong or 7 degrees works.
 
I have 1 ton Chevy TRE's. I was going to use the tape idea. I remembered that from wood class in school. When I initially thought of a reamer I thought it was used in a drill like a drill bit. I didn't realize it was done by hand. How long does it take to taper one hole?
 
When you weld the nut on there so that you can really get it going with a ratchet, probably 15 or 20 minutes. If you do it with that little bitty bar, anticipate being there a while.
 
it isn't too bad it did it. you can do it. it is rather difficult to keep the thing square in the hole. i borrowed and xcut reamer. cut real easy. i would suggest taking off the knuckles and putting them in a vise to that they are prefectly level. would make it a touch easier.

and that whole thing about tre's being everywhere. I don't know everyplace i went to had to order at least two of the tre's and they are of course the L handed ones.
 
Well I got the reamer and it broke in 10 minutes. Not very happy right now. It took a week for it to get here too. So now i got to figure out how to get a new one. Are they covered under their swap no questions asked deal?
 
OK, As some of you know my reemer broke on me two weeks ago and they are on back order. I can take the reamer and stick it in the drill and use the drill rather than the small handled reamer. More even speed and better pressure regulation on the reemer. Can I use the drill with the reemer installed?
If so I may try and build my linkages this weekend. I just have to find someone that can weld it up on Monday or Tuesday morning. All advice appreciated.
 
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