Homebrew 1-ton steering discussion

[Jimmy]

Will and I have been tossing around the idea of making some 1-ton steering setups for our Jeeps. The steel would cost around $85 for 1/4" wall DOM and the TREs would cost around $100 from Autozone. Some online 4x4 shops sell 1-ton TREs for $130-140+shipping, but they have the same part number as the Autozone parts so I don't know if they are any different. That brings the part cost to under $200 (I've seen these setups sell for $270-350 online).

One thing I don't like about commercially available steering is that the ones with round tube usually get hard to turn and adjust after they get a little rust on them. If we made these, I'd like to put the tube on the mill and face off a flat spot to put a wrench on. I could also maybe knurl a spot so that some vise grips can "bite" onto the tube better.

The only problem with this idea is the TREs are 7/8-18 and NCT is 7/8-9 and NFT is 7/8-14, so the taps for these TREs are less common and cost $140 for a LH and a RH tool. I like the idea of tapping the tube over welding some threaded inserts into the tube since this leaves very little to fail. With the cost of the taps, the savings over buying a kit isn't really worth the labor. So, what this long post is really getting at is, if Will and I bought the taps and made some of these, would anyone be interested in buying a kit? I don't think we would charge much over material cost, just enough to buy some beer and pay for the taps. You'd have to get a reamer to ream out your knuckles and pitman arm, but it isn't hard and a reamer is about $50.

Thoughts/idears/are we stupid?

[DILYSI Dave]

You could put this on, but mill the flats into it first -

http://www.tellico4x4.com/product_info.php/cPath/459_1199/products_id/29964

[ranger11]

Jimmy I have been wanting to do this also. Here is some I have been looking at. I think it will be cheaper to order it online or find a 3rd person (hint hint) that will split the cost of the tubing and taps. Could we get 3 sets out of 20'? I think it would be close.


(weld up) http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Steering-Kit-Chevy-Tie-Rod-Ends_p_113-1338.html

(threaded) http://www.partsmike.com/store/store.php?crn=204&rn=1419&action=show_detail

(weld) http://completeoffroad.com/i-124127-tie-rod-drag-link-kit-dana-44-60.html

(taps and reamer) http://completeoffroad.com/c-59819-tie-rods-drag-links-and-tools.html

Also you dont have to have the left and right taps but it makes it easy to adjust.

Do you think we could find a place in town to tap the tubing cheaper than buying a tap.

[Jimmy]

You could put this on, but mill the flats into it first -

http://www.tellico4x4.com/product_info.php/cPath/459_1199/products_id/29964

I like that price. How thick is the tube and are the TREs an off-the-shelf product or would I have to order through y'all for a replacement? I'd like to do my steering once and forget it. I am tired of screwing with the stock crap and don't want to bend another tierod so easily (which is my own fault for running 35's on bone stock steering).

[Jimmy]

Richard, the XJ's an TJ's need 3' for the draglink and 4' for the tierod, so I don't think we could do 3 sets on one stick. Besides, General Steel doesn't sell DOM at all, so we'd have to have it shipped. Shipping for a 3' piece and 4' piece is only like $15 since it isn't considered oversize by UPS, so buying it already cut would save time and shipping cost.

I'm not sure if anyone in town would be able to tap the tube for us since its a weird size. We don't have that size RH tap at school and I don't think we do at work either. I would bet my paycheck neither place has the LH tap, lol.

[ranger11]

I thought you knew something I didnt on the 20' stick. I believe the 3' and 4' is just a standard thats what the kit I was looking at includes. I was just trying to get it cheaper o well.


Where are you looking at the tubing ?

[Jimmy]

Some website, I forget, its bookmarked at work. They are actually cheaper than our normal suppliers though. They price is like $10 a foot.

[Alex]

I don't see welding on inserts being a weak link.  It is not worth the price of the tap that for sure.  It is also hard to do that setup because of clearance issues with the sway bar and the front track bar brackets.  Also the coil buckets seem to contact it.   I think i am going to build mine with hiems and have the drag link attached to the tie rod on the knuckle.  If you your good quality hiems it will work just fine despite what others say.


Look at this build.  Start on page 10.
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=474732&page=10

[Chris Hyde]

www.ballisticfabrication.com 

[RotorHead]

My ex-father in law and uncle in law own Besco Steel Supply in Winder. I'm sure I could get you a deal on DOM cut to whatever length you want. Too bad it won't work for the JK. We have to have a bend to clear the dif.

[Will]

My ex-father in law and uncle in law own Besco Steel Supply in Winder. I'm sure I could get you a deal on DOM cut to whatever length you want. Too bad it won't work for the JK. We have to have a bend to clear the dif.

You would be the man if you did, Mike!    {toast}  Jimmy has all the measurements, but like he said, pretty much 7' pre rig. . Jimmy, I wouldn't mind welding the threads in. I would like to use a 220 though!   

[Jimmy]

We'd need a 3' piece and a 4' piece. The tube is 1-5/16 OD with 1/4" wall. Size would be different though with the weld-in threaded inserts.