nice, appreciate the input

 

just a note on your second design. That design is know for having a "dead spot" in the steering, which is from the heim joints on the knuckle rolling when you try to steer. Here is a link to a fix for it, one manufacturer even makes a plastic spacer instead of using washers. you are much better off with a true crossover setup

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/r...ion-me-995201/

 

he should not encounter that with heims on the knuckle.

 

Yes, he will. That is a very close design to mine, and I had to make delron bushings to isolate teh PS hiem at the knuckle to get rid of it. It actually started a mini DW once, and I was non to happy about that. Since I isolated that hiem, the set up has been bullet proof. Check my build threads, I have some ideas for a coupler in there that allow you to adjust the toe, with out dropping your drag link. HTH!!

 

shows how much i know.

 

Correct, the heims can still pivot the same way a TRE does, which makes it susceptible to the roll. Like COSXJFAN said, a bushing will fix this problem

 

Why not just use the chevy tie rod set-up ? I used it with my 74 bronco ,put it on top of the knuckles for extra clearance and better steering angles .I had to redo the track bar to match angle . the four tie rod ends cost about $100

 

Check out www.shakerbuilt.com .look at his tech info section

 

 

you need some miss alimgment spacers,thats what we run on the baja race truck we have at work,go to your local off road store to get more datail's and i will try to get you some pictures of the race truck desing to give you an idea,but you will need them to get the flex you need on those heim's,ALSO YOU MIGHT CONSIDER ADDING SOME RE ENFORCING GUSSET'S IF YOU HAVE SOME BEND'S OR WELD'S ON YOUR PIPES,ANY OFF ROAD BUILDER WILL RECOMMEND IT.

 

pay attention thats not the plan i went with if you would have scrolled down a little more you would see the plan i went with, and i do know what im doing, pay a little bit more attention before you give useless info

 

if you plan to put a tie rod strait across from one knuckle to the other mock it up first and look at it, i just copied your second design and i ended up having to cut off my sway bar links and steering stabilizer mount to make it fit.
it isn't a big deal as its not my dd but i wouldn't recommend this to someone who drives their xj everyday

 

as for the heims misalignment spacers are a bad idea for the ends on the knuckles, without them you can run a 3/4 inch bolt with spacers you go down to a 5/8 bolt which also has to be longer, at the knuckles you dont see any flex, at least thats how it seems. ill post how it actually works when im done with it. i was able to do mine with only misalignment spacers at the pitman arm

 

its been a long time since i messed with heims. could anyone re-explain what the misallignment spacer does? I can't for the life of me remember its purpose. i'm gonna also use that design cause 8"+ lift with stock steering is way too extended to drive well.

 

if u notice i put a extra adjustment in the cross bar to adjust toe without havivg to disconnect the swaybar to adjust it, COSXJ is running this same setup on his and he still drives it on the street and yes i cut the stabilizer mount and the swaybar ends off to but i havent run a sway bar since i had it, so no big deal