Topic: Raise Std Steering??

[Siringo]

Sorry folks, I'm not up with steering terminology, but I'll try and describe things as best I can.

I have an '84 LN series Hilux. I've raised the front suspension and now have this problem. My truck is a right hand drive, so I'm not sure if you guys in the US have this problem. Anyway, my steering drag link sometimes knocks the top of the U bolt holding the springs to the axle.

So, I'm wondering if I can undo the 4 nuts holding the J bar onto the top of the wheel hub, undo the same 4 nuts on the other side and space the 2 ends up a bit so as to lift the end of the drag link up and away from the U bolts on the axle??

I usually learn how all this stuff goes together by pulling it apart, but I've never pulled this stuff apart before and I'm trying to save myself some work and time.

Does that sound like a good idea, would it work or is there a better solution? Please don't suggest cross over steering as it is extremely expensive down here.

Many thanks,
Matt.

[chaseheadrick]

in a word...no. there are shims under the steering arm that give the bearing under it a certain amount of pre-load on it. your best bet would be to build your own spring packs that are not as thick as the springs that you have in order to clear the steering arm

[Siringo [OP]]

Thanks for the reply chaseheadrick that's the type of answer I was after. I was about to try what I mentioned earlier today but ran out of time. Looks like I would have stuffed things up had I done it.

Thanks again. 

[79coyotefrg]

yea  it sounds good in theory  but thats all,  as far as i know  your only option  is to flip the ball on the J arm  so its on top instead of the bottom,  but its a PAIN to do

i  would do as  dude  said  and  build some springs  not so thick

[FIREBALL]

It's more money, but switching to cross over steering will eliminate the problem that you are having and give you better steering.
I'm not positive how or what is making contact, but you might be able to use a drop drag link, but i'm not sure if that will solve your problem.
One other solution, and I know it's contraversial with many people, is to heat and bend the arm just enough to help clear. I've heated and bent many steering arms for home built high steer and when done right is still very strong. I've never had one of my heated arms break. I have not ever tried bending a J arm so i'm not sure how well it would work. The J arms are notoriously week near the pivot ball and are often re-enforced by welding a bar onto the top of it. A combination of heating, bending then re-enforcing could do the job, but remember......it's your steering.

[79coyotefrg]

yea  and considering if that ball brakes  while going down the highway 


his  drag links hitting the top of the u bolts,  when i set up Kevins truck he had a dropped link  and it hit BAD,  a slightly bent  stock drag link  fixed his problem

[Siringo [OP]]

Hmmm. I think the easiest thing to do will be to build a custom spring pack. It's ashame I can't get a J arm with the ball mounted on top and not underneath, it would fix the problem completely.

Maybe Marlin could consider looking at this problem and produce a replacement? It's a common problem with everyone that has lifted the front of their truck as far as I can tell.

Thanks for your help guys.

[79coyotefrg]

  its called hi steer 

[Siringo [OP]]

How about a new product to the product line ... 'Just a Little Bit Higher than Normal Steer' 

Do you have to replace your steering box if you fit Hi Steer?

[chaseheadrick]

i've never seen a push-pull type hi-steer, but i haven't been around that long. all the ones i have seen are all cross-over hi-steer. you could do like fireball said and modify your factory arms, but then you have highly stressed componenets in something as critical as your steering.

[boggerunner]

flip the ball on the j arm, it would be the most simple solution, or the bumpstop plate on top of the pack could be removed if it will give u enough room

[Siringo [OP]]

How do I flip the ball on the J arm? Is it pressed in? Would that weaken it too much though?

[Duffil]

How do I flip the ball on the J arm? Is it pressed in? Would that weaken it too much though?

It is almost like a rivet; the back side is mushroomed over.  You have to grind the back down, then press it out, flip it and weld it back in.

As far as how much it weakens it, I dunno.  I'm running one, along with a drop drag link, and I haven't broken one but I haven't really wheeled with it.

[FIREBALL]

For cross-over high steer you do need a new steering box. I'm not sure where you live, but judging by your rig i'm pretty certain that it's not here in the states. Here the steering box we switch to is from an IFS(independand front suspension) Toyota pickup (Hilux). I'm not sure if how available that will be to you. The IFS box swings side to side instead of front to back and the drag link connects to the passenger side steering arm.
I've read somewhere else that someone was making a high steer kit for r-hand drive, but I don't know which box they were using. I guess that there are r-hand drive IFS trucks, but I don't know.
Flipping the ball would be the quickest and easiest. The trick to welding or heating steering arms is to let them cool slowly. You do not want to quinch them in water. When I heat and bend stock arms I like to put them in a bucket of sand and leave them til they are cool.

[Siringo [OP]]

When you remove the J arm, does anything come flying out? chaseheadrick said there are shims under it that give pre-load to something else etc.

[Duffil]

There are shims and there will be a tapered bearing in the knuckle.  Just make sure  you get all the shims off of the J-arm.   Nothing should come flying out.

[Duffil]

try here for an FSM
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=8872.0

[Siringo [OP]]

Thanks for the link to the FSM, it helps.