[WeBeRockin]

Recently joined the 40's club and not too happy with current steering geometry.

Rig is my 07 Rubicon Unlimited, "Tough Love"
Usage: 30 mile a day daily driver
Once or twice a month, living on the edge. Rocks, technical trails are my favorite. Four's without hesitation.

Current front end set up is:
Rubicon Dana 44 axle with elocker, trussed, welded C's.
PP ball joints.
Redneck Ram hydro assist
Teraflex Monster track bar.
Synergy upper and lower control arms with JJ's (standard)
4" lift
2" spring spacers

Plan is:
Reid Dana 44 knuckles.
Flipped drag link
new tie rod
Sector Shaft frame to frame brace.

Questions:
Drag Link; which one and why?
Tie rod: which one, and which ends?
Sector shaft brace? Any real difference between ORE and Teraflex? Ease of installation? If I don't have to weld I won't.

Always appreciate you guys experience, sometimes your opinions

 

[fourplyn]

Well sense you have the Synergy lift kit..Just get their adj. drag link and their flip kit. They make a great product. Design really is your only difference with the drag link. They are all made out of solid steel.

Tie rod...well get the Synergy. There's is perfectly fine and tough. The Rock Krawler Pro Alum...is lighter.....The difference between those two is the Aluminum will bounce back completely. And the steel will go back around 95% of the way...when hit from the front really hard...but this is if you bend the tie rod all the way to the pumpkin. With light hits, the solid steel will work just fine. There is a video of this somewhere on here. Either way you go...you'll like what you get. The Aluminum is much lighter, 1/3 lighter to be exact. The Rock Krawler stuff is a lifetime warranty, no matter what.

As far as a sector shaft brace..unless your building a high speed jeep. You don't really need it. I had a front end collision that tore my entire front suspension apart..the drag link survived but the sector shaft bent.. Other than that, I don't see the real point. I'm running 3.5" of lift and have been running 40's for about a year now.. I have the Red Neck mixed with PSC hydro steering as well. No problems.

As for your Reid Knuckles..If you want to spend the coin..then its good. All it does is move your tie rod up a little. Other than that....I've bashed my Pro Alum Tie Rod from Rock Krawler...and I'm perfectly happy with the height. I honestly think the Reid Knuckles are a waste of money for what little you get with them. But thats just my .02cents.

 

[WeBeRockin]

Thanks, 4plyn. I read your build thread after the wreck. bad start, good finish!

I'm really happy with how my forties roll down the road, just not how they track.

Definitely not a high speed jeep or a jumper, just want to insure no steering box failure.
I know the Hydro steer takes a lot of stress off the sector shaft, just don't know if its enough.

 

[fourplyn]

That hydro steer itself takes all the stress off ur steering box. You have nothing to worry about.

 

[toymaster]

The three reasons to go reid knuckles are beef, raised tie rod, and raised drag link. Running 40's on a 44 would be a reason to get the reids. The little front end needs all the help it can get with those massive meats. The reids are worth the cost to me however, I have $500 just in my axle joints.

I went with currie because they are the largest steering linkage on the market and entirely rebuildable. I am keeping my jeep long term, as in decades, so I go the high quality rebuildable route every time.

Notice how the tie rod is above the bottom of the axle now and the flatness of the drag link. I have a 3-4" lift and the flip along with the knuckles gave me a 3" rise of the drag link putting the geometry back to near factory. This is thanks to the reid knuckles, no need to use a drop pitnum arm that would put more stress on the sector shaft.

I noticed you have the redneck ram. How it is doing with the 40s? I'm about to move up in tire size also and will install a ram set-up just not sure which one yet. I was about to PM Co4Lo for his opinion, since he has/had that setup with +41s, and found this thread during a search. I agree with you the steering sector shaft is now the weak point and am also looking for the perfect option...have not found one yet.

 

[fourplyn]

The Reid Knuckles don't raise your Drag link any farther than stock. The only thing it does is JUST raise your tie rod. That's it.

I know Reid says "Drag Link is flipped and gains 3 inches of height to perfectly correct the steering geometry for the common 3-4 inch suspension lift; minimizes additional steering correction for taller suspension lifts. "

But, if you read it right and ask anyone that has actually measured the stock drag link mounting point to the Reid mounting point. There is zero difference.

You gain the so called 3" when you flip the drag link on top of the knuckle. That's it. This can be done with any aftermarket flip kit. Currie/Poly/Rock Krawler/etc..

The only other benefits to the Reid knuckles would be a very "slight" thicker casting/ drag link surface is slightly larger and orange powder coated finish.

Reid's on left - Stock on right. Only thing different is the TIE ROD mounting point's.


And, you would never want to EVER use a drop pitman arm..always raise the suspension connection points on your axles not your frame. Don't mess with the roll center. Ever wonder why offroad buggies don't have a massive drop pitman arm, but a raised drag link point on the axle. Also, ever notice how the track bar bracket on the frame never gets lower...but the bracket on the axle seems to be built really high up. BINGO! Roll center...don't ever mess with it at the frame. When lifting a jeep. Always raise everything on the axles to compensate for the lift you put on your jeep. Your steering will love you for it! Suspension basic's 101

 

[toymaster]

^^^^^^^ Better look at the pics again. The structural integrity of the reid is far superior to the stock. If you cannot see that I can't help you. Spend your money how you want but you are bashing a quality aftermarket product.

 

[fourplyn]

I'm not bashing anything. Just pointing out the benefits. I said ""slight" thicker casting". That's obviously apparent by the photo's.

 

[jss]

LS in a JK

We help Reid build the first set in are shop, to keep the geometry right this is all we could get out of them.
It will work with any ones tie rod and flip drag link, we think the knuckles help they are on one of are GuineaPigs.
That Jeep every time we where done with the Rubicon we would have to reset the toe and with the Reid knuckles we do not have to do that any more. Because we would bend the tie rod every time.

 

[TEXASKEV]

I run Reids and love the extra clearance. When you install them go ahead and replace the crap ass stock ball joints. I also put new hub bearings in.

 

[highoctane]

One question worth asking; have you ever heard of anyone bending/breaking a knuckle?


Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk

 

[TEXASKEV]

I have never heard of a stock knuckel failing! Great point. I replaced my stock one becaus when we installed my RK suspension the guy who drilled out my stock knuckel for the RK drag link flip over sized the hole and the taper insert never seated correctly. We welded it, nothing fixed the slop that it gave my stearing.

I do like the rasied tie rod clearance.

 

[toymaster]

^^^^^^^^

http://www.jkowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59170

 

[usmcdoc14]

The Reid Knuckles don't raise your Drag link any farther than stock. The only thing it does is JUST raise your tie rod. That's it.

I know Reid says "Drag Link is flipped and gains 3 inches of height to perfectly correct the steering geometry for the common 3-4 inch suspension lift; minimizes additional steering correction for taller suspension lifts. "

But, if you read it right and ask anyone that has actually measured the stock drag link mounting point to the Reid mounting point. There is zero difference.

You gain the so called 3" when you flip the drag link on top of the knuckle. That's it. This can be done with any aftermarket flip kit. Currie/Poly/Rock Krawler/etc..

you critique and then answer your own statement in the same post

Reid drag link mounting point IS 3 inches higher than stock mounting point.. (period)

BECAUSE it is flipped.

That is thier statement and it is correct and true, you are twisting it around to sound like they are BSing you.

Ya, you can get that same 3" by getting a flip kit, no one says otherwise, but FROM STOCK you get a 3" raise. No drilling, no sleeve adapters, no nothing, just bolt in.

so from the statement Drag Link is flipped and gains 3 inches of height to perfectly correct the steering geometry for the common 3-4 inch suspension lift; minimizes additional steering correction for taller suspension lifts. There is nothing un-true about it. It is flipped, it is 3" higher, it corrects geometry. :cwm13:


Ok, anyway The other benifit is the the tie rod being higher.


OP: if you just want to correct the geometry, go and get the TRE flip from PolyPerformance and run it. Works great and is an easy install.

If you want to beef your knuckles, raise the drag link and tie rod then drop the cash on some Reids