Whats the purpose of the high clearance crossmember? Just cause or what?

 

i think for more clearance....

 

Right, but most people just ditch it all together. You don't really need a crossmember there on the 98+ Rangers. Thats why I was asking what his intent was.

 

you really believe you can just remove the whole crossmember with no other substitute? thats news to me! but when i was taking a look at its positioning i noticed it was a fairly weak mounted member. i believe it is primarily there to give support to the arms not the frame due to its fairly weak mounting welds. i would feel more comfortable if one was there, because there isnt a whole lot of support under those frame rails but the stock just isnt going to clear. i imagine once i do up the front of the frame the engine crossmember may be a little overkill.

 

does anyone know how you bleed the toyota ifs box without a bleeder on it? would i just loosen the nut on top in the middle to relieve air?

 

Drive around, and do figure 8's in a parking lot. Lots of side to side turning lock to lock.

 

dont adjust that nut on the top~!~

hook up all the lines, jack the truck off the ground and fill the tank with Mercon V, then turn the wheel lock to lock (roughly 25 time, keep track of the fluid level) And once you do that it will have bled all the air out. I have done it hundreds of times.

 

I put two crossmembers in, one on the lower part of the frame and one on the upper, that helps support that steering box on the drivers side frame rail. What most people do not realize is that the drivers side frame twists like crazy when you turn the wheel back and forth. When that frame twists all the time it weakens the metal over time. Also something to note is the force on that drivers side frame rail at the pan hard mount. I have heard of several people reporting that the frame has cracked around their mount. I am not sure if this has to do with the welding heat on the frame or just the overall weakness on the frame???

 

cracking or twisting doesnt surprise me at all in this situation, i will very likely support the area as you describe. thanks

and thanks about the box, i was starting to wonder about that..

 

ive been really looking at the suspension i want to run and honestly a simple leaf front end is all i need and has been the center of my whole project for the long run. in general it beats out other suspensions to me because i dont have a full time shop to tinker and tune things for months down the road, i need a suspension that can take care of its self and just work for me. the downtime of the structural aspect of the build is minimal. i need this vehicle up and running as fast as possible when i start it.

im going to start asking about steering, i can imagine with a leaf front end and no high steer knuckle for my steering, im going to run into binding with the passenger leaf running a crossover type steering.

i plan to create a steering link that represents the idea of the one from this link Rugged Ridge SUPER HEAVY-DUTY Steering Linkage Kit - Jeep WRANGLER TJ 1997-06, Jeep Cherokee XJ 1984-01, Jeep Grand Cherokee ZJ 1993-98 (6 CYLINDER ONLY), 18050.82

this system uses a special TRE for the pass. knuckle for a direct connection of crossover. this system would be very effective for a coil set up, but my pass leafspring is going to be a problem with any lift over 5"...

to resolve this issue would it be practical to create a bend in my link to clear under the spring to get my flex and full steering?

here is a slightly accurate home brewed picture of how im thinking to resolve my crossover issue

im just not sure about how the difference in lengths and angles would affect the steering capabilities

 

i suppose you could bend it but gah! not in favor of it at all.

 

btw i really think with your skills you could setup a coil spring suspension with your knowledge and skills. dont settle for leaf spring unless you are set on it!

 

haha if only i had that kind of instant skill. i really want some kind of coil but i just cant justify the added time to make it all up and the added trial and error that comes with a coil setup. especially now, since work is getting so busy all of a sudden. im not complaining about the work but i cant keep tinkering with my stuff excessively when the boss is in lol. im pretty happy with leafs, im sure it will be alot better then not having 4x4 at all. but then again ive changed my mind about suspension 5 times so far lol, but as soon as i start gathering specifics it will fall together. like i said before, its not going to be a monster truck of any sort..

 

About the crossmember, I have the front hitch in there which I have assumed was sufficient, I mean, its much more beefy than the factory crossmember. I hadn't noticed any kind of twisting or any movement at all while having someone else turn the wheel. I've also been somewhat worried about the track bar mount, but I've kept a close eye on my mount and so far there have been no signs of bending or cracking there. I'll have to keep a close eye on it though, its surely got some huge forces on it.

BTW I think you're definitely proficient enough to do a coil setup dude, its really not as difficult as some people make it sound!

 

ya this is what i was thinking about also, if i end up bracing the frame at the front for a shackle crossmember it will be 10 times stronger then factory, but there is still a nasty length of frame that is unsupported and you are bound to get some flex on a dry steer or hung up on a rock. some quick made tubular support would be all you would need under the engine to save you any grief. but probably not as crititical as i was out to believe.

 

leaves suck, not the because of the springs and how they react, but because its a giant ***** to figure out steering. I wouldn't ever do it again unless I was planning on running full hydro.

 

Don't use a bent drag-link and don't use an inverted-y setup from a jeep. Just get a crossover steering bracket and run the drag-link over the leaf packs.

 

Thats because you have a pink hummer in your avatar. Otherwise it would have been easy.

 

i just seen the one from BTF and the mount is really overkill for my app, and i was pretty fixed on running a tre for steering.

i thinking now to build a tall bracket on the drag that clears the leaf tucked close to the pass, tre

i would build it to clear steering obviously..

like so..

 

like this Dana 30 High-Steer System by Teraflex and Other Jeep Parts and Jeep Accessories by 4 Wheel Drive Hardware If it clears your leaf.

 

yea but that is way overkill in price, i was figuring i would do a high steer knuckle swap but i cant justify it yet.

the btf piece is reasonably priced, and would most likely be just what i need to use my original knuckle. im just not sure about using heims for the steering..

 

is there not a drivers side support for the heim? or is all the new meat just on the pass knuckle with the btf piece?

seen here..
Dana 30 High Steer Knuckle for Jeep Wrangler (87-06) Blue Torch FabWorks, Inc.

 

it is just single shear on the drivers side, bore it out to 5/8s and bolt it up. I am only running single shear on my Dana 60 build and you will only have single shear on the pitman arm anyway.

 

yea yea yea.. ok its not hard, just expensive and you still have limited up travel, atleast I did. I never really saw how yours was done.

 

i just came across this link and posted it here, i guess bending a drag link is far from ideal lol. something told me it just wasnt gonna cut it.. lol

https://www.ranger-forums.com/f19/sc...8/#post1606571