Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hey guys just wondering if there is a way to get around the draglink fouling on the springs without having to buy that ever so expensive high steer kit.
Did a quick search in the bible and saw the zukicrawlers site using Mercedes arms but not sure if something similar can be used here in Oz???
Any help would be great as i really need to get this project underway and saving up $1000 is taking too long, LOL!!!
Stu.

You can use the merc arms (do a search its on here somewhere) but seriously dude, just save up for the high steer. Put it on the credit card, get a small personal loan etc. its not something you want to take the chance on hey.

X2 hogging out holes and steering off a caliper bracket is dumb and hack, regardless of how close the merc arm is from looking right, or how many guys in the states (or here) have done it.

Save the money and get your car right.

Steve.

x3, if you are going to the trouble of doing a spring over, do the job properly.
Peter.

ps, notice a theme here?

bought the ute with spoa already done but without the draglink.
i am aware that steering is one of the most important parts and was more specifically asking if there was a way, just as safe, to do it cheaper!!!
just wasnt sure how/where the high steer kit bolts on. is it easy to install myself?

Search is also your friend...

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic ... ight=steer

Same thread as above but this was my original drag link dodgy asssss

Putting the kit on is fairly easy if you have the basic tools and have done general mechanical fixes before such as wheel bearings and the likes. You will need a hammer too to get the tie rod of the old knuckle make sure you get it of first before taking the whole knuckle of as its alot easier when its all bolted up to him it a few times

I needed to pull the whole assembly of to get on the new knuckle obviously...

The rubber seel was good and wheel bearings were all okay as well as having no water or mud in there so I just put in new Kingpin bearings with the new knuckle and put it all back together, it doesn't seem to need a wheel alignment but I will get it out for one just in case.

is it possible to use a drop pitman arm and keep the draglink running underneath the spring not having to worry about high steer kit?

Just go the hi-steer. Any other option is ghetto.

Drop pitman arms still don't really work mine still fowled on the spring on flex at full lock..

the "Z" link in the above pics will work but they are not that great and i really wouldnt trust them. i did have one on my car 4 a long time and i didnt steer half as good as the high steer. do it poapaly. its not something u want to stuff up

Unfortunatly a dropped pitmanarm wont be enough.
This problem was a factor in me goin toys + bent diff twisted axles etc..
The highsteer is expensive but not really any other option.
There are ALOT of bad comments about z bars but I ran one for years without probs and Ive even seen them xrayed and engineered but things may have changed now.
Nik

suzistore in perth make a high steer kit too - worth checking out - 08 9250 4650

i was not going to post here, but a couple of things have stuck in my head, (1) being that bolting steering to brake caliper bracket is dumb and hack, has anyone ever seen a caliper bracket brake off. (2) being that there are numerous aftermarket manufacturers bolting there histeer and x over kits to the caliper bracket, is it still dumb and hack? i will be convinced by a single photo and build specs if anyone has one, but till then i'll go with what i know.
jason


DISCLAIMER- i do not support any modification that lowers the safety of any vehicle or effects its roadworthiness or do i encourage any modification that has not been assessed buy a certified automotive engineer

mr green wrote:i was not going to post here, but a couple of things have stuck in my head, (1) being that bolting steering to brake caliper bracket is dumb and hack, has anyone ever seen a caliper bracket brake off. (2) being that there are numerous aftermarket manufacturers bolting there histeer and x over kits to the caliper bracket, is it still dumb and hack? i will be convinced by a single photo and build specs if anyone has one, but till then i'll go with what i know.
jason


DISCLAIMER- i do not support any modification that lowers the safety of any vehicle or effects its roadworthiness or do i encourage any modification that has not been assessed buy a certified automotive engineer

X2
Love my $40 merc arms, never had a problem with them.
My friend has them engineered.
Steers as good as my brothers car with snake high steer, but you can run your tie rod on top of the springs as well.

PS. My merc arms didn’t need hogging out!

Oh, it's not just the merc arms that's the problem, I don't agree with ANY steering that bolts to the caliper bracket. A kit that picked up the kingpin bolts AND the caliper woudl be preferable, as then it's bolted in two planes.

No, I've never seen a caliper bracket break. That doesn't make bolting the steering to it right.

Aerenandmel - you didn't have to elongate the mounting hole on the merc arm to make it bolt to the caliper bracket?

As for runnning two merc arms to lift the tie rod- AFAIK, thay will do really terrible things to the ackerman angle. I am aware of some people (actually, one guy) who supports reverse ackerman for 4WD's, but the reverse ackerman with 2 merc arms will be pretty savage. (i.e the outside wheel will turn much sharper than the inside wheel)

Steve.

Gwagensteve wrote:

No, I've never seen a caliper bracket break. That doesn't make bolting the steering to it right.

Aerenandmel - you didn't have to elongate the mounting hole on the merc arm to make it bolt to the caliper bracket?

Steve.

i believe aerenandmel's car had the arms straightend like the one that was engineered. the ackerman angle will be effected in just the same way as any other HI STEER kit is. but in talking to people with high steer, the ackerman theory does not seem to translate through to the drivabilty.
its not a can of worms, but if something is strong enough, it's strong enough. but this is why i was not going to post because i know what i think is right (and engineered) is not the same view as others.
jason out..

I don't wish to drag this out, but the effect on ackerman will only apply when both merc arms are used to move the tie rod above the spring.

In this instance ackerman is a direct result of the shape of the arms and IMHO the merc arms are not well suited to moving the whole tie rod above the spring.

Heating and bending a part of this nature is pretty fraught as well.

I am aware that some who have played with ackerman do not believe it has a major effect on handling.

Steve.

so after all this bickering does the hi steer kit bolt to the brake callipers or not???
just want to know before i buy one as it sounds like the best option!

See thread above on installing high steer or look at photo below, so no its doesn't bolt to the caliper ........

shit there are some scary conversions on this site....you wonder why rules are gettin so hard!.............