Superunner steering in phase?

fender · Aug 8, 2015

Hi guys, I just installed my superunner steering kit and it looks decently flat with no modifications done. After reading 4x4 junkies write up on how the angles of the steering needs to be in phase with the axle beams I noticed something looks off. It almost looks like I don't have enough lift for the skyjacker brackets. Compared to others I seen it looks like the steering sits right in front of the drop bracket bolts. Any idea why mines not and if it will make my steering wacky? Thanks!

fender · Aug 8, 2015

Another pic

4x4junkie · Aug 8, 2015

Indeed your suspension's ride height is sitting lower than it should be (coils not providing enough lift for your brackets).
See this article (bottom half of page, under "DIY"):
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/winter2008/steering_tech.htm

That steering is definitely not in phase with the suspension, and will become more out of phase after you raise the ride height (your tie rods need to be inline (parallel) with a straight line between the beam pivot to the TRE at the knuckle with the truck sitting at normal ride height). My estimate is your centerlink will need to be dropped down about 1.75 - 2 inches.

4x4junkie · Aug 8, 2015

Looking here, you can see the point where both your tierod and the suspension (axle) are in-phase (red dot) is way above your tie rod's connection point to the knuckle. Lowering the centerlink would bring that point down so that it sits right atop where your tierod is at static ride height (minimum amount of bumpsteer).

fender · Aug 9, 2015

Thanks for the advice 4x4junkie I really do appreciate it! Unfortunately I really don't want to lift it anymore so I'm kinda stumped. I had tuff country axle pivot brackets before and I had no problems with my ride height. I measure the tuff country compared to the skyjacker and the skyjackers are about an 1 1/8 longer from mounting surface to highest bolt hole. I'm really thinking about going back to the tuff country's. Does anyone else have any problems with the skyjackers brackets?

4x4junkie · Aug 9, 2015

Should be no issue switching out to the TC brackets. What are they, 3" lift brackets? (probably will only need to drop your steering centerlink down about an inch in that case).

As for the Skyjacker brackets, they are built very sturdy, I think almost no one (including myself) has had any issues with them (if that was your question). TC's brackets OTOH, I have seen a few issues with cracking, though they're easy enough to reinforce/make wider if you got a welder.

fender · Aug 10, 2015

Yeah I've seen them crack first hand! Sadly.

fender · Aug 10, 2015

They advertise them to be used with a 4 inch lift. And the skyjacker can be used with a 4 inch as well from what I was reading. I measured both different brand of brackets and i found some interesting info. This explains why my ride height is so different with the same coils and different brackets.

fender · Aug 10, 2015

The skyjacker bracket is quite a bit bigger for some reason.. Its has about an inch more drop.

4x4junkie · Aug 10, 2015

Looks like if you rotated the built-in camber adjuster on the TC bracket 180° it would then about match with that of the SJ bracket (and is probably how TC specs theirs for 4" lift). The way you have it positioned makes it effectively a 3" lift bracket.

fender · Aug 10, 2015

Very interesting. Do you have any pictures of any reinforced brackets? Ideally the tuff country? I'm thinking I might take the tuff country's into a machine shop to have them beefed up, but it would be awesome to have some examples.

4x4junkie · Aug 11, 2015

I both reinforced and widened the Rancho brackets on mine.
You can see in this pic how the bracket now extends down the front crossmember a ways much like the SJ bracket (there's a bolt for it not visible directly behind the steering idler arm).

The Rancho bracket for the passenger beam was a mere skeleton of steel as it came, I boxed the whole thing up so it's all solid and doubled up the mounting flange so it's 3/8" thick.

Not sure that 2nd one helps for yours, but hopefully gives some idea how to go about it.

Also I had saved these of someone's busted Superlift bracket (I forget who... BloodBane maybe?)

bobbywalter · Aug 11, 2015

the only ones i have not fawked up were the ones joel made me....

this is in stock form...beefed brackets usually work fine.

i wa leaning towards a streamlined complete beefed k member to run a ttb style one ton setup till i got the vms brackets.

if your modifying the brackets you may as well make them to specifically work to your steering goals.

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Superunner steering in phase?

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