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Turning the 1990 ranger 2wd tie rod/drag link assembly upside down, make left/right and right/left...????


corerftech

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So I am looking to relieve the congestion for a v8 swap on the 83-92 series 2wd, doent matter what kind of stupidness is desired to be up front.... suffice to say the steering box is in the way.

I have been dialoguing with BobbyWalters regarding a late 70s Bronco 4WD tall box mounted to the outside of the driver frame rail. That moves the steering shaft away and the box, both and clears up lots of space.

But being cheap (which is why a Mustang II IFS is not being deployed but is the best solution)...... I began to look at the drag link and tie rods that are OEM. The drag link is BENT around the crossmember for travel and positioning of the pitman arm in correct location. I envisioned flipping the entire assembly right to left. So the drag link to pitman arm ball is now on the passenger side.
I havent disassembled the front end of the project truck to attempt to at least dummy it in place.... but its seems geometry stays the same.

The corrective matter will be to fabricate a new drag link to feed the passenger side. I found many 4WD trucks just like that. Straight tie rods from left to right, with a link on passenger side to a drag link that then ties to pitman arm.

I looked today and it seems that either way a steering box would need to move forward on the frame rail toward bumper. This would put the drag link (fabricated) well in front of the tie rods and the cross member and woudl probably be an angle of as much as 20 degrees to the tie rod coupling.

No option I have found using any steering box on the 2WD front end will put a pitman arm in the correct position and thus having an adjustable LONG TRAVEL drag link pulling/pushing from box to PASSENGER side is required.

BobbyWalters truck has just that. But its also an SAS converted truck. So things dont directly apply. Ill post a pic and a drawing of both what I have and what I would like to attempt.

I would be willing to fab a completely straight tie rod from splidle to spindle as long as it clears the crossmember in travel. But I believe there will be interference for sure (Ford would have made it straight) and the factory parts already have a proper bend and relief on left and right. The new drag link will stick out in front like a sore thumb but I have the opinion, who cares.

Any thoughts? I also envisioned (being cheap as the Bronco box is about $400 delivered!!) adding a steel box outside the driver frame rail so that an "inside mounted" stock box could be installed "outside" the frame. Like a C-channel that the box bolts to, then the flanges of the channel bolt to the outside of frame. it would also allow up and down adjustment of the box to suit the relocated steering shaft (over the top of the upper spring cup) and the pitman arm geometry. A fabbed chuck of steel is cheap compared to $400 box. I really need that steering box moved.

The hypothetical is a new method for a 5.0L engine to be installed, mitigating the oil filter relocation (I am pretty sure) and header clearance.

The steering box will be driven by a Volvo electric pump so I really open up the driver side of the engine bay for some business to take place.

Thanks in advance for the input.
 


corerftech

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I figured out the term is a Y-link steering arm, found often in off road trucks using GM 1 ton ball joints and tie rod ends.

That is what Id like to somehow adapt to the stock 2WD front end

Maybe a better question:
Is it possible to ream the spindle TRE socket to fit a GM 1 ton tie rod end???

If that is possible then I can play tinkertoys with GM 1 ton parts to assemble a new steering rod and drag link assembly to fit my needs...
 
Last edited:

scotts90ranger

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The problem with changing the geometry is with I beam suspension, if you did like the solid axle guys do the toe would change every time the suspension moves (in an EXTREME way)... I didn't read through everything above but there's bound to be a simple solution... since you are going with a different steering box your links are going to be different anyway so if you reamed the spindles for the bottom to take the bigger normal tie rod ends and made up a link with a pivot toward the middle you should be fine, won't be perfect through the whole suspension travel but on a street rig you don't use all of the suspension travel anyway :)
 

bobbywalter

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That won't work.


You use a full size long side or stock with extended sleeve when using an outside of rail box with ttb or tib.

The Saginaw box has potentials.
 

bobbywalter

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sawzall?
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Chapap

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I thought the drag link was the rod that connects to the pitman arm… if so, it already goes to the right side. Left inner tie rod end connects to the right (drag?) link. Connection isn’t in a geometrically good spot tho. Do something like this guy did if you’re doing the work anyway. This seems to be about as good as you can get as far as geometry goes.

 

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