Stonecrusher type steering

[legoms013]

The stonecrusher setup is way cheaper than what I paid for any single iteration that I have run.....Any one setup of mine has cost around $450.

Tubing, tapping, machining, milling wrench flats: $ 150
Two TRE's: $65
Two DRE's: $$80
Used Superlift stuff: $100?
Reamer: $80
Tap to mod centerlink: $35
Misc, Jam nuts, cotter pins and hardware: $30

Total for just K-link setup: $550 plus tax & shipping.

Granted most of the stuff transfered over when I switched setups, there was always stuff that didn't and ended up as waste.

Also note that I suggested finding a superlift kit used, cuz they are stupid expensive new...Like over $400 for shiieeet you have to modify right out of the box to begin with...

 

[AaronC]

Lego, I can't see the picture for your current steering.

My single swing steering consists of..

Steering swinger tabs and bushing-$170
6 7/8" heims, spacers, bungs-$250
Grade 8 hardware-$40
1.75 .250 for tie rods-$60

Grand total-$520 give or take...


I want to look up this superlift kit out of curiousity.

 

[legoms013]

Aaron I will get a better picture up tomorrow if I can remember.

The Superlift kit as it comes in the kit is basically garbage, and requires some modifications to be durable and have replaceable parts. Where it shines though is the way that the pivot points are located and the equal length tie-rods.

 

[NMB2]

Probably stopped cause I brought some issues up to him. Check my Build thread or my post in the steering section of this forum. I got a set up from him a few weeks back on am having problems with the bolt for my drivers side link and saddle catching on the Drivers side axle pivot bracket. When you turn the one side or the other the links are so long that they push towards the axle. Here is a pic of my problem.

Other than that this thing is vary stout and you won't be sorry. The tube is 1 1/2 .25 wall and the thread size is 3/4 with 3/4 heims. Don't forget that you need right and left hand threaded taps and heims.

how hard does it push into the bracket? If its only slight, you could put steering stops in, that would be an easy remedy.

 

[4x4junkie]

Modified Superlift kit:

A K-link setup (shorter tierods) makes a small compromise at the extremes of travel vs. swingset or crossover steering for a little more simplicity and better durability (not necessarily of a Superlift kit, but of the K-link design in general). Built from DOM and Chevy TREs, I think a K-link has the potential to be more durable than anything else used on a TTB.
Stonecrusher's design is even simpler still (no CL & idler arm) and is the most forgiving of any height mismatch at your beam pivots, though I don't think it would exhibit quite the same durability IMO, though still far better than stock would be.

Like Legoms said, the SL kit is woefully ill-engineered at the factory, but modded it works decent on a crawler/trail rig/DD (just don't hit it's thin tierods against any rocks lol).

 

[legoms013]

how hard does it push into the bracket? If its only slight, you could put steering stops in, that would be an easy remedy.

When my stonecrusher copied setup hung up, it would lock up so bad that it would deform and temporarily bend the tubing until it slipped over. The bolt, saddle and drop bracket all became rounded over real quick. And if that side of the suspension was compressed, it was real hard to get the tie-rod unhooked from the drop bracket.

Bottom line, on mine it was scary to drive, always wondering if you were going to have to do without steering at all or possibly bust some steering component.

Plus the bump steer was horrendous....made the truck jump half a lane at freeway speeds to the right, and the nose of the truck would waddle left and right as the suspension cycled up and down over wavy terrain.

Here are some more pictures of my superrunnner with bigger tie-rods and the chevy rod ends:

The two inner joints are chevy high angle, double pivot draglink ends (DRE's) and the outers are the regular chevy TRE's.

Not the best pictures sorry. Next up is to mod the center link down 2.5", and cut/tap so I can run a replaceable RBV tie-rod end on the pitman arm connection.

As far as heims vs tradition TRE's, TRE's are better for lots of driving on the road (but require reaming of the knuckles) whereas the heims will wear out faster and produce noise when they do (not to mention slop). It is however easier to drill out the wholes than to ream for the chevy taper. Then again its all about trade offs...

 

[4x4junkie]

Was gonna say, looks like you didn't mod your centerlink yet (tierods are way up there).

That's exactly what I plan to do to mine (the DOM tierods & Chevy TREs). I've bent my d-side tierod twice now (bowed slightly, though not real bad). It's only a matter of time before I break it lol.

Legoms, were you using a normal drop arm or the FA600 arm when you did your stonecrusher-copy setup? (wondering if thats why you had so much bumpsteer with it)

 

[legoms013]

Yeah I hope to have some downtime in the near future to finish the centerlink mods, after that my steering will be done and just how it needs to be for the foreseeable future.

When I had the stonecrusher style on there I was using a FA600 (reamed for a chevy DRE). Now I am running the traditional FA400 (coupled with the superlift centerlink, the tie-rod pivot points are the same elevation that the FA600 put them at).

The SJ FA600 didn't drop enough, and I think thats why I had so much bump steer (if you look back to picture 1 I posted, notice how high the draglink angle is). I am at a true 6" or 6.5" (I can't remember lol) of lift with my 8" SJ coils; the bumper and winch combo help sag it a little (no spacers) but its pretty tall. I realize "I've asked for it" by being so tall, but I am pretty happy with the way it drives and don't think I will lower it down any. Once I finish modding the CL I'll be set till the day I do a SAS

 

[The_Dealer]

Will the pitman arm affect the stonecrusher type? I can make the whole thing for around 120 bux, but I have a standard drop pitman. Will I need to put the stock back on?

 

[legoms013]

Depends on how much lift you have. Most likely keep your standard drop arm on there.

 

[4x4junkie]

Will the pitman arm affect the stonecrusher type? I can make the whole thing for around 120 bux, but I have a standard drop pitman. Will I need to put the stock back on?

Ideally EVERYTHING needs to come down the exact same amount your lift is tall (if you have a 4" lift, then the FA600 drop arm would match that perfectly).

However the Stonecrusher setup is somewhat forgiving of up to about a 2" difference between the lift and pitman arm, but more than that and what legoms mentioned will become more pronounced.




And FWIW, the Superlift centerlink is on the same plane as a standard drop arm (such as the FA400). It's definitely nowhere even close to where it should've been.

On this truck the centerlink is dropped down an even 2". As you can see, it's still not perfect with the 6" lift w/8" coils, but has proven to be acceptable.

 

[legoms013]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^My steering should look JUST like that, if not a hair flatter (in respect to the tie-rod angles) due to my heavy nose and me dropping the centerlink 2.5". If I'm measuring right, It'll be pretty flat. I can tell already that the bumpsteer has worn my the square edges off my new KM2 in a matter of about 5,000 miles

Back when I had bout 4.5" of lift, on 4" bracketry and 4" coils, the FA600 worked great. Drivabilty and bumpsteer was minimal. I really wish the aftermarket had come out with more viable options to help all the TTB guys out there that have given it a bad name because of a lack of attention to the steering issues when lifting a TTB equipped ranger/BII.

Had there been a mass developed swing set or centerlink kit made in maybe 2 configurations (mmmm maybe a 4" and a 8" version) that properly addressed steering issues and retained almost factory driving characteristics (as well as being beefy and trail proven) I would have bought it the day after I put my original 4" lift on. Would have saved countless people many many headaches.

OP, for heims and bungs I recommend RuffStuff's stuff, their prices can't be beat. They even carry DOM and even chevy TRE's if you want to go that route.

 

[dirtcowboy]

I haven't had any issues with my 2nd hand stonecrusher setup.
I installed it like this at first
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4934&stc=1&d=1304994721

After some discussion on improper mounting
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4935&stc=1&d=1304994721

Either way, no bumpsteer, great steering response, no wander at all.

 

[legoms013]

^^^^^^^^Looks as if your pitman arm is perfectly matched to your drop bracket lift height, as is key to proper driving characteristics. Looks good

 

[The_Dealer]

Is there anyway to tap dom and use explorer tre's and use a heim to connect the two rods? What size tube and taps would I need to go that route?