Where can I find the tools and info to FLIP my tie rod above the knuckle.  I assume I will need to find / buy / borrow the correct metric tapered reamer.  What size?

I also assuming that I will need to drill my knuckle out and add an insert.  Other wise the taper would be to large on the bottom.   Is this how the jeep guys are doing it?   What about on the Kicks  

I could step up to a larger taper and a different / larger tie rod.   (Toyota)

What have others found or done?   I need to figure this steering stuff out...

Sounds like a good tech project.

Why do you want to do this? With the IFS, you need to keep the tie rods near to the lower control arm angle as much as possible. Mounting the tie rod on top of the knuckle will cause all kinds of angle and steering issues. Is it for the white one? Have you thought about using a GV rack and getting rid of the parallelogram stock setup? It may be easier.

Hmmm,   I have not seen a GV steering set up yet.  Now thats an idea.

    I'm looking at another Kick.  I have a Pro comp 2.5" suspension, Cal Mini 3" body and was thinking a 1" spacer and my 33x9.50-15 BFG AT's.  But I don't think the steering will allow it.  I have about 2 weeks to figure it out.

At the moment I have an OME supension and 3/4" spacers and 2" bodylift and that clears 33x9.50 BFG MT's with some minor trimming and tapping.

How much lift is the OME?  How close are the tie rods to max angle?   This is encouraging...   Thanks  

I'm afraid if I go to much and I lift a wheel it will pop the tie rod joint.  

Basically what I have on at the moment is the Rocky Road lift  http://www.rocky-road.com/kicksus.html  but with smaller coil spacers. Old Man Emu say their lift will give you at least 1.2" but it can be more like 1.6" plus the spacers. Their struts are slightly longer travel but even they could use strut spacers to utilise all the available travel. Your kit should give you more lift than mine. I was about to add some strut spacers to mine but now I'm about to swap to a Calmini 3" suspension that I just picked up today but will keep my OME struts. You should have a look at Mike H's axle rotation article in the Tech Archive as you will benifit from a spacer for the A-arm if nothing else to prevent binding in the rear.

Oh yeah, definately invest in some camber bolts as they will be needed to correct your alignment......well worth the money.

Where can I find the tools and info to FLIP my tie rod above the knuckle.  I assume I will need to find / buy / borrow the correct metric tapered reamer.  What size?

I also assuming that I will need to drill my knuckle out and add an insert.  Other wise the taper would be to large on the bottom.   Is this how the jeep guys are doing it?   What about on the Kicks  

I could step up to a larger taper and a different / larger tie rod.   (Toyota)

What have others found or done?   I need to figure this steering stuff out...

Sounds like a good tech project.

well it looks like mike has done it. i'm also curious about this mod, and how it would perform on the street.

I run 33x9.5 BFGs with a 3" body lift and 2" suspension lift. I had to cut the corners of the footwells and move them back to gain clearance as well as chopping back the arches. I run 95mm (bit less than 4") of backspacing.

well it looks like mike has done it. i'm also curious about this mod, and how it would perform on the street.

If you look closer you will see that the control arms were dropped 1 1/2 inches to keep the lower control arm angles the same as the tie rod ends. Then a 1 3/4 inch coil spacer was needed to bring the angles back to what they were in the 3 inch form... however now its a 5 inch lift with the angles of a 3 inch.

If you flip the tie rods without dropping the control arms you will get bumpsteer on the street. Off road it will wheel far better though. A couple years back I had the holes tapered both ways. I tapered the hole on top only half way so for street I could still use the lower half of the holes. I got tired of flipping so I made a drag link with 3/4 of an inch of drop in it. That works pretty good, kind of a compromise. I dont notice any bumpsteer with that setup.

Mike

well for me i'm running the 3" lift without the extra weight of a winch, and bumper. so i thought my tie rod angle was off of where it should be. i'm going to take another look at it.

my understanding was that the tie rod angle should be horizontal with the center link to reduce bump steer. i don't suffer from any great bump steer, but there is some present bump steer with my setup as it is.

this is what i love about this site. so many people with real world experience to draw knowledge from.

Actually like mike said it should memic the lower control arm angle and the pivot of the center link should be about where the lower control arm bushing is (But ofcourse this moves with steering.  The closer the tie rod and the lower control arm travel in the same arc.  The less the steering will change with movement of the suspension.

Mike H, sorry but i'm not very familure with Cal Mini's lower control arms.  I don't see where you have dropped it 1.5".   I do see where you have changed the rear hole .5 out to widen the stance / relocate the wheel forward.   Fliping the steering will help get me on the road until I can build and design somthing better.  Thanks!!!  

ANy suggestons as to where to find the correct angled reamer?


Hmmm I've got some Mercades Hi-steer arms to machine for the Sammy, How does the Kick caliper bolt on again???   I've gotta go check that out.  

Hmmm I've got some Mercades Hi-steer arms to machine for the Sammy, How does the Kick caliper bolt on again???   I've gotta go check that out.  

Our Kick caliper bolted directly onto the existing Sammy holes.   We used a grinder to clearance the dust shield.
Here is an image with the Kick caliper installed with the Mercedes arms..

Mike H, sorry but i'm not very familure with Cal Mini's lower control arms.  I don't see where you have dropped it 1.5".   I do see where you have changed the rear hole .5 out to widen the stance / relocate the wheel forward.   Fliping the steering will help get me on the road until I can build and design somthing better.  Thanks!!!  

ANy suggestons as to where to find the correct angled reamer?
 

I cut the frame just ubove the holes for the control arms and dropped it.

The reamer I used was just some tapered bit I bought off the tool truck.

Mike

....snip.....steer arms to machine for the Sammy, How does the Kick caliper bolt on again???   I've gotta go check that out.  

I don't think there is a possible way to get the Mercedes arm in there.

You'll have to fab something which secures to the strut bolts which attach to the knuckle.