moving axle forward with stock steering

[twomorestrokes]

Anyone do this successfully? I was planning on moving my front axle forward 1 1/2" with zero rates under 4" lift springs but heard that you can't without going to crossover steering. ORD says you can by cutting the drag link. Anyone doing it this way? Thanks.

 

[Cucvnut]

I moved mine forward but i did cross over steering.

 

[prairie]

I moved mine forward 1" with the zero rate, and had to cutoff the ends of male threaded portions of the drag link to get things correctly adjusted. Worked just fine.

 

[tagjeep]

I moved mine forward, and lifted it 2" with fullsize cherokee springs.
Dont know exactly how far forward it moved it,I would guesd at least 1.5"
all I did was use the adjuster to make up the differe
nce

 

[Sharecropper]

Moved mine forward 1" to help clear the fenders and shortened the drag link, however the steering geometry was horrible, so I installed crossover.

 

[ODdave]

Im curious, Why not just go crossover?

 

[Sharecropper]

Once you experience crossover steering, especially in a lifted truck, you will come to recognize and appreciate the improved steering geometry. My M1028 will turn tighter than my friends new Blazer. I can park it at Wal-Mart without backing up and "getting straight".

Hope this helps.

 

[1ton cucv k5 turbo]

Ditto with Sharecropper... Crossover is the way to go.....

 

[Cucvnut]

going from push pull to cross over on one of these trucks is like night and day the turning radius is insane you can turn way better than you ever could with push-pull steering.

 

[twomorestrokes]

Thanks for the help and opinions on the steering. I wanted to limit the down time and get the truck drivable again quickly. Not to mention the money aspect. Sounds like I had better be planning on crossover setup as a near future project. Since the pitman arm is backordered the switch may come sooner anyway. What year 2wd steering boxes fit?

 

[ODdave]

I can show / help you with a low buck cross over if your interested. Biult many of them.

 

[twomorestrokes]

That's a great offer Dave! You are certainly close enough. I should probably just be thinking about switching direction now before messing with a temporary drop pitman arm that's on backordered anyway.

 

[Cucvnut]

Any year 2wd steering box fits its just either o ring or flair fitting on the box.

 

[Skinny]

I have 4" springs with a dropped pitman and I have to trim the draglink joints because my threaded adjuster is at minimum length with the steering wheel still offcenter. I can't go any shorter with this combination, I couldn't imagine how bad it would be with a zero rate up front on top of things.

It handles and steers fine for a big floppy fullsize truck. I don't wheel mine very hard so crossover is not priority now. Will be one day. I do have to clearance my fenders with 37's though.

I would avoid at all costs pushing the axle forwards with the stock push pull setup if you actually will go offroad with it. You will be very unhappy with not steering in one direction when flexed out, having unwanted steering input, and possibly breaking a relatively weak steering arrangement.

 

[ODdave]

Keep your stock box. I'll show you what to do so you don't have to take the box off.

 

[1ton cucv k5 turbo]

ODdave... do you by chance any pics of your steering mods?

 

[ODdave]

Yea. there in a thread here somewhere. I will have to see if I can find it.

 

[ODdave]

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/cucv/65186-new-guy-lift-question.html

 

[Cucvnut]

You change the sector shaft on the box dave?

 

[ODdave]

Yes, I used the one from the dodge that I get the pitman arm from. You have to pay attention to the ratio though, There is a fast & slow. The teeth on the shaft are different. Just make shure you get the right one, set preload and your good to go.

I chose to go this route because I knew my box was good (pistons and seals) and its far cheaper than a re-man 2wd.