earl*t

Thanks Don. I'll look into it. Any insight you can offer will be greatly appreciated. Which why? By the way, this Jeep will not see salt, maybe sea salt, but definitely not see salt.

"Man Bling" :jump: You slay me Oyaji! Let me first state that the deed has been done, $ wise. The unit is just waiting for a home. Excellent point on the dissimilar metals. I'll coat the threads with a generous amount of anti-seize. I agree that we're not that far off on our goal. The 17s I'm running are equivalent in diameter to 32s. Pretty close by my standard but probably a mile off by engineering standards. :dunno: I've been trying in earnest to follow the path of enlightenment those helping here are leading me. :thumbsup: To this end, I understand that all the components were engineered to work together for efficiency, reliability, and so on. Now that I have lifted and installed larger tires, I've compromised the original design of the steering system. This much seems elementary. My solution to correct this issue as stated before is overkill and expensive. I know it is possible to accomplish this correction much more cost effectively, but hey, I can't take it with me. For the sake of argument, lets call the draglink/tie-rod assembly a done deal and move on to the associated steering components. While I'm at it, I may as well go all the way. Next is an aluminum track bar ................ :teehee: Please, you have to know I'm just kidding!!! I'm looking toward a JKS track bar, Kevin's Offroad (KOR) steering brace, steering stabilizer, and sway bar mounts. I think (need to do more research) I'll mount the driver's side tie-rod over the knuckle utilizing a Goferit kit. ~ http://www.kevinsoffroad.com/cart/xj-front-adjustable-track-bar-4-lift-normal-shipping-p-1164/ ~ http://www.kevinsoffroad.com/cart/hardkor-steering-box-brace-for-8401-xjs-powdercoated-p-839/ ~ http://www.kevinsoffroad.com/cart/hardkor-replacement-steering-stabilizers-xjzjtjyjljjk-outstanding-death-wobble-resistance-p-417/ ~ http://goferitoffroad.com/products.htm

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Well guys, since our buddy is most generally a reliable chap, one can only assume he went off the deep end and ended up institutionalized, or incarcerated, or both. :hmm: Come on brother, where's the love?

Hey Zag, have you been working on a bunch of beers again? :laughin: Thanks for ALL that information. :eek: Actually, I rely on these smiley guys so as to not come off as a smart___. If you can't see a fella grinning when he says something to you, or hear the inflection in his voice, how could you know he's joking? Or in the case of your previous post, when you can't see the blank stare on my face, how would you know I don't have a clue what you're talking about. And you couldn't hear me snoring because that post was so long that I fell back asleep. Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z :rotf: Thanks Don! Now, back to the topic. You guys have no idea how much I rely on your information. The problem is determining who knows what there talking about and who's just full of hot air. I plan on keeping my MJ for the duration, so I want it right. Some might say, leave well enough along. Few of us here do. But, what is right and here do you stop? That's my dilemma here. My vision for the Eliminator was to freshen up the appearance and keep it reliable. In that vein of thought, I presumed that the ride high would be more pleasing to the eye if it were raised a few inches. That would also allow larger diameter wheels and tires as is the current trend. I want to keep the frontend solid, maintain good ride quality, and protect the investment of expensive tires.

Nathan sounds far less burley than Zag. :laughin: So, are you an auto mechanic or an auto tech? :hmm: I know...I have a twisted sense of humor. What is your professional opinion? 2WD, 3" lift, 17" wheel/tire combination. The Currie is the same "y" configuration as stock. And a wise fellow once told me that if you never may a mistake, your not doing enough work.

:clapping: Genius! Why would I wait until I had a problem. I much prefer proactive solutions that eliminate potential issues. Your welds are "machine like". Assign a value and I'll assist in your R&D. Multiple units can expedite the testing phase. :laughin:

Hel-lo-ooooooo? Hey buddy, you're killin' us here. You've, or dare I mention the painter, created an atmosphere of anticipation never before experience at the club. Don't forget the family, throw us a bone.

:agree: http://www.currieenterprises.com/cestore/product.aspx?id=1219 http://www.ironman4x4fab.com/Products/TR.html http://www.ehow.com/info_8454718_7075-aluminum-specifications.html There are probably sites with more and better information.

BOB, HEY BOB!!!! IT'S TIME BOB.?????

I'll leave failure risk analysis and vibration cycles to the professionals. Currie is a widely recognized, reputable, and well established California company directly tied to the automotive aftermarket. I could spend a lot more time reviewing and researching but I feel quite confident they have those bases covered. Their product description is very specific regarding application and this item is a direct replacement requiring zero modifications. Woooeeee! This is exhausting. :nuts: I will concede that Ironman Fabrication is a newer and smaller operation. However, I doubt they're randomly building and offering substandard parts. If anything, this exercise has only intensified my determination to prove the worthiness of this upgrade.

If I may borrow a quote from Shoutbox, @ Texas77 : (22 October 2013 - 09:01 PM) I like this place. It has some funny people. :rotfl2: I mean absolutely no disrespect gentlemen, I'm quite enjoying this exchange. Please indulge me. Oyaji, self evident conclusions can be rather subjective and perceived clarity can also be...well, unclear. I'm a simple man, guess you've figured that out by now. I don't dispute anything you've stated. Having said that, self preservation is a high priority for me and that's why I'm attempting to build the safest MJs I can. Since you're comfortable with stating the obvious, I'll share that the marvel at your finger tips can, if utilized, expand your knowledge of 7075 aluminum. I perceive that your intentions are no less than honorable. Lastly, I promise that I won't try to fly my Comanche. Man, I sure hope you have a sense of humor because if you don't, I'm willing to bet that with your computer skills you could instantly obliterate me. :rotf: This light hearted jabbing is only intended as a mechanism to become better acquainted. Zag, I'm not sayin anything provocative to a guy named "Zag". I fear that anyone named Zag could inflict serious bodily damage. :thwak: My intention was to install this assembly on my current project, a lifted 4X4 MJ. I'm now giving consideration to cross over steering, making the Currie/Ironman unit available for something else. I figured I may as well beef up the 2WD. This (7075) aluminum is at the top of the aluminum scale in strength and is surprisingly heavy, as far as aluminum is concerned. Even though I'm not an engineer and don't claim to know much about metallurgy, I believe the structural integrity of this piece to be of little consequence. My Overland MJ has the Currie tie-rod assembly installed and has stood up to many (in the neighborhood of 30,000) demanding off-road miles. Adding the 7075 aluminum tie-rod only makes a claimed 200% stronger than stock assembly even more reliable. I had hoped the direction of this thread to be more along the aesthetic observation Ben made. Oh well, who knew there'd be greater emphasis on the question of strength and application. :dunno:

You're talking about metal fatigue here. Failure is on a logarithmic scale, which means that the difference between hundreds of thousands and millions of cycles (and more) between failures is a very small increase of material. For steel at least, proper design can offer infinite fatigue life at very small cost in weight/fabrication/money... I don't know if that holds true for the many alloys and heat-treatment states of aluminum. :hmm: Oyaji... what in blue blazes are you saying? Sounds like engineering mumbo jumbo, but awful glad you joined in. :thumbsup: You've laid out some interesting facts, threw in some variables, and summarized with a conundrum. :rotf: Since I started this craziness, please allow me to mix it up a little more in the quest to build a better mouse trap. I'm running 17" wheels and tires on my 2WD Eliminator. I rolled the spare next to my 32" BFG KM2s and there about the same size. Ok, since this topic has migrated into the stress/fatigue realm, it seems to me that either tire would exert the same stresses on the steering system regardless of whether the vehicle is 2WD or 4WD. Obviously off-roading would introduce additional stress, but for the sake of comparing apples to apples, it stand to reason that the 2WD would benefit equally as well from a steering upgrade. I know the initial response will be overkill and expense, so if possible please dismiss at least the expense element since the assembly is already staged on my work bench. Make sense?

:crossfingers:

Check, check, and check. I'm strictly a four wheel guy but I must concur. My twin brother is a bike guy. I wish he could have attended the Overland Expo with my wife and I. I was surprised to see as many or more bikes in attendance as conventional rigs, if there is anything conventional about them. Alex, it's all good! :thumbsup:

What if you're into both Don? :doh: And Overlanding. :yes:

:agree: Relyt :agree: Eagle :agree: Hornbrod :agree: Griz Aftermarket support for the 92 HO!

"Ridiculous" you say? That seems a little harsh from a guy who just pop over 6Xs that for an upgrade. I did however ask for opinions. Our MJs in and of themselves are a sort of bling. We just have different levels of expendable resources. It's not just the tie-rod, it's the entire assembly. Specifically to the investment, my research indicates the average cost of the Currie Currectlynk assembly is only about $19.00 less than the Currie/Ironman 4X4 Fab's assembly with the memory metal upgrade. From that perspective and by also adding a sweet "Government Shut Down" discount, I think it's a good investment.

Thoughts? CURRIE CURRECTLYNC® TJ/LJ/XJ/MJ HEAVY DUTY TIE ROD SYSTEM WITH IRONMAN EXTREME DUTY 7075 ALUMINUM TIE ROD Click pic for a high-resolution photograph Select Jeep Model: $20 Flat-Rate Shipping 1986-1992 MJ Commanche $499.00 USD1997-2006 TJ Wrangler $499.00 USD1997-3006 LJ Wrangler $499.00 USD1984-2001 XJ Cherokee $499.00 USD This kit features all the great aspects of the CE-9701 but utilizes the upgraded 1.5” 7075 aluminum tie rod made in house at Ironman4x4fab.com. This material has proven itself time and time again to be able to take more abuse and bounce back than any other material used in the industry. DOM steel, Cromoly and 6061 Aluminum can’t even come close. The tie rod shown with wrench flats is how it will appear when purchased with this kit. This is pictured on the Redlyner Racing TJ That has competed in multiple off road racing events and after continually bending the Currie tie rods in extreme situations they started using our replacement with 0 failures. Keep in mind the standard tie rod offered with the Currie kit is a great rod but being made from solid cromoly it will stay where it is bent to. The 7075 will bounce back to it original state. This comes as a complete kit.. Part Number: CE-9701-ALU.

:agree: Darren went down, I went up. http://comancheclub.com/topic/12649-earlts-89-eliminator/ Choose your poison.

I had mine replaced on my '89 and '92 Eliminators. The answer to your inquiry is "nothing". My buddy (auto/body tech) removed the trim mounting studs on the 89. It wasn't necessary.

Good luck with your project Rudy. :thumbsup:

Agricultural... :hmm: Is that "tractor-like"? :dunno:

Man, that MJ is a fine example of a southern kept truck. The extra expense initially incurred in purchasing will be saved many times over in restoration cost and time. The subtle touch of color in the striping compliments the trim package, tying the exterior nicely to the interior. Oh, and the chrome... :thumbsup:. Here's a source for the weather striping: http://teamcherokee.com/weatherstrip/ Let me be the first addict to say, "More pictures please".

:thumbsup: