Shorten Turning Circle On Comanche?

[johnj92131]

Wondering what I can do to shorten the turning circle on my long wheelbase Comanche.

[GirsMJ86]

Make it four wheel steer? Honestly not sure what you could do since no matter what you're going to run into the tires hitting something and might only be able to gain an inch max by going to small tires. I know when I even just had 31" tires on my SWB '91 I had to put longer bolts in the turn stops because at full turn they would rub. Turning radius didn't bother me though since it was still smaller than my other vehicle at the time, an '86 K10 long bed. If you really want a shorted turning radius, get a YJ ot TJ since not even a SWB MJ is small. Maybe someone else will chime in if I'm mistaken.

[Eagle]

Maybe someone else will chime in if I'm mistaken.

 

Nope. You are correct. And, aside from the fact that the lower control arms limit how far the front wheels can turn, the steering stops are set pretty much at the same point as the internal limits on the steering box.

 

If you can't make the front wheels turn any sharper, the only option is to shorten the wheelbase.

[johnny quest]

i heard that a pitman arm from a WJ can work with some work, and will give you more steering angle, as its a longer arm. cannot confirm this though

[johnj92131]

Thanks for the response.  Kind of what I thought.  Oh well.

[Tom Tom]

_{A trick in the XJ community if you want to be able to turn your front wheel further, and tighten your turning ratio. A 98 Durango gear box will do this for you. It is a direct bolt in. Also rims with better backspacing will help with the rubbing. I have seen guys use wheel spacers to push the tire out and prevent rubbing ,but that always seemed unsafe to me.}

[mvusse]

i heard that a pitman arm from a WJ can work with some work, and will give you more steering angle, as its a longer arm. cannot confirm this though

You're still going to hit the steering stops on the axle, though.

[mvusse]

_{A trick in the XJ community if you want to be able to turn your front wheel further, and tighten your turning ratio. A 98 Durango gear box will do this for you. It is a direct bolt in. Also rims with better backspacing will help with the rubbing. I have seen guys use wheel spacers to push the tire out and prevent rubbing ,but that always seemed unsafe to me.}

 

WRONG!

 

The Durango steering box is stronger than a Cherokee or Comanche one, but they don't steer any further. Some can actually steer the same amount, but most have to be modified internally just to match the limits of the stock XJ ones.

 

Less backspacing might help keep the tires off the control arms, but can cause problems with the tires hitting the fender flares. Aftermarket or WJ lower control arms will help keep the tires off also, but as noted above, you're still limited by the steering stops on the axle.

[Rockfrog]

 

_{A trick in the XJ community if you want to be able to turn your front wheel further, and tighten your turning ratio. A 98 Durango gear box will do this for you. It is a direct bolt in. Also rims with better backspacing will help with the rubbing. I have seen guys use wheel spacers to push the tire out and prevent rubbing ,but that always seemed unsafe to me.}

 

WRONG!

 

The Durango steering box is stronger than a Cherokee or Comanche one, but they don't steer any further. Some can actually steer the same amount, but most have to be modified internally just to match the limits of the stock XJ ones.

 

Less backspacing might help keep the tires off the control arms, but can cause problems with the tires hitting the fender flares. Aftermarket or WJ lower control arms will help keep the tires off also, but as noted above, you're still limited by the steering stops on the axle.

 

x2 ... I avoided the Durango box on my XJ as I didn't want to lose turning radius. Most get the turning radius back buy modifying the box internally, or running a longer pitman (SJ).

 

to the OP ... The problem you face is your are still steering a long truck, trying to turn the wheels tighter just isn't practical, they already turn tight as is. Although I always wondered how tight you could get before snapping a ujoint in a parking lot? :dunno:  :D

[carnuck]

First, check for tie rod slack. Then check your toe-in. More toe-in will cause your tires to scrub but it will corner tighter, albeit with much shorter life span.

[92tanMJ]

I'm not sure why Tom Tom is yelling..but like everyone said he is wrong and it WILL LOSE turning radius with the Durango box. I run wheel spacers on my MJ with no issues. It does rub on the LCA anyone but sometime it will run on the inner fender area, but a hammer fixed that. IMO cherokees and comanches have great turning radiuses. I can do a Uturn easily in a 3 lane road no issues and almost, like a tire in the grass, can make it on a two lane road. I personally don't know of a truck with a better turning radius than an XJ or MJ.

[Oyaji]

IMO cherokees and comanches have great turning radiuses. I can do a Uturn easily in a 3 lane road no issues and almost, like a tire in the grass, can make it on a two lane road. I personally don't know of a truck with a better turning radius than an XJ or MJ.

:agree:.

.

My brother drives a Honda CRX, a shortened 2-seat version of the already small Civic. He is astounded that when he makes a full-lock U-turn, my (bone stock) 4-door Cherokee can follow him every time, with only a slightly and hardly-noticeable greater turn radius!

[Tom Tom]

sorry not yelling. Every time I get on here I have to play with the fonts. The gearbox thing was what I have read about and many people claimed you could get a 1/4 turn more . No one told me you have to mod it. Thanks for the info

[Eagle]

sorry not yelling. Every time I get on here I have to play with the fonts.

Why? The default font seems to work just fine for everyone else.