High steer arm/bolt shear

You can get the same(slightly less stout material, but still hard af) high steer double sheer arms from fourwheelsupply(out of va). I have a pair and although o haven't thrashed them you the set up looks/feels solid. Kingpins aren't made for high steer, the knuckle isn't stout enough unless you get the ried racing knuckle w/ the 5th bolt. I'm using heims and its tight. No wobble. Plus you can space the tie rods and drag link accordingly
 
Here's pics
 

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I have to agree with the stock Dana 60 knuckles not being what they should, (especially Ford) :flipoff2: That was my philosophy when I originally built my current steering. Factory tie rod location being the strongest part of the knuckle was the idea there. The stock gm knuckles I have, which will have high steer for the next few rides will hopefully get me by til I get some solids.
 
XJsavage said:
I have to agree with the stock Dana 60 knuckles not being what they should, (especially Ford) :flipoff2: That was my philosophy when I originally built my current steering. Factory tie rod location being the strongest part of the knuckle was the idea there. The stock gm knuckles I have, which will have high steer for the next few rides will hopefully get me by til I get some solids.
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I think Solid knuckles are where it's at. They are keyed and have 6 bolts. I'm extremely happy with them and the fact that they are less than Reid's is a bonus too.
 
XJsavage said:
I'm about to redo my high steer arms and reattatch the drag link and tie rod to them. I'm going from one high steer arm on the passenger side where only my drag link attatched, to high steer arms on both sides where drag link AND tie rod will attatch to the arms.
Old setup utilized the stock 60 knuckles for tie rod placement.
The arms will be 1"+ thick steel and linkages are 7/8 heims with spacers down to a 5/8 bolt.
I got to wondering which would be stronger, if I was to drill and tap the high steer arms to accept a 5/8 bolt threaded into it or just to drill each hole 5/8 and run a thru-bolt like everyone else?
How would the arms being tapped for 5/8 hold up compared to a thru bolt design?
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You've got a 1" thick piece with a 5/8" bolt, so the threaded depth is much greater than the bolt diameter. Therefore the diameter of the bolt is most important for the shear load, from a strength standpoint. Kinda depends on the threaded hole though, whether the bolt has a clear shank with no threads and if the hole is fully threaded or has a non-threaded section at the top,etc. It would be more fussy to make the threaded hole as strong as a through bolt basically.
I'll agree that the practical benefits of the through-bolt setup is what makes it more attractive versus the threaded hole, as well as being much easier to make a stronger setup, and that's the way that I'd go. But, if you have the material, why not just go with the larger bolt and no sleeve in the Heim?

Mac5005 said:
I also do not know what no companies make a heim with the end drilled and tapped with a grease fitting. Surely there is room on the end to add material to make it strong enough for it?
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There are Heim joints with Zerk fittings, a few companies make them. I've never used them, but I know that QA1 and Aurora both make them.

awww.qa1.net_media_catalog_product_cache_1_image_9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95_c_m_cmz_3.png
 
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Fabrik8 said:
You've got a 1" thick piece with a 5/8" bolt, so the threaded depth is much greater than the bolt diameter. Therefore the diameter of the bolt is most important for the shear load, from a strength standpoint. Kinda depends on the threaded hole though, whether the bolt has a clear shank with no threads and if the hole is fully threaded or has a non-threaded section at the top,etc. It would be more fussy to make the threaded hole as strong as a through bolt basically.
I'll agree that the practical benefits of the through-bolt setup is what makes it more attractive versus the threaded hole, as well as being much easier to make a stronger setup, and that's the way that I'd go. But, if you have the material, why not just go with the larger bolt and no sleeve in the Heim?



There are Heim joints with Zerk fittings, a few companies make them. I've never used them, but I know that QA1 and Aurora both make them.

View attachment 189483
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Looks like a 2 piece heim with no race? I imagine grease zerk is for the metal to metal contact.

I agree that greasing it is pointless without seals to hold any grease.

Just as easy to use spray lube to keep the clean and quiet.
 
Mac5005 said:
Looks like a 2 piece heim with no race? I imagine grease zerk is for the metal to metal contact.

I agree that greasing it is pointless without seals to hold any grease.

Just as easy to use spray lube to keep the clean and quiet.
Click to expand...

That's just a random picture I found on Google.

Here's one with a race.
awww.qa1.net_media_catalog_product_cache_1_image_9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95_v_m_vmz.png


There are seals and boots for Heim joints, are people not using things like that?

awww.midwestcontrol.com_images_products_lrg_1280379947_61059.jpg

awww.midwestcontrol.com_images_products_lrg_1292421483_15518.jpg
 
Seals and boots hold more crud inside against the ball than they prevent from getting in.

As tight of tolerances there are with commonly available quality heims, barnes4wd for example, there is Not much room for contaminants of any size to erode the race. The bigger problem I imagine is when they start wearing and become "loose" then contamination and erosion would be accelerated.

Got a year of heavy use on some of Barnes, 1.25 & 7/8, and no signs of wear whatsoever.
 
So I found some of my tire shake problems over the weekend. (Another thread) When I was putting everything together in the rush to get to Jeep beach Mc Master was out of the grade 8 bolts I needed so I used 3/4" all thread. There was lots of slop and I just didn't notice it until I put the grade 8 hardware in over the weekend. Much tighter fit and helped out with the tire shake a little. I also used an old poly bump stop I had laying around to make a bushing to keep the tie rod from rolling. It seems to work pretty good.

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Damn good angles there!
 
Either way, have some new heims in hand and will be putting the new high steer together soon and 3/4 through bolt on the tie rod. Pics shortly.
 
o_O

WOW! I guess ill never know how, for 4 years, I have beat the holy hell out of my non keyed, ECGS, 4 stud hi-steer arms attached to stock GM spindles with single shear 3/4" bolts thru non booted, 3/4", non-greasable heims, on a full hydro set up with 42" TSL SXs!! (yep, the poly bushings to limit steering link roll is a great idea! Dont have that on my full hydro!)

Anyone who knows me knows I wheel extremely hard. My junk aint no mall crawler! Whether wheel standing at a car crush, beating and banging my way up the rocks of Mason Jar, or using my Jeep as a bulldozer up at the new land. I have NEVER had to re-tighten any bolt or stud on my front end. I have never broken a stud, bolt, hiem, arm, or knuckle. I have never replaced any part on my steering. (Yea, I know...now I will!:rolleyes:)

To sum up and answer some questions here... Don't over think this stuff! Proper choice and installation of fasteners, Attention to cleanliness at assembly. High quality things like heim ends. Proper size and grade of bolts, and lock nuts. Proper torque, (too tight stretches the bolt from elastic deformation into plastic deformation and then it comes loose. You'll have to look that up!) Proper application of locktite where needed. and checking things before you wheel. You will not have most of the issues that plague so many wheelers!

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