Tie Rod End Size

[MadMax78]

How do I figure out what size tie rod end I need? The drag link is custom made but the tie rod end does not fit the nuckle. Is there an easy way to measure and figure this out?

[AwesomeJ10]

what knuckle?

what threads on the tie rod?

[MadMax78]

The knuckle is from BJs offroad. It is their crossover steering kit. I emailed BJs but they wouldn't tell me what size tie rod i needed but they would sell me another one for $50. Said it was proprietary to the kit and they couldnt tell me the size. Well since it wont fit the custom drag link the original tie rod end is of no help. The threads are the ones that screw in to the knuckle end tie rod end. I just want to get the strafing fixed so I can drive my jeep to work in safety.

[AwesomeJ10]

Many TRE's are 7/8" fine thread.

[Tad]

So just to get this straight.
You need the TRE that goes on the knuckle end of the BJ's drag link that came with the kit where I have the image linked below?



You do not have the old parts?
Do you need the long one or the short one?
If you have the old parts, have you checked to see if you can flip it around and compare fitment?
I assume the knuckle is still on the vehicle so you can't just drag it into a suspension shop?

If you can clarify some of the above I'm sure a match can be found.
That all looks like basic steering components.

[MadMax78]

Correct I need the short tree that mounts to the top arm on the knuckle. The issue is I no longer have any of the tre's in the picture. I had to have a custom drag link made and the tre's are to small. The nut bottoms out on the threads before the tre seats in the arm. The tre can be moved around by hand even though the nut is tight. I have been looking for the old drag link but cant find it since I moved. Id go back to the shop that made it but do not trust them now. The drag link is very stout but the tre doesn't fit. The thread end of the tre looks to be an inch in diameter. I just want to get it back on the road

[Tad]

Ok, this would be my plan.
Unless you changed something to do with the pitman arm (i'm not talking about a DPA, that has the same taper size as the stock pitman arm) I would find a stock left side FSJ TRE for the pitman arm side of things.



That's the Moog part number I pulled up on RockAuto there above.

I've helped install that knuckle and kit on several rigs (I actually like that kit) and we never had to touch the pitman arm (as in tapering it) so that end must be the stock FSJ TRE size.
I wouldn't run out and buy the Moog TRE, what I would do is find a used stock one and see if it matches up with the taper in the knuckle.

If it does you now know the size and thread count. I like to build my own drag links so knowing the size and thread count you get a left, a right, some DOM tube and weld-in inserts along with the jam nuts.
Any decent place like Ballistic or PartsMike can set you up with those pieces.

I'll look around here for a used one, might have one at work if not here.
I know I have an adjusting sleeve, walked past it yesterday.

[MadMax78]

Ok. I found the original drag link and will try this tomorrow after work. I did however add a washer to the current set up and it did tighten up the steering some. I still think I need a larger tre though. The steering is still loose but not as bad as before. What else can I check other than the drag link? Currently it is a SOA with TT's Fab SOA Shackle flip kit, with 4" lift. It has a dropped Pittman arm as well. I would like stock springs but have to work with what I have for now.

[Tad]

Well, let us know how that goes.
I did find two TRE's.
A stock short FSJ TRE with an adjusting sleeve.
My original D60 TRE with adjusting sleeve (still connected to D60 bearing cap).
The D60 TRE is a little larger but looks like the same adjusting sleeve.
I have them both soaking now, I will try to get some calipers on them to measure if I can get them apart when I get back from work today.

[MadMax78]

Well when I got home yesterday I had a surprise waiting on me. My wife had a friend of hers leave dinner and my favorite beer for me. My favorite candy and several 4x4 Mag's were waiting by my chair. Wife and kids are out of town visiting family. What a great start to a great weekend. Worked on the jeep for a good while. Figured a few things out. First I need new tre's. Second, I need a new tie rod since I'm still running the original. Third, the draglink tre on the BJs knuckle is larger than all of the others. I tried it in all of the other tre holes and it doesn't fit. It only fits the one spot on the knuckle. The original tre I tried is to small in the top tre hole for the draglink. It's odd that the one tre wouldn't be the same size as the original. I may be in luck.

There are two Moog joints that I am working with. Hopefully i can find out what the one i need is from and get another one. I am good to go other than needing all new tre's and a tie rod. Man i love spending money on this thing.

[Tad]

These are the two I was able to work with.
Top is from my D60 at the '78 GM pitman arm, it is larger than the FSJ one at the bottom.

I'm not sure what location (drag link or tie rod) the FSJ one came from but it does fit a stock 74-91 FSJ pitman arm.
They are both left hand thread and the adjusting sleeve will interchange between the two, 3/4" fine thread.

I can't find my digital caliper but looking at the wear marks where the TRE's bottom out, the D60 is 7/8" and the FSJ is 3/4".

[MadMax78]

Well I have it all back together. No luck on that special tre for the draglink. Numbers on top don't mean a thing. They don't cross reference to another tre that I can find. No worries though. Ill find it. I did however put a few lock washers on the tre's and it did tighten up the steering some. I need new tre's all the way round now though. Question: would it be safe to use rod ends or heims to make steering linkages from for a rig that is driven on the road? Just curious since I could use rebuildable ones.

[Tad]

Question: would it be safe to use rod ends or heims to make steering linkages from for a rig that is driven on the road?

I think there are as many opinions about this as there are running FSJ's.
My take would be that if they are sized and built correctly for the application, using quality parts, then you would be fine.

There will probably be someone that brings up the legal aspect of this, DOT, DMV, etc.
I can't speak to your area but in AZ there are a great many rigs both big and small that run this way. We have a ton of rules and such here but the reality is if it doesn't have parts falling off of it at intersections and you don't drive all crazy like, our local LEO's have more important stuff to look for.