Hello! I have been on forums for a long time and have learned a lot from write ups, so I thought it might be time I contribute, plus it gets the new site another thread. So, wish me luck and please offer any feedback!
Last night I decided to finally install a new tie rod and drag link in my JK. After a ton of research, I settled on the Steer Smarts system with their attenuator. I have a 2016 Sahara with a 4.5" AEV lift. As you will see in the pics, it has a few other mods, but this system for the most part will go on a stock jk with either axle jeep offers. The only difference will be at 3" of lift, where the drag link has to go above the knuckle to keep it parallel with the track bar. More on that later.
Before: AEV High Steer Draglink with stock tie rod
And here's the steer smarts system in box. Everything was packaged really nicely. All cardboard, no peanuts. Drag link with attenuator and then the tie rod.
Just wanted to post a follow up. I have had the yeti steering for about a week. Super impressed with it. With the attenuator, I have been trying to find every uneven surface or pothole to run a wheel over. Nice feedback and not jarring at all. I ran it for about five days without a steering stabilizer to see if a wobble would show up, but it never did. I mounted up the new steering stabilizer with the new bracket that moved it up a little from the factory location. Install went smoothly. Finished pics!
Thanks! BTW the new site is soooooo nice! Great job! I haven't had a chance to look around too much but it was so easy to post.
THAT is B U R L E Y!!!!! Like!
Here's my supervisor making sure that the tie rod was torqued to 67 ft lbs, and 77 on the pitman arm.
I have a new steering stabilizer coming, so install on that yet, but I did drive it in this morning without one. Feels pretty stock, just up a lot higher!
I found myself trying to hit bumps on the way to see how much that red squishy thing helps. It does eliminate some of the "snap" you get from the steering feedback through the solid joint that used to be there. After I get a few miles on it, if anybody is interested, I can post more of a review.
Anti seize on all of the joints and ready to install! I took measurements and adjusted everything to as close as possible. To keep the threads equal, I threaded the entire body of the rod ends in, then held one end between my feet and the other with my hand while I rotated the adjuster sleeve on both the tie rod and drag link.
No drill over the knuckle installation was simple, as I had the same thing with my AEV high steer.
In this pic you can see the reverse taper sleeve. I took this before I tightened everything up so the sleeve is clearly seen. So much nicer than drilling out a knuckle. Once the nyloc nut is started, used a 10mm socket to hold it from spinning until I got the joint seated. Then torqued to 100 ft lbs.
Just a track bar on there! (Gratuitous Prorock pic)
I started getting the new stuff ready to install. While I had the stock out, I snapped a few pictures of them side by side. The one thing that the pics don't show is the weight. The Yeti is HEAVY.
I also had a bracket to move the steering stabilizer to a different place that you will see pop up about halfway through. First thing was to remove the tie rod. Driver's side completely loosened without drama. On the passenger's side, the stud started turning towards the upper 1/3 of the threads. I used a bottle jack under the rod end to seat the taper. After getting both of them unthreaded, I spun them each on a couple of turns to keep the tie rod from slamming down.
The passenger side would just flop out after the nut was off. The driver's side needed just a tap on the knuckle and it came right out.
The drag link is also in that picture above. It came off with no issues. The other end at the pitman arm is a different story. Not a lot of real estate up there. I have a pickle fork somewhere in my tool box, but I have heard of a few other methods. In this case, I moved the pitman arm towards the passenger side, took a 3lb dead blow hammer and from the front of the jeep, held it against the left side of the pitman. With a 4lb sledge, I gave the right side of the pitman arm a couple of shots, and it came out on the 5th or 6th try. Just make sure to keep a nut threaded a couple of turns on the stud. That drag link has a pretty good drop and your legs would be right below it.