Short background story then the question(s):

I've got a set of SKY Manufacturing http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/ D44 steeringarms and took them to the local 4x4 shop to have them ream out the front tapered hole on the pass. side arm to fit a ES2026R TRE. The work that I asked him to do was done exactly as I wanted it done, however the additional work that I didn't ask for is what got messed up. He thought he'd do me a favor and ream out he 2nd hole (for the drag link) which fits a ES2234R or ES2010L TRE just enough to let the TRE sit a little lower than the adjacent TRE for clearance purposes. However, just a little too much was taken out and now the TRE sits with just over an 1/8" clearance between the top of the steeringarm and the TRE (without the rubber boot in place).

Here are my options as I see them:
1) Ream the hole in question to fit an ES2026/27 TRE and use that instead of a ES2010L

2) Shave approx. 1/8" off the top of the control arm around the 2nd hole to allow room for the boot and some movement by the TRE.

3) Order a replacement Steering Arm and hope it shows up in time (I need it by Memorial Day weekend)

The Sky steering arms are 1" thick at the mounting studs then are milled at a 10 degree angle where the TRE's mount and are about 3/4" - 7/8" thick at the TRE mounting points.

Would it be safe to take the thickness of these arms down to 5/8" for clearance?

Is there a TRE that has the large GM taper with the 7/8-18 thread similar in shape to the 2010L or 2234R (ie not like the ES2027 or ES2026) that I could use instead?

Or just take him up on his offer to buy it from me so I can get a replacement.

Opinions?

edit - changed control to steering....

steering arm????????????
control arm is a suspension link..........

Originally posted by Booger Weldz
steering arm????????????
control arm is a suspension link..........

Yep, it shoulda been Steering arm. Thanks for the catch.

It's been a long day...

do you already own the smaller tie rod ends? has the tie rod been built yet? if no to both of those, go with the bigger tie rod ends.

memorial weekend is just a weekend. if you have to stay with the smaller tie rod ends, wait and get a new arm.:beer:

Invert the taper from the other side to about 3/4's of the way through the arm. Have him make a sleeve with the 1.5" per foot taper on the OD with a .500 hole through the ID. Make the length of the sleeve .100 longer than the depth of the new taper.

Press the sleeve in from the opposite side with the green loctite. Retaper from the tie rod end side and file off the excess on the other side. The .100 is to give you something to press against and then file off flush on the side the nut tightens up against.

The sleeve takes longer to type the description of than it takes a decent machinist to make. Mine made me 30 of them in about 15 minutes.

I use sleeves like that all the time to invert tapers on knuckles. The nut holds them in from the bottom and they don't really loosen up with the green loctite anyway.

Worst case this is an interim fix that will get you to the Memorial day ride and give time for the new arm to get there.

i thought skys arms were drilled/reamed for 7/8 TREs?

mrblaine - unfortunately I'm not confident enough in the machinist's abilities to have him make the sleeve that you described. It doesn't sound that difficult though.

eb88 - They are set up for use with the medium depth gm taper (I think that's how it's descibed) that the ES2233 and ES2234 TRE's use. However the ES2026 and ES2027 use the same taper but are a little deeper.

Anyone know a sure fire way of getting ahold of Sky? I left a message last night, emailed this morning and there is no answer now. Is there a person to ask for when I do or is it a one man operation?

Can anyone shed any information about the ES113 L&R TRE?

The following is all I've seen about it:

ES113 L & R - (.760) big taper $50

Anyone use this TRE??? If it is the large taper as it says I could have the hole enlarged (even more) and use this.