Wheeled my vehicle a bit today. Boy do the 4.09 fronts and the GBR 4.11s really suck compared to the 4:70s! With my front air locker engaged it is much more difficult to turn than it was with the rover axle. Why would this be? I would expect the steering to be much better with a much more solid steering system than the factory rover gear. Any way to increase the power output of the steering system without replacing it?

Way

P.S. Strangerover, did you notice this when you did a 44 swap?? What kind of locker do you have up front?

hey way, personally, i believe this to be from your use of one wheelspacer up front. because of this, that wheel travels in a much greater arc than the other. would you run one wheel with 4" BS and one with 2"? i wouldnt. so why is this any different?

Why would it travel in a greater arc? It protrudes from the vehicle the same amount. Please explain more.

Way

see attached image. by adding the wheel spacer to one side, you are moving the entire tire further away from the fulcrum at which the knuckle rotates. therefore, it is like taking one point, and drawing a half circle with a 10" radius to it, and then one with a 12" radius. the 12" one will obviously have a larger diameter. add this to the fact that you run 2.5" (?) backspacing on your wheels, and your tire moves in wuite the arc while turning.

the ideal situation would be when the center of the wheel sits at the exact same horizontal plane as the ball joints on the knuckle. in this situation, the tire simply pivots in its own space, not run in a circle around a fulcrum. see what im getting at?

Originally posted by Way
Wheeled my vehicle a bit today. Boy do the 4.09 fronts and the GBR 4.11s really suck compared to the 4:70s! With my front air locker engaged it is much more difficult to turn than it was with the rover axle. Why would this be? I would expect the steering to be much better with a much more solid steering system than the factory rover gear. Any way to increase the power output of the steering system without replacing it?

Way

P.S. Strangerover, did you notice this when you did a 44 swap?? What kind of locker do you have up front?

All I know now is that with the 3in spacers and the 42s I carnt turn my wheels with the rig sitting still on loose gravel and this is with the front unlocked (You havent heard??? I dont have a front locker. I got that traction control only on the front but I do have an ARB in the rear as well)

Running spacers or low backspacing wheels wont help cause of the arc thing as 9-volt says this is why I carnt turn my 15in wide tyres that have an effective back space of less than 1inch.

Other thing to look at is the gearing of your pitman arm to the knuckle. Maybe your pitman arm is too long or the knuckle too short. First thing to check is to see that you are using the full motion of the pitman arm when you steer from full lock to full lock. If your steering box still has some travel in it at either lock then you may be able to use a shorter pitamn arm. For example if you are only using half the motion of the steering box to go from lock to lock then your pitman arm is way to long. By going to a shorter pitman arm (or attaching the link further out on the knuckle if possible) you will lighten the load on the box.

Sam

Thanks for the information! The vehicle drives great otherwise, but under extreme articulation the vehicle really has to be in motion prior to me turning. I can definately deal with it. Maybe I will investigate full hydraulic later this year. I already have full bracketry on the axle to accept this mod. My PS is leaking really bad as well, so it may be time to get something stronger.

Way

Yup...It's the nature of the beast...West-Texas Off-road had made me an offer to re-build, drill and tap, provide hoses and ram all for half price...(It's his first LR!)...I think that would be all you would need in that the ram would take more stress off the stock box than it had on it with the stock tires...Although Adam, if your going to were I KNOW you'll be going, your gonna' need the full hydro in a year or two anyway! IF you do decide to go with the full hydro, let me know...I've got a source on the GDB whose gonna' set me up with a double ended ram, LS orbital, and all the trimmings for a good price. You've probably seen the post over there...Too lazy to link it right now...

-D

after you do the westtexasoffroad box

you can get the ram from northern for about $80

have the lines made to size and your done

Double thanks!!! I am too lazy to mess with hydro assist, nor would I want it. Full hydro. Go big or go home is what my friends say. You can get self centering orbital valves for road use as well. I will ask more questions when I am able to financially afford the mod.

Way