I posted in the non-hardcore section with no answer. I have searched. Hope this hardcore enough. I have a pair of ford dana 60 crane high steer arms that I have to get machine and drill for tre ends. I know you machine them to 10 Degrees. My question is where is the best place to drill the hole to place the tre? I read a couple Ackermann articles but all the tie rods arms are facing behind the axle and mine are in front. To get perfrect ackermann the tie rod/steering arm would be in the tire if i am right. My other question is dose it matter if the pitman arm drag link is behind the tie rod that goes from knuckle to knuckle. I ask that question because the i am planning on running this style setup in the picture cause my steering tube hits my track bar bracket with my 44 high steer arm now and my axle is already foward on my xj. I do drive this to the trails. Just looking for the best setup for turning radious also.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Steering/Steering_4/Dcp_3480.jpg

You have to match the throw on the pitman arm with the travel of the high steer arm. The travel of the high steer arm is completely dependent on where you drill the hole. Measure the throw of your pitman arm and then translate that to your high steer arm. For your other question, the setup in the picture above is screwed. The draglink cannot crossover the tie rod like that. What happens when the suspension cycles? The tie rod will hit the draglink.

for correct ackerman, you may very well have a theoretical hole placement IN your tire. since you obviously can't do that, place it as far out as possible, but still not interfere with your tires. otherwise, get wheels with different backspacing.

and as Kyeroc said, setting up steering like in that image you posted promotes bad steering geometry because you're drag link needs to be at a bad angle to not interfere with the tie rod.

can you put the tie rod behind the axle? this will allow you to set it up with correct ackerman and better drag link placement?

Yes, the measuring of the pitman arm is a quick way to get close. Good enough most of the time


Your Dana axle has 40* of motion, as Spicer wrote somewhere.
The pitman arm should take full advantage of the axle movement, and push the steering knuckle into the steering stops.
Too far out on your arm and you will not hit the stops, to far in and it increases leverage.
(Hint: First check the steer stops and move them so the U-joint doesn't bind)

Too far in on your arm and you will not hit the stops, to far out and it increases leverage.

no.

when talking about the hole in the arm and its distance from the axis the knuckle turns on, too far in and you have no leverage, too far out and you will not hit the stops.

no.

when talking about the hole in the arm and its distance from the axis the knuckle turns on, too far in and you have no leverage, too far out and you will not hit the stops.
Yeah, I should read it before I posted.
Simple mistake.