Installed the J60 steering box, used 8mm backing plate and sleeved the frame.

i think i mounted it a bit to far forward, coudl the bigger angle between the drag link and the tie rod cause problems?

(just using the J40 TRE for testing will use J60 TRE when i complete the install)

Sounds like a good opportunity to move the front axle forward!!

I'm sure someone can tell you from experience if that'll cause problems with your drag link angle..

I would think that at the very least your steering is going to feel odd. Seems like there will be a point in there where you're binding it up to some degree.

TJK

As for the binding don't really know what you mean by that, but i can easily turn both wheels until they hit the bump stops, by rotating the steering shaft by hand when the wheels are jacked up.

I guess as long as it takes a consistent amount of force to rotate the steering shaft, you're ok. My thought was that this force might vary due to (mis?)placement of the steering box, and thus you'd have to work harder to turn the wheel, depending on the relationship between the drag link and the tie rod.

Sounds like you're ok.

TJK

Calculated the angle inbetween the tie rod and the drag link, it's about 8° (if my calculations were correct :D ).

If I jack up the wheels and then turn the steering shaft by hand, the wheels turn from bumpstop to bumpstop without binding and the amount of force i have to apply is consistent, so I guess it should be ok.

Next thing I need to do now is install the steering damper, is it really necessary to run one of these? This truck won't be a trail only truck, it's my daily driver too.

I ran my FJ60 conversion EXACTLY like that for a few months and had no problems with it. You wont notice anything. The steering box boosts in one direction more than the other anyhow and no one notices that...

Because of the forward facing pitman and forward facing steering arms on the knuclkes the angles of the tierods really does not change much and should not bind at lock if it is not binding when straight ahead. this is the bonus of the FJ60/scout setup over the more common saginaw. Watch a saginaw drag link some time.
I could not locate a pitman arm flat enough for a spring over so I junked that stuff now that I am SOA... Scout box with wagoneer pitman arm...

-brett

how do those fj60 boxes hold up to big tires?...i'd be running it w/ 36's on the fj45...i have the typical cut the hole in front xmember p/s on my 40 and im looking for something different and a little cleaner looking for the 45...is it comparable to saginaw steering? how many turns lock to lock?

Aren't you concerned that when your axle articulates that your spring will hit the tie rod end?

Diesel, Dude you got'a keep from eating those Meatball sandwiches so close to the rig! Either that or you hit a elf on the way home from the pub the other night. (Look for a small pair of shoes stuck in the tire tread):flipoff2:

Originally posted by Cruiser Ken
Aren't you concerned that when your axle articulates that your spring will hit the tie rod end?

Yes, I am, for now I am going to run a big ass bump stop until i find a flat pitman arm that fit's. I've been told that the J 75 and J 80 pitman arm are flat, and will fit the J60 steering box.

The J40 pitman arm is will also fit, but is angled up, what about cutting it in half, reversing it and then weld it back together?
Problem with that is that I don't knwo what the pitman arm is made of, is it steel or cast?

Originally posted by helocat
Diesel, Dude you got'a keep from eating those Meatball sandwiches so close to the rig! Either that or you hit a elf on the way home from the pub the other night. (Look for a small pair of shoes stuck in the tire tread):flipoff2:

Well the truck got a little pissed of when one to many said to it: "hey, nice J@@p", it wen't out of control and ran over and kept doing burnouts on the guy until nothing but a bloody piece of meat was left!! I should clean it up before the cops are on to me!!
:flipoff2: :flipoff2:

(BTW, that was power steering fluid)