[Slinky]

Working on high steer on my Samurai axle using Mercedes-Benz arms and I encountered a small problem: won't be able to use the stock tie rod unless I keep it in its stock location (kinda defeats the purpose of the mod). So I'm thinking I could drill out the taper on the new arms and use rod ends. This is probably way too much effort since I already have Dana 44s and they're going in this summer. Is this basic design (see sketch) okay? Or have I overlooked something critical? I know misalignment angles on the heims matters.

I'm trying to eliminate my funky "z-link" drag link. Maybe I should just re-bootify the drag link by welding on a Jeep TRE for the pitman and be done with it. If it breaks....motivation to get the Danas under the Zuk that much sooner.

Oh yeah...I have XJ power steering now, hence the "jeep" TRE

 

[kd7srj]

which year and model of mercedes are you using my buddy pulled some at a salvage yard and the holes were too close together


thanks

 

[Rockrat]

Looks ok just make sure the tigh rod clears your springs or is that the problem you ran into.

 

[yager]

ok hacked pic sucks but basicall use a toy, passanger side tre (side with hole) and taper that to take #2 jeep TRE and keep it all up top. I think parts mike sells a "special" jeep-ish sized already done like that.

Depending on pref. you could make drag link go to knuckls like a TJ or keep the Tierod the solid piece (like my cool pic) might be enough to hold ya over.....

im not sure if you could drill enough to get a chev 1ton tre in the to do the same thing.... but toy ends are similer to zuke sized only a little bigger,,, ya thats it...

-yag

 

[Slinky]

which year and model of mercedes are you using my buddy pulled some at a salvage yard and the holes were too close together


thanks

70s or 80s. Not sure. Big battleship 300-ish model. You have to egg-out one of the holes to make it fit.

 

[Slinky]

Looks ok just make sure the tigh rod clears your springs or is that the problem you ran into.

Yes, that's the problem. It ALMOST clears. The MB ends as installed (the only way they can be installed) have a taper tha forces the tie rod to be under instead of over.

 

[MuddMachine]

Why dont you try Sidekick TRE's ? wont have to drill jack shit.

 

[scwafish]

If you do use heims I would also go bigger than .5 inch...especially in single shear.

 

[Joe_W]

Shit...I thought the Mercedes arms worked without major problems....but they don't?

 

[UZI 9mm]

Shit...I thought the Mercedes arms worked without major problems....but they don't?

If by chance you haven't seen this, poke around and check out the various threads and posts. There is most of the info people are questioning here, buried amongst the replies/links.

(now I just hope my gnarly computer skillz did this right.... )

http://bbs.off-road.com/ubbthreads/...d=allposts&Main=957194&Search=true#Post957194

 

[Slinky]

Shit...I thought the Mercedes arms worked without major problems....but they don't?

It's probably much less trouble on a more stock Sami. The keys to an easier install are a 4.5" SPOA (my home-spun SPOA using trailer perches is probably closer to 5.5") and (perhaps) Sammy leafs up front instead of the CJs I'm using.

I overcame the problem tonight....

I bent the tie rod in my press and the TREs now point up enough to just barely clear the leafs with no weight on the springs. Plenty of room when the springs are slightly flattened from the weight of Slinky.

Tie rod looks something like this now. I will run a truss across the bottom this weekend.

 

[Joe_W]

If by chance you haven't seen this, poke around and check out the various threads and posts. There is most of the info people are questioning here, buried amongst the replies/links.

(now I just hope my gnarly computer skillz did this right.... )

http://bbs.off-road.com/ubbthreads/...d=allposts&Main=957194&Search=true#Post957194

Yep...thats why I was thinking it was a fairly straight-forward swap and this thread confused me.

 

[Slinky]

Prediction: the tie rod will break the first time the trail pushes the front tires one way and I want to go the other. But it's not going to break where I modified it. It'll break at the threads for the toe-in adjuster. Reckon I'll start gathering heims and such