Toe-in For 3" Lift On A Ross-box Jeep

I suspect this must have been covered to death, but apparently my search-fu is weak.
I looked up the toe-in for a factory Jeep and it was 1/32"-3/32" but this assumes a factory height where I'm guessing compression or release of the springs should increase toe-in. In the case of lifted springs though as the nose raises it will toe-in but with compression it will toe-out so I'm trying to figure out the best setting to minimize the effect on steering.
No, I'm not going to change the steering box to a newer style.

 

But you really should change to a 1 piece tie rod. That'll eliminate the toe changes you describe, and it's not a big deal to do.

 

I'm concerned that having both wheels turn the same direction with every change in un/loading the suspension might cause even more change in direction of the vehicle than just variable toe. Is that not a problem in practice?

From what I read it seemed like a tie-rod flip might be a good answer for me.
In case it wasn't clear my goal is to reduce how much the vehicle pulls from one side to the other on acceleration and deceleration.

I've rebuilt the Ross box and verified everything else is tight and in good order, replacing parts as needed (new bellcrank, etc.). I really have no other complaints with the steering as it is but this change in direction is... disquieting. I'm sort of amused that it seems a lot more noticeable now that I've replaced all my spring bushings and rebuilt the steering, I think there was so much slop in everything before it was mushy enough to not stand out that much but now it's a much crisper shift.

 

I would adjust it to specified toe-in at rest. With the two-piece tie rods, bump steer will be worse than at stock height due to the increased angle of the tie rods. You can accept however it turns out or substitute a one-piece tie rod. Herm sells a kit, likely others.

 

In my experience, a 1-piece tie rod directly linking both spindles together is superior to the original 2-piece setup. With the 2-piece design, the toe measurement is constantly fluctuating with suspension movement. I suspect a lifted suspenion aggravates this situation by putting more angle on the short tie rods. At least with a 1-piece tie rod linking the spindles, you are taking the variation out of the toe in setting. You can actually adjust and set the toe to a consistent measurement.
-Donny

 

Can you recommend a good one piece tie rod?

 

I also agree that a one piece tie rod is the way to go. You will have bump steer, but it is very managable and predictable where the constantly changing toe is not predictable. It also goes a long way to reduce high speed shaking, because the two piece setup is very hard to keep tight once the angle is severe.

Adding a tie rod flip to the one piece setup should correct any bump steer that you have, but you may decide it is not even necessary. I have a 2.5" lift with one piece tie rod and it isn't enough to really bother me.

 

Which 1 piece tie rod is everyone running ?

 

I think they were sourced from a later CJ, possibly an intermediate with the D30 narrow track front axle. I believe the length is 35 1/2" for the tube length. It is able to use all the original tie rod ends. This assumes you are converting from the original 2-piece setup on D25's or D27's on a CJ.
-Donny

 

35.5" is correct for the D27, but D30 tie rods are wider at 40.5".

I got my tie rod from a postal Jeep DJ5 (2wd). It was maybe an inch too long but there were plenty of threads so it was no problem to cut a little off each end. I retained one of the original tie rods for the drag link. The knuckle came from a gladiator.

 

So I ran the maximum toe-in specified in the manual and it was a bit better, then I removed a leaf from the pack and the increased compliance brought me right back where I started. I considered a one-piece tie rod but after thinking on it decided to go with the tie-rod end flip. For now I can only speak to the process and not the result on the road since I broke my foot a week ago and the Jeep isn't a good choice for my current driving style. The angle of the tie rods is about 1/3 what it was, so I'm guessing about 1/3 the steer effect and I can live with that.
The flip took almost no time, might have been 40 minutes including setup. It took me as long to re-set the toe-in. I used a Snap-on 121 reamer. I know the Snap-on reamer has gotten mixed results but I got a second-hand one for pretty cheap and I think it's absolutely fine for the job, the knuckle cut beautifully. Just remember it's meant to be a hand-reamer so if you do use a power tool to drive it just keep the revs way down. Cast iron sometimes cuts better with and sometimes without, but I did use cutting oil.

Lift front of vehicle (forklift under the winch mount)
Remove both wheels (13/16" socket)
remove cotter pins on tie-rod ends (needle-nose pliers)
remove castle nuts (3/4" socket)
tie-rod separator tool and temporary 1/2"NF nut to break the joints
ream knuckle, keep it under 100 RPM and clear chips often
I measured depth by putting the reamer in the bottom and marking the reamer location, then put it in the top and use it as it's own gauge.
1/2" wrench to loosen the tie-rod clamps (take two since it's a nut and bolt)
Then it's just as the Haynes manual said "assembly is the revers of disassembly"
set the vehicle down and set the toe-in

 

Almost a month of not driving the Jeep after doing the flip, I decided my foot had gotten enough better to give it a shot. I just went down to the local fueling station to get gas and I was almost back to my shop before I remembered that the vehicle was supposed to be squirrely and push the steering around. Nope, none of that! I went for a bit longer drive and I imagine that if I pay really close attention I can detect a hint of the pull but it's little enough that it could totally be my imagination. Similarly, if I brake *hard* it does pull very slightly to one side but not so much it couldn't be the particular stretch of road or my tires. So, overall I'm thrilled with the flip. I did determine I need to lower the axle stop pads about 5/8" to prevent the tie rods from hitting under full axle compression, but I'm happy to trade a little axle travel for safe steering.