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It's all fun and games till someone breaks a knuckle...

Ron84cj

Engine nerd
Lifetime Member
City
West Bend
State
WI
My knuckle broke while I was doing some winter wheeling. I had a spare and got it all together. But my tie rod tube bent, so now is a good time to upgrade. I read a few threads regarding this on a couple forums but nothing recent. They were from 10+ years ago. I thought I read somewhere that the rugged ridge tie rods are hard to get? I don't want to have to buy a whole kit every time a tie rod goes bad. Thoughts? Suggestions?
IMG_20200222_155525.jpg
 

Ron84cj

Engine nerd
Lifetime Member
City
West Bend
State
WI
Maybe I missed it on their website, but what tie rod ends do they use?
 

spankrjs

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Biloxi
State
MS
Maybe I missed it on their website, but what tie rod ends do they use?

Look at my link above. OK4WD uses stock CJ rod ends. Rugged Ridge uses something that is impossible to find.
 
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Spieg

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Aurora
State
CO
I've been told that Moog makes a TRE that will fit/replace the RR units. Sorry, no part number, but I bet if you asked around, you can find it.
 

spankrjs

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Biloxi
State
MS
I've been told that Moog makes a TRE that will fit/replace the RR units. Sorry, no part number, but I bet if you asked around, you can find it.

They make one of them, but not the other. You need Right hand and Left Hand. Moog makes one, but not the other. I even emailed Moog, they no longer make the one side :shrug:

That's why I don't recommend the Rugged Ridge kit. The RR rod ends are crap, I wore them out in 10,000 miles. Then, you have no choice but to buy crap replacement parts from RR. When I bought all four replacement rod ends from RR, it cost me $200. Mine were till under warranty, which they proudly talk about, but they won't cover the rod ends, no matter what :shrug:

Tie rod/drag link tubes that use the stock CJ rod ends are the best way forward. Easy to get spare parts. :twocents:
 

wm69

Scrambler Junkie
Silver Member
Lifetime Member
City
God's Country
State
AR

barrys

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
East Norriton
State
PA
Looks like you might need to call about the tirerod. I couldn't find it on his website.
 
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barrys

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
East Norriton
State
PA
To bad JKS stopped making their F1 steering setup for CJ's. I have one and it is supper beefy. Shame is it has been sitting on a 4.56'ed ARB dana 30 with a Warn hub conversion that has been in my shed waiting to be installed for over 20 years now. I can't even find any info on it online I have had it so long. Got a 44 in my 8 now and a Dynatrac 60 in the same shed so doubt it will be used anytime soon:shrug:
 
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CJ8Rockcrawler

The FABLED 8
Lifetime Member
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
I've been happy with the setup from Chassis Unlimited. I have a Dana 44 front though. I can't remember if they make a setup for the 30 as well, but it is worth checking out.
 

Jeeperdd

CJ-8 Member
Silver Member
SOA Member
City
Gordonsville
State
VA
They make one of them, but not the other. You need Right hand and Left Hand. Moog makes one, but not the other. I even emailed Moog, they no longer make the one side :shrug:

That's why I don't recommend the Rugged Ridge kit. The RR rod ends are crap, I wore them out in 10,000 miles. Then, you have no choice but to buy crap replacement parts from RR. When I bought all four replacement rod ends from RR, it cost me $200. Mine were till under warranty, which they proudly talk about, but they won't cover the rod ends, no matter what :shrug:

Tie rod/drag link tubes that use the stock CJ rod ends are the best way forward. Easy to get spare parts. :twocents:


I've been told they are dodge durango parts. Not 100% sure that accurate though...
 

spankrjs

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Biloxi
State
MS
I've been told they are dodge durango parts. Not 100% sure that accurate though...

Maybe so :shrug:

When I researched this last year, and contacted Moog direct, they no longer made the part :shrug:

This is what I found:

"Rugged Ridge tie rod ends use a 7/8" threaded portion, the part that threads into the tubes. Well, they advertise it as 7/8", but it is actually M22x1.5. The tapered part of the rod ends is supposedly the same as a stock Jeep CJ. Moog still makes/sells one of these rod ends, I believe the LH version. Moog used to make the RH version, but they do not anymore. I spent all day last Saturday looking through old paper parts store books for replacement RH rod ends with the spec's I needed, I could not find any. The only RH stuff I could find would have the correct tapered part spec's, but they would be attached to a drag link, or are the drag link. So, I had to order replacements from Rugged Ridge. Not the end of the world, but I do not like not being able to buy off the shelf replacement parts.

One other "issue" - looking at the spec's for the Moog LH version, on all the important tapered part stuff, it was not a 100% match for stock CJ parts. It was close, but not exact. The LH version of this rod end is the same as a 2005 TJ rod end at the pitman arm. If you compare the spec to this rod end to a stock CJ end, there are some differences. Rugged Ridge sells these rod ends a direct replacement for all their HD steering kits, i.e. Cherokees, TJ's, and CJ's. But, they are not a 100% match."
 

wm69

Scrambler Junkie
Silver Member
Lifetime Member
City
God's Country
State
AR

Belizeit

CJ-8 Member
Gold Member
City
River Ridge
State
La
So I'm in for a new HD Tie Rod & Drag link to flip. Any good suggestions ? I just got off the phone with Jim Crabtree.
 

Belizeit

CJ-8 Member
Gold Member
City
River Ridge
State
La
So, I take it he's not selling his setup anymore?
He is. Just figured I would ask what others have used and what the results are. He is a one man operation. He will make up what I need. Has a narrow track ready to go though. Really nice guy and gave me the info I wanted. Not a lot of requests for the CJ items and hard to compete with the Chinee junk. He is going to put a price together for me
 

designerRob

CJ-8 Member
Silver Member
City
Allen Park
State
MI
He is. Just figured I would ask what others have used and what the results are. He is a one man operation. He will make up what I need. Has a narrow track ready to go though. Really nice guy and gave me the info I wanted. Not a lot of requests for the CJ items and hard to compete with the Chinee junk. He is going to put a price together for me
Cool. I use his spring hangers. And they are stout!
 
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