Long Travel BS Thread

i picked up a lot of tie rod shit from summit racing to correct some bump steer, im sure you can get extended tie rods from them. I've learned a long time ago to search outside the desert community for parts.

 

after hearing shitty reviews on the gopro roll bar mount, i decided to go with this one



i can now get some suspension footage

 

why is your steering failing?

 

Where did you get that attachment at?

 

OK here's the rundown. I hang out over hear alot but I am from the midwest. Most of my wheeling is midwest and east coast stuff which traction sucks. Sometimes its wheelspin sometimes its bumping whatever it takes to make the obstacle. Ever since the install I have had several issues with the steering kit (never stuck due to proper spares)

1. The spindle adaptor "bolt" disintegrated the first time I removed them, well not the bolt, just the threads. Had to get new ones. Courtesy of All-Pro.

2. Clevis bolt that holds the clevis to the rack end broke. Figured I hadn't properly torqued so oh well, I bought another when I got back home. Made one from some parts at the hardware store. Major PITA if you are familiar with this overly complicated bolt. It has three shoulders and a recessed head to help clear the inner heim. Bought 2 @ $20 a pop

3. Broken clevis bolt again. This time the Tie Rod is bent slighlty as well. Ok this time it was torqued properly so not my fault. Installed spare and ordered a replacement when I got home. 1 @ $20

4. Those familiar with this kit also no there are no steering stops, the rack acts as the stops. Problem is the bolt for the clevis which attaches the inner heim bottoms out on the end of the aluminum casting which is the rack housing. Beats the fuck out of it would be more appropriate. No bueno

5. Replaced all the heims, even the impossible to find 1/2 bore-3/4" heim. Regular maintenance as far as I am concerned but wanted to eliminate the shock forces acting on the steering components. ~ $110

6. Last trip out whatdya know, broken clevis bolt. Spare installed. This times I am pissed because I cleaned up the face of the clevis, end of the rack and properly torqued and loktited the bolt when installed. Also got it straightened as well in my bender, so that was ruled out as well. New boots were installed and the D.S. got torn again. Also the end of the rack housing gave up as the steering stop and cracked out the top of the housing. Not past the seals so I keep wheeling.

Now I decide to go back to stock T.R. and use extenders. Installed spare rack this time as well. I have one extender from my spares and order two more. Finishing up the install for a new years run and find out they sent me FJ extenders not Tacoma. So I call All-Pro (always had great service) and wa told no problem they were in stock and would be to my door in two days.

Get a call last night from Kurtis saying the had the bins switched explaining how I got the wrong ones, but now they had none to send me. He called the machine shop and was told mid next week for another batch.

So no here I am. One extender in hand two needed. Local maching shop will be at least one hr time at $75 to make one. I could save a few bucks if I find one somewhere.


All the issues with the steering lead me to believe something is inherently wrong with the geometry of the kit. I have cycled the suspension without the CO and all seems fine, but when going up a ledge and fully drooped something is changing in real life. The fact that the TR bent tells me a joint was bound and supporting the suspension at droop from the TR.

Anyways, I like the kit, it takes hell, shit breaks, and I just wanna wheel. Didnt want to jepordize the new rack again with the HD steering. Hopefully the stock holds up better.

Thanks and hope they can help!

 

Thanks for explaining your issues, I've experienced one of those as well - the bolt at the spindle end constantly rotating every time I'd impact a rock or something. My solution was to drill out the hole in the spindle and use a regular bolt, without the misalignment spacer. Now I don't have any problems keeping my toe in alignment, even when I'm bouncing off rocks and jumping the truck.

I haven't experienced any of the full droop issues, and with how often I jump the truck it definitely hits full droop a lot, and under a lot of force.

 

Take apart your inner cv...does the shaft look like this:





Because soon it will look like this:



And an update...making my own extension...no local machine shop can cut the male M16x1.5 (Metric fine thread) portion of the assembly, and only one had the tap, so he is making a portion of it and I am going to use a bolt (which no one stocked either so Fastenal will have one here in the am) along with the machine shop piece to make the extension.

Crisis averted. Thanks for the suggestions. I couldnt wait to call Kartek because it would have been 11 am here before they were open and I needed to get something moving.

On another note the one shop I tried specialized in threaded rod and specialty thread yet could only cut a M16x2.0 thread wtf

 

Hmm, makes me think about throwing on some limit straps. Well that and switching out to a Camburg or TC kit; but that's more because I wante boxed lowers, secondary shock mounts, and more travel.

 

All pro doesnt strap their kit?!? What limits the travel? Looks like its your axle?

 

x2...no straps?

 

Quoted from their [All-Pro] website:

"Coilover Shocks
All-Pro Off Road offers either Walker Evans or Fox Racing coilover shock packages that are specifically designed for use with our Long Travel kit. Instead of using a generic 8” travel shock, we have them built to the correct length with internal stops, eliminating the need for limit straps. Both systems feature race-inspired 2.5" body high quality coilover shocks, springs and upper mounts that fit into the factory towers."

And to be fair I was running Donahoes with a top spacer from all-pro before I switched to their Fox Shocks. Since I switched I broke that axle but the damage may have been from the other shock combo. I will pull this one apart since it has only been ran with the "correct" shock.

Update: Got my piece back now just need to combine this with some threaded stock (or cut up bolt) and I will be good to go. Kind of. toyota called me today and now my rack boots are backordered.

 

http://www.eyeofmine.com/store/index.php?_a=product&product_id=45

 

yup thats it, works really good

 

Looks a lot beefier than the one go pro sells I'm going to pick one up

 

What's the deal, is that a skid plate or is that something they hang to block view of their suspension set up?

 

Its a skid all the big boys run em. It's some kind of plastic.

 

Ive always wanted to ask.. and im sure you've been asked.. Im sorry if im the 1,000th person.. But.. how do you like your "home made" long travel compared to other set ups? Your truck is awesome man.

 

Wow, I bet it's really light too. Those trucks must have like 100 pounds in front of the front suspension... That's a huge difference between a production vehicle with the engine dead center over the front suspension.

 

Hey it's no problem mang. It's night and day compared to my old mid travel much nicer to my back When I designed it I didn't take quite enough consideration for scrub radius so my lower uniball is about 1" to far from my hub. Which mean the wheel will jerk going through some of the ruffer terrain but it's nothing i cant handle. Still I'm really happy 13" of travel no bump steer and only 3" over per side