1st Gen Long Travel Chat

My new steering rack came in a couple days ago. Pump should be here today.

Couple questions.

I've been running Whiteline rack bushings. Has anyone run them and then Total Chaos bushings that can compare? Leaning towards TC. But want to see if anyone has input on a comparison.

And how bout the 333 Fab rack clamp thing? Probably going to order one. Is it worth it?

Anything, at all, anyone can suggest to improve the strength of the steering, short of throwing it all in the trash and going full hydro?

 

My friend has the 333 and likes it. I thought about it but I have a rack slider. Slider made a huge difference.

 

Ya, I agree. Slider makes a big difference.

 

I like the 333 clamp, it is a lot stouter than stock. That being said my 333 still bent after 2 trips.

I have white line bushings on the 2 bolts and an oem clamp bushing because poly ones tear in half in a trip, doubt there is a major difference between them and TC.

@betterbuckleup was working on redesigning a rack clamp to try out as well.

1 is one of my used takeoff rack clamps
2 is a “fresh” junkyard clamp
3 is the 333 after 2 trips.

 

How did the mount look - did it bend for the clamp to bend?

I’ve been thinking of how I’d box the stock clamp in and I’m thinking of turning it into a rectangle by plating both sides on the outer edge of the curve and the plates I’m making will be welded to the bolt sleeves as well so it becomes a sandwich with a “bite” taken out of it where the curve for the rack is. I’ll include some internal bracing like a LCA. It would be harder to twist that way I believe due to having more material inertia.

 

This is the best pic I could get with skids still in place. Definitely bent but I wouldn’t consider it bad or the cause of the clamp bending. 7/32” Allen wrench is there for a reference of straight.

I think most likely the skid took a hard hit and slammed up into the rack clamp. Maybe that plus steering force from driving into big rocks fast.