WVAussie

I'm getting ready to make a crossover steering setup and am wondering why the drag link can't go to the drivers side instead of the passengers side. I'm no engineer but I can't see it making a difference as far as load on the steering gear, or am I wrong, have a dss anyhow. I'm thinking about using heims on everything except the drivers side knuckle where I'll use a TRE with the hole for a drag link from a 1 ton. What do you think.

prattman

Because the steering box is on the drivers side. The only way to put the drag link on the drivers side knuckle is to make a cantilever steering set-up which is basically two drag links, one going from the pitman arm to a passenger side frame mounted pivot arm, and then a second drag link from the pivot arm back to the drivers side knuckle.

WVAussie

Why would you use a second drag link to the passenger side, it will connected with the cross over tie rod from the drivers side steering knuckle to the passengers side steering knuckle. I haven't seen this done any where so maybe there is a good reason as to why this won't work, just looks like it should.

prattman

The drag link goes from the steering box pitman arm to the passenger side. The tie rod goes from one steering knuckle to the other. The drag link and tie rod are two different parts. There is no way to run the drag link to the drivers side like I said because the steering box and the pitman arm that the drag link attaches to are on the drivers side. Here's a link to Thuren Fabs crossover steering kits. Look at his set-up.

http://thurenfabrication.com/crossover.html

WVAussie

Yes I've seen those pictures and I get where the drag link goes. I see that it goes to the passengers side in all the photos. But why does it go to the passengers side? Is there a good reason to do with geometry? With a DSS tieing both frame rails together and supporting the steering gear and if there is no clearance issues what does it matter which side of the truck the drag link goes to.

G1625S

The main advantage of x-over steering is to eliminate bumpsteer. The drag link IS on the driver side on a first gen, and any old straight axle Chevy. When the driver side of the axle goes to full droop in an off-camber situation, the ability to steer in one direction (can't reember which) is lost. You are right in thinking it's a geometry thing, and the x-over drag link fixes that issue.

WVAussie

Thanks, I figured there probably was a reason why. I was just thinking shorter would be stronger and sway bar mount clearance would have been taken care of by going to the drivers side.

whitebuffalo

for regular style crossover steering, if you ran the draglink to the drivers side the angle would be way too steep. $.02

prattman

That's true about bumpsteer. The more parallel the drag link and track bar are, the less bumpsteer you will have. WVAussie, if you do make your tie rod/draglink set-up post pictures. I have to do some front end work on my truck and am pondering getting the ThurenFab steering. My truck is a '98 12 valve lifted running 36 inch PJ Dirt Grips. Regards, Glen

9512vCTD

I have thurens xover on my truck, its well built, Dons a great guy to deal with.