[Provojeep]

Does anyone have any experience with Parts Mike Parts? I am looking at using their knuckle and arm kit for my SOA Dana 44.
http://www.partsmike.com/old/knuckle_kit.htm
Anyone want to share an opinion on the company or the kit?

[Jeeples]

That's not a bad price for the kit. I personally can't say anything about the company or quality, however they do look to be pretty stout.

[Big-n-Broke-YJ]

EXCEPTIONAL customer service.

great quality parts.

the ONLY thing i don't care for is that the steering setup runs the drag link to the tie rod as opposed to the drag link to the high steer arm like sky manufacturing....

matter of opinion i guess...

[Big-n-Broke-YJ]

i'm using his super thick 1.5" arms with 3.5" springs. when i put stock springs back on her i obviously won't have any clearance problems either.

i used 1.5" DOM but he recommends and sells 1.25" DOM. i shouldn't have used the 1.25" as i have a bit of a clearance problem at the junction for my tie rod and drag link. this problem could be easily fixed though all i have to do is get another TRE and ream it more shallow for the drag link and i'd be good to go

[Provojeep]

Thanks all for your replies. You have greatly increased my comfort factor about ordering the kit. Big-n-Broke, it looks like you are running a stock pitman arm. Is that the case? The angles sure look good.
Thanks again.

[Big-n-Broke-YJ]

i got the pitman arm from him too.

it's a stock arm, tapered for the 1 ton drag link end/tie rod end... whatever it is....

but like i said, the only thing i don't like about this setup, is that the drag link doesn't go all the way to the high steer arm like poison spyder's and sky manufacturing.

poison spyder also uses heavier duty hardware, 5/8" if i remember right... parts mike uses 9/16" instead. but, they both work, just depends on what you want/need.

[PhatXJ]

I have completely re-built my steering twice on my 44. I get parts all the time from parts mike. They have great customer service and the parts are good too.

However, I personally would not run his HiSteer arms. I'm running PoisonSpyder arms with TieRod ends. Before I was running an older design of PoisonSpyder heim arms.

Like bignbroke was saying, Parts Mike setup has the drag link connected to the tie rod end, rather than the steering arm. I prefer to have the drag link connected to the arm, then the tie rod from arm to arm.

If you ever plan on going with a Hydro assist setup in the future, you will want it setup this way, rather than the way Parts Mike is setup.

Bignbroke, you might checkout Parts Mike new steering box mount. It pushes the box forward an inch. This would completely solve your problem. A bit more spendy, and a bit more work than what you had planned, but it would be a much stronger setup. The tie rod end you're using for your drag link attachment comes already reamed. Not sure if you cold re-ream it unless you somehow filled in the existing hole and re-drilled it. It would put a ton of force on your lower drag link TRE doing that anyway.

I have pics of the steering box mount in my YJ if you want some pics. You can also checkout this thread for more info: http://jeepsunlimited.com/forums/showthread.php?t=794352

[Big-n-Broke-YJ]

i looked into his box relocation bracket ($109) but the problem was when i bought all the stuff from mike he reamed that one tie rod end too deep for the drag link. i'm just going to buy a new tie rod end and ream it myself i think. i shaved a total of about 1/8" total where it was rubbing, about a 16th of an inch on each tube and it doesn't rub anymore so technically i guess it's fine, but i'd just feel better about it if i redid the tre....

[PhatXJ]

I wasnt aware that the tie rod end with the hole for the drag link had to be re-reamed. I thought it came with a 1-Ton tapered hole in it?

[Big-n-Broke-YJ]

it does come tapered if you buy it from parts mike.

that tie rod end from the factory is not designed for a 1 ton tre to go through it though.... it's meant for a steering stabilizer.

my plan was to buy a replacement locally so i didn't have to deal with shipping and ream it myself instead of paying shipping from partsmike for a reamed one.

[PhatXJ]

Ah, I did not know that.

Yeah, it appears you only need about an eigth of an inch or so for those jam nuts to clear, then you should be good.