Terrano II Draglink fixes?

[terra]

As you might know the engineers at Nissan came up with their steering design in the ½ hour they had before the end-of-year Christmas BBQ lunch. As such we have a ridiculous “floating draglink” design which starts bad and only gets increasingly vague from day 1. The result is increased tyre wear, inability to gain correct wheel alignment, and handling which resembles using two sticks to steer a drunk pig.
There appear to be a few steering fixes in the U.S. for the similarly afflicted Pathfinder, Hardbody ute (pick-up) and other follow-on models.
Most of these aftermarket steering kits include welding modified ends onto the existing forged draglink. This is a strictly verboten no-no here iustralia and probably elsewhere (refer: http://www.lpperformance.com/ spencerlowracing, A/C, chaos engineering, etc, etc).
Fitted they look like or similar to this:

There is also this kit from Calmini that most people already know about: http://www.purenissan.com/wd21_steering.htm
But this is not available for RHD vehicles.

Then there is the home-made mod shown in this thread: http://www.nissan4x4.co.za/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=821&PN=0&TPN=1
It’s a solution but not the best. It doesn’t allow for a bearing surface on the pivot pin, it requires drilling the end of the draglink and uses machined pins of questionable material spec.

Does anyone have any info on a fix for RHD TerranoII vehicles that does not involve welding of forged components or substantial weakening of existing components?

I have a couple of ideas to fabricate a complete draglink using heat treated 4130, which would allow me to do a bit of bump steer correction at the same time.
Similar to the draglink shown in this pic (ATM this company aren't trading):

However, I would like to know if others have any success with a good fix for the steering design before I commit to a solution.

Thanks for any helpful replies.

 

[NNMan]

I cant tell you my experience as I havent sorted out this problem on my Nav but would be very interested to see what comes up.

 

[Terranosaurus]

Haven't heard of anyone having particular issues with the steering set up though I have been looking at lowering the idler and steering box to regain standard steering geometry.

 

[terra]

Thanks for the replies.
NNMan - If you are allowed to legally weld to forged steering components in the UK then the things I have mentioned above will sort you out. You can probably buy a RHD draglink from the U.S.
L&P performance mentions sending a RHD unit to the UK already... Have a look in the South African forum thread that I linked to above.

Hummingbird - The blokes in the U.S. run 3" IFS lifts without relocating the pitman and idler arms. They just use their draglink mod to correct any bump steer and hence correct any geometry if needed. The 'prerunner' desert racers do drop the steering arms but this is in conjunction with a complete custom control arm set-up and subframe which lowers all the pivot points. Unless you have lowered the control arm chassis locating points you won't need (or want) to lower the steering arms. Basically, the tie rod ends need to be parallel to, and same effective length as, the control arms to minimise bump-steer.

There is mention of problems gaining alignment here on the forum. I reckon some would be related to this draglink problem.
I have since found the draglink issue is even raised by 4WD magazine testers who were doing tests of the TerranoII when it was new here. It's a fairly universal problem to my knowledge, (as is the bending of the idler arm mounting shaft when things get rough).
I am at a loss to explain any appearent lack of incidence in the UK?

As mentioned in the first post, if anyone has or has seen/heard of a legal solution please let me know. Thanks.

 

[Terranosaurus]

Hummingbird - The blokes in the U.S. run 3" IFS lifts without relocating the pitman and idler arms. They just use their draglink mod to correct any bump steer and hence correct any geometry if needed. The 'prerunner' desert racers do drop the steering arms but this is in conjunction with a complete custom control arm set-up and subframe which lowers all the pivot points. Unless you have lowered the control arm chassis locating points you won't need (or want) to lower the steering arms. Basically, the tie rod ends need to be parallel to, and same effective length as, the control arms to minimise bump-steer.

AHA, you may have uncovered the other part of what I'm looking into doing.

I am at a loss to explain any appearent lack of incidence in the UK?

Probably due to the smaller number of these trucks used any more than occasionally off road and the nature off and relative small number of unsurfaced routes over here.

 

[Boggert]

This is an interesting thread, I agree with Terra, that the steering on my T2 is pants, compared with my old suzuki, however it does its job, but does take a bit of getting use to.
I suspect that due to the limited off road use these vehicles get in the UK its not a problem that we have noticed.

I wonder if anyone can get hold of one of these kits in the UK?

 

[NNMan]

Thanks for the replies.
NNMan - If you are allowed to legally weld to forged steering components in the UK then the things I have mentioned above will sort you out. You can probably buy a RHD draglink from the U.S.
L&P performance mentions sending a RHD unit to the UK already... Have a look in the South African forum thread that I linked to above.

Yeah I read the whole of that thread, theres some interesting stuff there, might look in to it.

 

[tommo]

Then there is the home-made mod shown in this thread: http://www.nissan4x4.co.za/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=821&PN=0&TPN=1
It’s a solution but not the best. It doesn’t allow for a bearing surface on the pivot pin, it requires drilling the end of the draglink and uses machined pins of questionable material spec.

I have done this modifications to my car as i only use it for off road and this was the easiest to do and is more easily repaired i also changed the plastic inner part of the idler arm to bronze.
I would not recommend this mod for road use but look at one of the more substantial options with the bearing on the pivot arm.
http://s94.photobucket.com/albums/l97/TOMLINA/Mods/?action=view&current=Picture008-1.jpg

 

[NNMan]

I would not recommend this mod for road use

Why not, for a reason or are you covering youself?

 

[tommo]

the mod has to be done in a very prosice way so there is no movement in the arms i have taken mine out 4 times off road with this mod and already there is ware at the pivot pin this is why i would go for one with the bearing at the pitot pin, the nylock nut on the bottom requires changing for a castle nut and pin as it keeps coming loose i am happy with the mod for off road use but if doing it again i would fit a bearing

 

[rsaddo]

Just ordered a new idler arm from milner 4x4 and when it arrives tues gona make this bracket,its got stiffen things up nicely,will post results as front n/s wheel has play side to side and the only thing i can c which is likely to be causing it is the idler arm