Torn boot on Currie Currectlync

[ranger101]

I recently installed a Currie Currectlync system on my TJ and almost 3 months later I’ve already got a torn tie-rod boot.

What I noticed when installing the Currectlync was that the tie-rod ends sunk pretty far into the knuckle almost flattening the boots completely. I added a washer or under the nut to keep from drawing the nut so far down that the cotter pin would fall out. The passenger side isn’t so bad and hasn’t had any issues yet, only the drivers side so far. Any idea what’s allowing the TRE to sink so far into the knuckle? This is the first aftermarket setup it’s ever had and I’m the only one to ever touch the factory setup. I’m headed to the beach next month and don’t want to get sand/debris down in there while I’m almost 400 miles from home

Passenger side:

Drivers side:

 

[toximus]

After a little research I remedied this with a washer or two under the nut to keep from drawing the taper so far into the knuckle.

Where ever you heard that is wrong. That's about the worst advice possible for a tapered fit. The tapered tre should be allowed to fit as far into taper as it'll go. Forcing the tre to not be tight in the taper will cause all sorts of issue and breakage at some point.

Are you positive that it was factory steering before? It sounds like somebody reamed the taper on the knuckle larger.

 

[toximus]

Remove the boots and washers from each side, tighten them down, and then take pictures so we can see what's actually going on.

The boots are held on by circle clips.

 

[dbbd1]

I'm not sure how the washers do anything other than space the nut farther away. The taper is still going to seat until it stops.

Unless there is a washer on the actual taper that I cannot see (covered by the boot).

 

[ranger101]

Where ever you heard that is wrong. That's about the worst advice possible for a tapered fit. The tapered tre should be allowed to fit as far into taper as it'll go. Forcing the tre to not be tight in the taper will cause all sorts of issue and breakage at some point.

Are you positive that it was factory steering before? It sounds like somebody reamed the taper on the knuckle larger.

I edited it, sorry. I went back and read my post from the Facebook page and was thinking of the wrong reason for adding the washers. With the taper being drawn so far into the knuckle the nut was below the cotter pin so it didn’t align with the slots at all. The nut would be able to come loose before even contacting the pin.

I’m a machinist, I 100% understand the importance of a tight fitting taper hahah

 

[ranger101]

And yes, definitely stock steering setup. It was purchased around 100k miles with a very minor repair log from the original owners. Never needed anything other than oil changes and a set of brakes. I swapped the factory steering for a ZJ setup at 160k miles and the boots on those were torn as well.

 

[Brianj5600]

Are the boots from Currie the only boots that work?

 

[Mike_H]

Are the boots from Currie the only boots that work?

I had some other brand boots on mine that were on for about 3 years. Can't say how long the Rock Jock ones will last yet, because they just went on a month or so ago.