ZJ Tie Rod Conversion

[Zorba]

I found this marketing page on the coating at Moog's website - https://www.moogparts.com/en-eu/sup...roduct-improvements/cataphoresis-coating.html.

They say it's better than paint. Is that BS? I don't live in the rust belt. I know how bad these jeeps rust from when I was a kid in Ohio. But my TJ has never left California, there's no rust on any of the frame/chassis parts that are original .

Learn something new every day.

 

[Irun]

I found this marketing page on the coating at Moog's website - https://www.moogparts.com/en-eu/sup...roduct-improvements/cataphoresis-coating.html.

They say it's better than paint. Is that BS? I don't live in the rust belt. I know how bad these jeeps rust from when I was a kid in Ohio. But my TJ has never left California, there's no rust on any of the frame/chassis parts that are original .

Over the last 10 years I've installed multiple ZJ, Moog, conversions and never once had an issue with rust. Whatever they've been doing works!

 

[Captain Phoenix]

Over the last 10 years I've installed multiple ZJ, Moog, conversions and never once had an issue with rust. Whatever they've been doing works!

Weird, I've also seen people say that after 3 years the Moog parts were significantly rustier than the 20 year old OEM parts beside them.

 

[Link]

I painted my ZJ conversion parts before install so I never had any corrosion

 

[Zorba]

I painted my ZJ conversion parts before install so I never had any corrosion

I did too. Painted my new steering knuckles too. Tired of rust. Whether or not I needed to paint the Moog stuff is now in doubt from this thread - but it didn't hurt anything either!

 

[Irun]

Weird, I've also seen people say that after 3 years the Moog parts were significantly rustier than the 20 year old OEM parts beside them.

To be fair, my Jeeps are always garaged and only sit outside occasionally. That caveat is probably an important one!

 

[Link]

I did too. Painted my new steering knuckles too. Tired of rust. Whether or not I needed to pain the Moog stuff is now in doubt from this thread - but it didn't hurt anything either!

Bingo

 

[DeltaNu1142]

The rubber bushing has different hole sizes on either side.

I need to remember that in October when I do mine.

I got my new hardware bag the other day and installed last night on the stabilizer, and… I measured the holes in either side of the bushing, and they’re exactly the same ID. So… whatever.

This time, I just installed it with the crown nut spun on loosely, but flush with the stud end. Whacked a few times with a hammer, went in fine. Maybe I had a dud the first time around. I suspect silicone lube would help it go in easier.

 

[J20]

I take it an alignment is in order following the upgrade?

 

[Mogul345]

I take it an alignment is in order following the upgrade?

Yes. Though if you get out a tape measure and measure the lengths of the old rods, you can set the new ones up to be very close, enough that you can drive a little bit on it. I've not gotten mine aligned yet, as I am getting the front upper/lower control arms replaced next week and you need to get an alignment after that as well. I've put a few hundred miles on mine so far, and it is driving straight enough that I'm not worried about weird tire wear during the wait to get the arms done.

 

[J20]

Yes. Though if you get out a tape measure and measure the lengths of the old rods, you can set the new ones up to be very close, enough that you can drive a little bit on it. I've not gotten mine aligned yet, as I am getting the front upper/lower control arms replaced next week and you need to get an alignment after that as well. I've put a few hundred miles on mine so far, and it is driving straight enough that I'm not worried about weird tire wear during the wait to get the arms done.

Yeah it seems like you could get it close enough. Long term an alignment seems like a small price to pay though.

 

[Mogul345]

Yeah it seems like you could get it close enough. Long term an alignment seems like a small price to pay though.

Oh totally. If everything scheduled happens this week, will have it done next week. I just didn't want to pay for two alignments back-to-back.

 

[Captain Phoenix]

I take it an alignment is in order following the upgrade?

You can do an alignment yourself fairly easily.

 

[Zorba]

Yes. Though if you get out a tape measure and measure the lengths of the old rods, you can set the new ones up to be very close, enough that you can drive a little bit on it. I've not gotten mine aligned yet, as I am getting the front upper/lower control arms replaced next week and you need to get an alignment after that as well. I've put a few hundred miles on mine so far, and it is driving straight enough that I'm not worried about weird tire wear during the wait to get the arms done.

Yes. I just set mine out side-by-side and setup the new one like the old one, and on it went. Seemed fine, but it went down for an alignment the next day. My local Firestone "owns" the alignments on it, costs me nothing to get it re-done.

 

[GoldenGorilla]

Learn something new every day.

It's just a phosphate surface treatment. Doesn't hurt to paint over the clean prepped part before install.

 

[Zorba]

It's just a phosphate surface treatment. Doesn't hurt to paint over the clean prepped part before install.

Which is what I ended up doing. Degreased, primed, painted.

 

[tnjeepguy]

You can do an alignment yourself fairly easily.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-to-align-your-jeep-wrangler-tj.85/

 

[Captain Phoenix]

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-to-align-your-jeep-wrangler-tj.85/

That's exactly the thread I was thinking of.