Terrano steering, here we go again...

[Big ALF]

ok, so i have a 1991 Nissan Terrano v6. Manual. In Black, well, muddy black.

As other terrano owners have experienced and mentioned the steering links in these trucks are an issue.

I run 31 hankook mts, on steel rims. and with a bit of flex on my first trip to the mud, i bent a tie-rod and the idler arm spindle.
since then have replaced idler and braced it with a piece of angle steel.
Few trips went ok, then failed a wof for play in the steering.
yes.. the dreaded rotation of the drag link caused by what appears to be a poorly designed placement of the ball-joints.
I replaced the drag-link and all tie rods. And all flew through a wof.

A few months later. I noticed that when placed in 4x4, and driven forwards, my front wheels toe in. Had a look around. it appears the drag-link is rotating up and forward, allowing the tie-rods to follow, and causing the toe.. when placed in 2wd, they return to normal.

So in light of this i have a few queries.
First of all. suggestions? what can be done to fix this issue of to much movement in the steering? and still be wofable. I'm not talking vtnz, i'm talking just a garage wof. (we all know there is a difference)

2nd, has anyone tried putting a drag-link and rod setup from another vehicle in? perhaps one of a better design? Have put a photo up of a hilux setup, thinking it could be an option??

3rd, seen some things online of modified drag-links, places in aus, and us, where u send a guy your link, he cuts off the idler/pitman balljoints and installs a bearing type setup which is then hard bolted to the pitman and idler stopping the upward and forward rotation.
Anyone got one? or know if they can be used in nz?

4th. i thought about it for a while. what is stopping us using a custom setup, just put the tie rods directly into the pitman and idler (yes i know would need to re do the taper), giving some thread out the top right? then, using some high tensile steel round bar with flattened ends to go from idler to pitman, then your crown nut and split pin on top of that? thus eliminating most of the design flaw of the drag-link. smaller distance from idler spindle to the tie rod, by about 60-70 mm, makes a shorter leaver, and makes it harder to bend the idler arm itself? make sense?
I will try and draw up a picture.

But for now, thoughts??? also a couple of pictures of my rig, the one with the spots is how it is at present. shes no premadonna, and has her scars. but. for 2grand, shes serving me well with just over 30000k since i bought her 14 months ago

cheers
Brady

[sibainmud]

Call or txt me. You're welcome to come around for a chat and a look at the solutions.

Cheers,
Simon
021 742228

[Big ALF]

Cheers for that Simon.

Will get hold of you when I get a free moment. Possibly Sunday?
The surf draglink an ross I ordered arrived today. Slipped them in next to the existing. Bang on. There is about 2-3 mill difference in the centers. And the surf draglink just has holes either end, no ballpoint, meaning we can skip a step in the process of drilling out the existing Nissan one.
But also by the looks of it, I can still use my Nissan outer tie rods which will be even better. Looking good people.
Pictures soon. Results will come also. So stoked right now.

Brady

[kiwipete]

hat centre link looks just like an older Navara one I have laying about out the back here. If you used one of them then you would not have the issue of it being a couple of mil out?

I will be watching to see what you come up with as mine is causing me issues again

[wax]

Use a 2wd navara centre link its put the tie rods on the correct angle like the hilux one doe. It also bolts on

[Big ALF]

Got any photos of these navara drag links? I have the surf one now so might aswell try it out tomorrow wn I'm hungover after beer fest today

[wax]

http://npora.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=32345&st=0

read this

[Big ALF]

Well!! What a difference. Got the surf one in. Using Nissan outer tre's. No more toe. Runs true. Doesn't catch. Although at full droop the drivers side might. Will get back to you on that.
Drives beautifully. Solid, no bump steer. Heaps tighter than the stock setup which was only a couple of months old.(entire setup was replaced wheel to wheel.)

Cheers for that info and link on the 2wd Navara stuff. Will defiantly be picking one of those maby two, to tryout/ keep onboard for spares. This setup of the tre further in to center and flipped on side is brill, from an engineering point of view all issues are mostly solved by doing it thus way, why is it not talked about more? This I would say is even better than the Hoohaa kit or the other kits to come out of the us.!

Will get photos up when I can
Brady

[wax]

Cool Im looking forward to seeing pics of this.
Was it a bolt in sort of thing.

[Big ALF]

Hey guys,

No Was not a direct bolt on set up. But defiantly close too. And I would say the Navara option will bolt straight on.

Had the truck out a few times and has been great.
Took it up Murriwai beach to the bombing range on Saturday and found a lonely bloke hydrolocked at Kaipara lagoon. With his wife and Newborn onboard. Will post that story in the trips page. (what a DAY!!)

Any way here are some pictures of the new setup.

The way I have hooked it all up. may wear. But for now its brilliant. I drive it everyday and it doesn't seem to be loosening off at all.
And like I said, took for wof. no issue. I did fail on my rear tyres tho.. they so am on the hunt for a full set of four. or just 2. if anyone has any. 31x 10.5r15s ordered more hankooks but they said a week or two and its been 5-6

other parts i'm looking for is clutch fork rubber boot?
and cv boots, or just new cvs. they are clicking like crazy boots are poked.

Cheers
Brady

[Big ALF]

p.s the new missus love working on and in the wagon.

[slide]

Got the surf one in. Using Nissan outer tre's.

Hi Brady,
Out of interest, did you use surf inner tie rods ?
And does that mean the nissan and toyota tierod threads are the same to get into the adjuster?
Were the toyota tre's tapers wrong for the terrano?
Cheers,
Nath

[Big ALF]

Giddy mate, I used Toyota inners. And Nissan outers. I am currently sorcing a tap so I can change my Nissan adjusters to fit the Toyota inner. The issue is the thread pitch is the same, but the Nissan is slightly smaller.

It has worked because the Toyota link has a tightening sleeve as the adjuster, which is on the rods at present.
But I would advise getting a tap and taping out the Nissan "nut" adjuster to suit the Toyota inner rod. Will be much more reliable.

So far my steering is still solid as. Have been checking it all every couple of days.

[Paulballz]

hey how has this setup coped with the test of time? am wanting to beef my setup up and wondering between this and the massey fergus tierods

[DEATH_INC]

hey how has this setup coped with the test of time? am wanting to beef my setup up and wondering between this and the massey fergus tierods

Why would you not use the 2wd Navara setup?

[Paulballz]

no reason at all, i not long ago found out about this and read about the massey fergus upgrade along time ago...So this stood the test of time and is recomended?

[mr terrano]

if you beefed up the steering like this would it handel 33 inch tyres?

[hamboy]

if you beefed up the steering like this would it handel 33 inch tyres?

33s are a stretch on an ifs terrano but it can be done, 32s are a good fit but it will need a lift. Ive done the navara 2wd steering mod and the steering box idler mod. It all works mint no problems yet

[mr terrano]

yea im planing on doing a boady lift i have 31s on at the moment but am wanting to go bigger to get more clearance for my dif so was thinking 33s what is the issue with the 33 inch tires?

[hamboy]

They tend to get friendly with the body work even with a trim depending on what tire/rim combination you go with. Talk to kiwipete, he was swinging 33s, not too sure on the mods though

[kiwipete]

yea im planing on doing a boady lift i have 31s on at the moment but am wanting to go bigger to get more clearance for my dif so was thinking 33s what is the issue with the 33 inch tires?

Stick with your 31's IMHO. I have issues with guard rub even though I have had the front ones trimmed. The rears rub too and I have a 2"BL and 2.5"SL
There is no real advantage in going 33's and I will be downsizing just as soon as these ones wear out. Youu will have to beef up the front steering system and then you will still have issues with BJ's wearing out and CV stresses etc etc.

[wax]

33,s go fine you just need a 4 inch body lift lol
Actually I wouldn't do it to a terrano. The advice above is sound

[lax2wlg]

33s are a stretch on an ifs terrano but it can be done, 32s are a good fit but it will need a lift. They tend to get friendly with the body work even with a trim depending on what tire/rim combination you go with.

Thats if you try to run 33x12.5s...

33x10.5s fit with no trimming or body/susp lift and no Bunnings flares either. Need to massage the rear quarter a tiny bit if you go to longer shocks though.

Flotation is a bitch on lighter vehicles.

More height --> more clearance --> more capable vehicle.
Plus one 33x10.5+alloy rim weighs less than one 32x11.5 tyre alone!

[mr terrano]

im looking for more clearance as have had a few issues with clearance up marawai beach and lets be honest its no fun watching your friends laugh at you when you get stuck

i have 15inch rims and have 31x10.5 on it with offset woud 32s be enough to get the clearance i want????

[lax2wlg]

The 9.25" rear diff in these vehicles hangs down really low. 32s seem to make a big difference, I seen fullthrottles truck in action and it seems like a good option too.

I donqk't know what offset rim you'd need, theres another 500 clams though

[fullthrottle]

I run the Maxxis Bighorn MT762 32 x 11.5 x 15 on -12.5 offset rims. 2inch body and 2inch suspension lift with no guard rub at all. They do rub on the chassis rail very slightly on full lock, but just adjust the stops.

With this size tyre they put a great deal of pressure on the standard steering setup. Make sure you look into strengthening the steering as well.

Had a WOF inspection today. We went over everything very carefully and after almost 12 months I can tell you the only thing in the front end to show wear is the idler arm bushes. These have been replaced, but they only had a tiny bit of play in them.

DON'T run the front ends too high. You will be replacing parts all the time.

[Dirtydog]

I used to run 33x12.5's on -19 rims and they didnt rub with 2 inch suspension, 2 inch bodylift.

Only time it rubbed was at close to full flex and turning on firewall, guard was cut a little bit (well dented lol.)