Drilling Knuckles

[imallcrawl]

I've used the SteerSmarts Yeti no drill top mount drag link before, however I wanted to try another brand which requires drilling the knuckle. Does this weaken the point you are drilling being it is such a huge 7/8 hole? I won't be doing any hard off-roading, I am just adding this because of my 6.5 lift and want to get both the DL and TB to a better angle. I am also adding a TB relocation bracket to make sure both are parallel with each other.

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[Stan H]

I've used the SteerSmarts Yeti no drill top mount drag link before, however I wanted to try another brand which requires drilling the knuckle. Does this weaken the point you are drilling being it is such a huge 7/8 hole? I won't be doing any hard off-roading, I am just adding this because of my 6.5 lift and want to get both the DL and TB to a better angle. I am also adding a TB relocation bracket to make sure both are parallel with each other.

That is probably a question for @Minty JL

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Does it weaken the knuckle?

Unequivocally, removing material makes it inherently weaker.

Does it matter? Much more important question.

Probably not at all, I've probably drilled a dozen knuckles for 1 ton tie rods and never had a subsequent failure.

 

[Stan H]

Does it weaken the knuckle?

Unequivocally, removing material makes it inherently weaker.

Does it matter? Much more important question.

Probably not at all, I've probably drilled a dozen knuckles for 1 ton tie rods and never had a subsequent failure.

One would surmise as much but I can't truthfully answer that with certainty.

 

[rharr]

Can you split the difference and run a 5/8 hemi joint instead of 7/8" seems a bit over kill.

 

[imallcrawl]

Can you split the difference and run a 5/8 hemi joint instead of 7/8" seems a bit over kill.

Unfortunately 7/8 is the required diameter.

 

[imallcrawl]

Does it weaken the knuckle?...I've probably drilled a dozen knuckles for 1 ton tie rods and never had a subsequent failure.

I believe Steer Smarts has the only "no-drill" top mount drag link, every other top mount from Rockrawler to Synergy requires the 7/8 hole, so @Jrgunn5150 you're probably 100% correct on this. Thank you for the response! On another note, is the 5150 in your username a Van Halen reference or the Police code for 72hr psycho hold?

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I believe Steer Smarts has the only "no-drill" top mount drag link, every other top mount from Rockrawler to Synergy requires the 7/8 hole, so @Jrgunn5150 you're probably 100% correct on this. Thank you for the response! On another note, is the 5150 in your username a Van Halen reference or the Police code for 72hr psycho hold?

Both lol, I never knew the meaning until Van Halen though lol.

 

[imallcrawl]

Both lol, I never knew the meaning until Van Halen though lol.

Me too lol! Huge VH fan as well

 

[Zachanadandy]

I'd say obviously drilling a hole to a larger diameter will weaken the part. That said I've drilled both the stock aluminum knuckle on our 2019 JLUR and the stock steel knuckle on my 2023 JTM for flipped drag links and haven't had any issues. 10s of thousands of miles, wheeled hard, 37-38" tires. I'd guess the drag link binding/ operating at a terrible angle with a large lift is much more likely to break than the knuckle is after the flip.

 

[imallcrawl]

I'd say obviously drilling a hole to a larger diameter will weaken the part. That said I've drilled both the stock aluminum knuckle on our 2019 JLUR and the stock steel knuckle on my 2023 JTM for flipped drag links and haven't had any issues. 10s of thousands of miles, wheeled hard, 37-38" tires. I'd guess the drag link binding/ operating at a terrible angle with a large lift is much more likely to break than the knuckle is after the flip.

- looks like I'll be drilling this weekend

 

[Zachanadandy]

!

Went metalcloak on the JT, had synergy on the JLUR.

 

[Stan H]

Me too lol! Huge VH fan as well

I still dont know what that means

 

[Stan H]

- looks like I'll be drilling this weekend

Anxiously awaiting pics

 

[Stan H]

I still dont know what that means

I dont I am serious....lol dont make fun of me I'm old

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