Sector Shaft Brace - SteerSmarts bolts to frame or MetalCloak bolts to crossmember?

[cjoanzy]

2022 JT Overland - appears to have a steel steer box. Do I need to reenforce the box? 99% daily driver. About to lift it 2.5 inches. If It is a good idea to add Sector Shaft Brace, which is the better method? SteerSmarts brace that bolts to the frame at the box or MetalCloak that bolts to the crossmember? Anyone have either method installed? Did it make a difference? Any issues with clearance? Any noises coming from the unit after installation? Thanks in advance for any help or info. PS: While I have your attention. What's the best front track bar out there? Clayton? Yeti? Synergy? Core4X4?

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[Rusty PW]

I installed a SteerSmarts brace shortly after I got my JTRD. It's been almost a year now and no issues with it.

I have a Core 4x4 track bar on order. I like the Johnny Joints on both ends.

 

[bleda2002]

No experience with the metal cloaks brace, the steer smarts one lasted me about a year then started binding and making noise, removed the bearing for awhile and didn't really notice a difference before/after for steering. I put a new bearing on only cause a member had one and I plan on doing some jeep jamborees this year so some extra bracing seemed worth it.

If I was to do it again, I'd skip it. If I really wanted one I'd go metal cloak only because I'm not the only person who has the steer smarts bearing go bad so I'd be willing to try something else.

 

[tysongladiator]

I know this doesn't help much right now, but check my youtube channel in about a month. I've had the Metalcloak shaft brace sitting on my shelf for about a month now. I figured I'd install it and make a video about it when I do. I saw that it was new product and wanted to try it out.

 

[JeepOfTheseus]

I installed a SteerSmarts brace shortly after I got my JTRD. It's been almost a year now and no issues with it.

I have a Core 4x4 track bar on order. I like the Johnny Joints on both ends.

Not sure if the diesel is different, but the Core 4x4 front track bar is not a great fit on the JT imo. Unless you have a tall enough lift that you need to extend the bar a lot over stock, you’re likely to have clearance issues at the frame mount - possibly more so with the brace. I switched to Clayton for this reason:

 

[Lunentucker]

I tried the Steer Smarts on my Mojave and had problems getting it to fit. It's at the bottom of my pond. I have OCD and some patience issues ?.

The Metalcloak is, in my opinion, better designed, better engineered, and better built. It was easy to install. Just take your time and do things the way you're instructed to do them.
There is one video out there of someone installing it, and the guy royally messed it up. Still, his mistakes were helpful to me and everything went smoothly.

2000 miles on it and it looks the same as the day it was installed.
The difference in feel at the steering wheel was quite noticeable and in good ways.

 

[Lunentucker]

I know this doesn't help much right now, but check my youtube channel in about a month. I've had the Metalcloak shaft brace sitting on my shelf for about a month now. I figured I'd install it and make a video about it when I do. I saw that it was new product and wanted to try it out.

Please do it right.
The one I watched at least showed how to screw it up ??‍

 

[Idlethunder]

2022 JT Overland - appears to have a steel steer box. Do I need to reenforce the box? 99% daily driver. About to lift it 2.5 inches. If It is a good idea to add Sector Shaft Brace, which is the better method? SteerSmarts brace that bolts to the frame at the box or MetalCloak that bolts to the crossmember? Anyone have either method installed? Did it make a difference? Any issues with clearance? Any noises coming from the unit after installation? Thanks in advance for any help or info. PS: While I have your attention. What's the best front track bar out there? Clayton? Yeti? Synergy? Core4X4?

I have the Metalcloak track bar reinforcement bracket and sector shaft brace ordered since Monday and they said they would ship this coming week. Assuming they get here as quickly as expected, I should have them on by the end of the month. I will report back once I have a few miles on them.

 

[tysongladiator]

Please do it right.
The one I watched at least showed how to screw it up ??‍

Yea. I think I saw that video. I think it's the one where the guy drilled the hole in the wrong spot and had to redrill. Actually, he made a few mistakes.

 

[cjoanzy]

I have the Metalcloak track bar reinforcement bracket and sector shaft brace ordered since Monday and they said they would ship this coming week. Assuming they get here as quickly as expected, I should have them on by the end of the month. I will report back once I have a few miles on them.

Thanks, an update on your install and satisfaction level would be appreciated.

 

[cjoanzy]

I tried the Steer Smarts on my Mojave and had problems getting it to fit. It's at the bottom of my pond. I have OCD and some patience issues ?.

The Metalcloak is, in my opinion, better designed, better engineered, and better built. It was easy to install. Just take your time and do things the way you're instructed to do them.
There is one video out there of someone installing it, and the guy royally messed it up. Still, his mistakes were helpful to me and everything went smoothly.

2000 miles on it and it looks the same as the day it was installed.
The difference in feel at the steering wheel was quite noticeable and in good ways.

Good info and picture, thanks.

 

[Lunentucker]

Tip: Finding a 42 mm in 1/2 drive can be a challenge.
1-11/16 is a great fit and much easier to locate.

 

[chorky]

I tried the Steer Smarts on my Mojave and had problems getting it to fit. It's at the bottom of my pond. I have OCD and some patience issues ?.

The Metalcloak is, in my opinion, better designed, better engineered, and better built. It was easy to install. Just take your time and do things the way you're instructed to do them.
There is one video out there of someone installing it, and the guy royally messed it up. Still, his mistakes were helpful to me and everything went smoothly.

2000 miles on it and it looks the same as the day it was installed.
The difference in feel at the steering wheel was quite noticeable and in good ways.

thats An interesting comparison. I would not think the metalcloak unit would be stronger because it only uses two small bolts and requires drilling new holes. The steer is so much beefier. Maybe there was a issue because you have the mojave? What was it that didnt line up?

 

[Lunentucker]

thats An interesting comparison. I would not think the metalcloak unit would be stronger because it only uses two small bolts and requires drilling new holes. The steer is so much beefier. Maybe there was a issue because you have the mojave? What was it that didnt line up?

I ground that lip off and it still didn't line up. I used some thin cardboard to make a template of the mounting holes in my frame rail and then placed that on the brace and there's just no way the bolts were going in. The pattern was off. I don't know. I've seen them installed on the Mojave by others but this was impossible.
By the time I had finished trying to make it work it was junk.

I get that it's beefier around where the gearbox mounts, but the Metalcloak does a better job on the bottom end in my opinion.

 

[kabookie10]

I've had the Synergy with the oilite bushing and now I have the steer smarts installed.

With the synergy, I noticed every now and then it would "pop" which I found out later on it needed re-greased. One thing I really hated about the synergy was the sector shaft bushing plate that bolts in was a real pain to get the bolts started. I had to bend and pry to just get the bolts started. I had concerns with this since the bushing plate was made from aluminum. I felt like it was putting alot of torque on the bolts just to get them to go in and this was due to the threads binding in the steel track bar ears that the bushing mounts to. Then that worried me that I was messing up the threads on the bolts which could have lead to the threads getting messed up in the bushing plate. I ended up taking it off and going with a steer smarts. I did some bending on the synergy and installed it fine on my wifes JL. Its been pretty silent and great since for her. But she barely drives 500 miles a month.

Now on to the steer smarts. I liked the fact that they used a sealed bearing. I didn't do my research much on it and just pulled the trigger. It bolted up fine for me but I did notice there was alot of clearance between the bearing plate and the ears on the track bar brace where it bolts to. It made install easy and the bolts started easily but again I had to torque down on the bolts to pull them in so there wasn't a gap. I have similar concerns about messing up the threads in the bearing plate. I had it installed for about 6 months maybe and I noticed a pop again when I turned the steering wheel. I took out the bearing plate and inspected the bearing only to find out it was shot already. In addition I had multiple issues of the bolts holding it in coming loose. Even with some of the new orange loctite. I skipped the blue and went to orange because it had the hold strength of red but removability of blue. Steer smarts customer service was amazing. They sent me a new one out and I reinstalled the new bearing. I've had the new bearing in for about 6-8 months now and its been pretty trouble free. One thing I did that I'm not sure i would recommend is i put some never seize on the pitman arm nut. I recently had another popping noise and uninstalled the bearing plate to inspect it as i though another bearing went bad. It was fine but the never seize looked like it was all hardened and gummed up. I wiped it clean and reinstalled and haven't had a pop yet. Its going on a month now. I don't know what bearing they are using but i'm wondering if its a cheap junk sealed bearing. it just doesn't look like something that would come from Timken or SKF or a quality bearing manufacturer. The bearing is just a ball style bearing which may be adequite, but i'm wondering if something like a spherical roller bearing would be better suited for the application. I also noticed that my "pop" was coming from the bolts coming loose and since the fit had a lot of slop, it allowed the plate to move back and forth that was the cause of the "popping" noise that i was hearing. Then i discovered the bearing was bad. The second bearing seems to be fine right now. I was also considering getting nordloc washers to put behind the bolts to try to keep them from backing out.

I did notice that Synergy now offers a roller bearing replacement for the oilite bushing. Not sure of the quality of that bushing and if its any better than the steer smarts.

They both have their positives and flaws. I was curious on the Metalcloak design. I about pulled the trigger on it but I ended up getting my steer smarts to work right again.

Just be aware that with the Synergy and Steer Smarts you may end up with some sort of popping noise or failed bearing at some point in time.

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