Currie Enterprises Jeep Suspension

The name Currie Enterprises is synonymous with Jeeps. Their Rock Jock axles, Ford 9-inch axles for Jeeps, suspension systems featuring the legendary Johnny Joint system – imitated industry wide – and even bumpers have been gracing Jeeps for as long as I’ve been into four-wheeling (and that’s a while now). Currie also has a version of its Currectlync Steering system available for JK, TJ and XJ Jeep models.

Currie’s first modular system for the JK was beyond beefy, but for the everyday wheeler, it was a little on the expensive side. When speaking with Ray Currie at SEMA this past year, he introduced me to a new version of the steering system that retails below $600.00 for both the tie rod and the drag link. There is also a version to “flip” the tie rod to the top of the knuckles for better ground clearance, and that kit comes with the sleeves to complete the flip.

Even right-hand drive versions of this system are available – all still under that $600.00 threshold. Ray also mentioned the “roll” tolerances of the tie rod have been tightened to help reduce the annoying steel-on-steel impact when the tie rod flexes and rotates during normal use. Unlike the stock steering system that has one end crimped onto the centre link, both ends are adjustable and replaceable. The tubular tie rod is 1½ inches in diameter, while the drag link to the steering box is solid cast.

I also brought in a few Currie pieces to help finish my CJK8 project. As my tie rod and drag link are shorter than a stock JK system due to the high steer arms, I used the modular tie rod ends supplied with weld-in bungs, so I can order tubing and set my own link length. Currie offers several versions of these ends, and all use a thread-in tie rod end that threads in from either direction. These tie rod ends are huge with a 1 1/4-in.-diameter shaft using a 1 3/4-in.  piece of DON tubing as the centre link, and of course replaceable cartridge-style rod ends.

Whichever Jeep model you have or axle configuration, Currie has steering choices to help beef up your steering system and keep your Jeep rolling straight on down the road.

The Currie Enterprises Currectlync steering system for the JK comes in two flavours. The modular Extreme series uses massive 1-¼ tie-rod shaft ends, a replaceable cartridge-style rod end, and in our case, weld bungs to make our own centre link. These same massive ends are available for the drag link of a JK.

Brian’s 4-door JK Rubicon has a 3-inch lift and has seen trail use in its 50,000 kms. While not wheeled hard, both the factory drag link and the factory tie rod are already bent in a nice curve and loose enough that they twisted freely with our hands.

The Currie replacement link options include the new-for-2017 Currectlync tie-rod and drag link and also a modular extreme-duty version. The Currectlync version is a factory replacement system while the Modular system can be ordered to length or assembled yourself with weld-in tube inserts.

The new less-expensive version of the Currectlync steering has a 1-½ inch diameter tube for the tie-rod and a 1 ½ inch forged solid drag link that mimic the factory angles.

The factory configuration for the steering arms is on the bottom side of the knuckle. Currie also makes a system that flips the links to the top of the knuckles for close to the same price and uses a right-hand drive-style drag link and weld-in tapper bungs. We are using the factory location for Brian’s steering.

The JK tie rod uses a unique adjuster collar that is double-threaded on one end. This is due to the crimped end of the other end of the tie rod and the fact that it’s bent on both ends and otherwise would not be adjustable without removing it every time. The new Currie tie-rod uses the same system, though, with much beefier parts.

Unlike the factory crimped tie-rod end on the passenger side, the Currie Currectlync system has a threaded-in rod end for easy replacement without having to buy a whole new tie-rod.

Without moving the vehicle on the driveway, we removed the stock components and used their lengths as a baseline to install the new Currie parts. Notice that the new rod ends are all greaseable, while the stock ends are not.

The kit also comes with a new stabilizer mount, which is much beefier than the stock one. It needs to be used, as the new tie-rod tube is a larger diameter than the stock tie rod.

We still needed to adjust the tie rod slightly to get 1/8-to-3/16 of toe-in on the tires, and we had to turn the drag link adjustment collar to centre the steering wheel – all easily done with the new Currectlync steering in place.

New straight beefy steering components will last Brian a lot longer than the stock parts did.

If you’re working on a custom axle like I am in my current project using a 1-ton Dana 60 axle form a Ford truck up front, the modular steering gives you some real beef to work with and the ability to match different steering positions found on larger axles. I actually have a shorter tie rod than a JK on the 1-ton axles and with a high steer arm on the passenger side and the Reid Racing knuckles installed on the ends of the King Pin axle. The modular joints were the perfect solution for me.

The top shot of the steering arms on the top of the knuckle with the drag link end mounted up from the bottom. The Currie Currectlync modular rod end mounted on top of the Reid Racing knuckle end.