I like my Synergy brace and it works well for me. I liked how it tightened up the steering response for me. I now have a PSC big bore box so I only use the TB brace portion of the Synergy brace now. I prefer overbuilt and extra bracing considering how long I keep my vehicles. I also use the Synergy rear frame side TB brace.

 

I ran a synergy brace for years and never broke a sector shaft. So it must work. 😂 I’d still be running it now except that I had to move my track bar bracket when I went to one tons.

 

Ha! Good to know it can take a mall speed bump! I know you and your crew can wreck an anvil with a wiffle ball bat.... I want to get a camera on it to confirm.

 

Do you have a link that has any info on their new brace?

 

They sent me an email that by end of this week will be available for sale, ship last week of november, first week of December. Said to check their social media, and will be in their newsletter. So far not on FB.

 

You mentioned steering wheel correction while driving. A sector shaft brace on a jk is unlikely to help with that. You should be looking at caster and toe.

A sector shaft brace on a JK is to help avoid a broken sector shaft. That breakage is rare but much more likely if you’re running large tires on the rocks, without any hydraulic assist add on. Unless you’re doing that, I would suggest that it’s unnecessary.

The early JLs and JTs had a problem with the steering box flexing under normal use. I have not heard that the JK had that problem.

 

You mentioned steering wheel correction while driving. A sector shaft brace on a jk is unlikely to help with that. You should be looking at caster and toe.

A sector shaft brace on a JK is to help avoid a broken sector shaft. That breakage is rare but much more likely if you’re running large tires on the rocks, without any hydraulic assist add on. Unless you’re doing that, I would suggest that it’s unnecessary.

The early JLs and JTs had a problem with the steering box flexing under normal use. I have not heard that the JK had that problem.

I know, most likely not needed, I'm always tweaking it a bit, just because. I need a good alignment shop. I'm going to look at my last printout. Maybe the toe is out of wack.

Just checked my most recent sheet, caster is at 5 and toe is .11 each side for a total of 21.... new math 21???? Maybe it was just me driving for 8+ hours, almost five in the remnants of a tropical storm. With a steering box I guess there will always be a little play in the wheel.

 

I have found it is the sector shaft itself that is weak on a stock JK steering box. With larger tires [35" +] if you hit a rock or chuck hole the sector shaft twists and one is forced to re-center the steering wheel. Do that three times and the sector shaft will break on the fourth twist. Using or not using a sector shaft brace will have no effect on keeping the sector shaft from twisting. The only cure for the stock steering box weak sector shaft is to replace the stock steering box with a PSC steering box. I run the stock steering pump, PSC steering box, PSC power steering cooler, and PSC reservoir. No more twisted sector shafts and no more pump growling with Swepco PS fluid!
Please....No need to tell me you have never twisted your stock box sector shafts with your braces and mall cruisers!

 

I have found it is the sector shaft itself that is weak on a stock JK steering box. With larger tires [35" +] if you hit a rock or chuck hole the sector shaft twists and one is forced to re-center the steering wheel. Do that three times and the sector shaft will break on the fourth twist. Using or not using a sector shaft brace will have no effect on keeping the sector shaft from twisting. The only cure for the stock steering box weak sector shaft is to replace the stock steering box with a PSC steering box. I run the stock steering pump, PSC steering box, PSC power steering cooler, and PSC reservoir. No more twisted sector shafts and no more pump growling with Swepco PS fluid!
Please....No need to tell me you have never twisted your stock box sector shafts with your braces and mall cruisers!

Have you broken a sector shaft on a JK?

A hydraulic assist system with a hydraulic ram distributes some force from the drag link and sector shaft to the tie rod. Another solution is the PSC big bore, which simply has a larger and stronger sector shaft but doesn't redistribute forces unless it is used with a ram.