[scottmphoto]

Hey everyone!

I learned a ton today, and after seeing this kit, I HIGHLY recommend it for anyone running bigger tires on the JK. It is relatively inexpensive, easy to install, and great insurance for the trail (a friend of mine busted his sector shaft on the trail and had to leave his JK in the woods).

Hope the install helps.

Scott

 

[PetrichorJeep]

Well, I actually had one and removed it. You are better off putting your money toward ram assist such as Redneck Ram or PSC.

The bearing race gets chewed up quickly. Personally, I suspect it is because the needle bearing and race are unsealed, allowing dust and dirt to get in and grind up the race. If I can find my pics of that, I will try and post them. I think Synergy will just say that you have to service the bearing a lot more frequently (remove, clean and re-lube).

The other thing is that I saw someone bust their sector shaft with minimal effort on the Rubicon trial last summer and they had this brace installed!

Installation is slightly tedious getting the smaller nuts and bolts into place but completely terrible.

What stinks about the install is that Jeeps and these (track bar) these brackets are not perfectly aligned with each other at the upper track bar bolt. If you do not have ovaled out holes in your frame side track bar mount, you might after installing the track bar brace portion. In other words: there is no going back if you install it. You need to have all of the bolts really loose to be able to work the upper track bar bolt through. Once you tighten everything up, is when the hole gets ovaled out because the synergy bracket is a lot thicker and stronger.

The Sector shaft brace portion also hits on some of the larger springs out there like AEV for example. After ditching the sector shaft brace portion, I trimmed the little wings that stick out of the track bar brace where the sector shaft brace attaches.

 

[scottmphoto]

Well, I actually had one and removed it. You are better off putting your money toward ram assist such as Redneck Ram or PSC.

The bearing race gets chewed up quickly. Personally, I suspect it is because the needle bearing and race are unsealed, allowing dust and dirt to get in and grind up the race. If I can find my pics of that, I will try and post them. I think Synergy will just say that you have to service the bearing a lot more frequently (remove, clean and re-lube).

The other thing is that I saw someone bust their sector shaft with minimal effort on the Rubicon trial last summer and they had this brace installed!

Installation is slightly tedious getting the smaller nuts and bolts into place but completely terrible.

What stinks about the install is that Jeeps and these (track bar) these brackets are not perfectly aligned with each other at the upper track bar bolt. If you do not have ovaled out holes in your frame side track bar mount, you might after installing the track bar brace portion. In other words: there is no going back if you install it. You need to have all of the bolts really loose to be able to work the upper track bar bolt through. Once you tighten everything up, is when the hole gets ovaled out because the synergy bracket is a lot thicker and stronger.

The Sector shaft brace portion also hits on some of the larger springs out there like AEV for example. After ditching the sector shaft brace portion, I trimmed the little wings that stick out of the track bar brace where the sector shaft brace attaches.

Interesting. I heard the TB bracket was to help with already ovaled out OEM TB bracketry....not the case?

 

[PetrichorJeep]

Interesting. I heard the TB bracket was to help with already ovaled out OEM TB bracketry....not the case?

But if they were not ovaled in the first place....

 

[kjeeper10]

One day id like to get the sector shaft part, already have the brace.

 

[RubiconSquirrel]

i have this on the to do shelf. I dont think I will get it on before Easter Jeep Safari

 

[tabber02]

One day id like to get the sector shaft part, already have the brace.

huge difference. soon as i lift, i plan to do this one again. :tomatoes:

 

[Amphibole]

What stinks about the install is that Jeeps and these (track bar) these brackets are not perfectly aligned with each other at the upper track bar bolt. If you do not have ovaled out holes in your frame side track bar mount, you might after installing the track bar brace portion. In other words: there is no going back if you install it. You need to have all of the bolts really loose to be able to work the upper track bar bolt through. Once you tighten everything up, is when the hole gets ovaled out because the synergy bracket is a lot thicker and stronger.

This mirrors my experience with both the front and rear Synergy braces. Install was a PITA because the holes do not line up nice if your factory frame side TB bolt holes are in stock condition. On the front they were so far out of alignment that if I installed the TB bolt with everything loose then tightened all the brace bolts then the TB bolt was seized to the point that it took more than 125 ft-lbs just to draw it tight.

On the rear, even with everything loose I couldn't align the holes and had to drill out some of the small holes in the synergy bracket (synergy's advice).

I chocked it up to variation in manufacturing on the Jeep side that synergy had not accounted for.

Regardless, these are problems one might encounter installing these braces.

 

[PetrichorJeep]

The sector shaft brace also seems to transmit more vibration through to the steering wheel. (If that was the only issue then I would find it acceptable, actually)

The new custom sector shaft nut with built in bearing race that was provided had a big flat spot on it where the needle bearing rides as if the cast nut was machined slightly off-center. When I sent a picture in to Synergy they felt that it was acceptable and were not compelled to send a replacement race.

It would be fair to say, the moment I experienced my first episode of violent death wobble I was on the phone to Northridge like a sheep blindly ordering all of the Synergy front end parts. I am sure Synergy loves when folks just do this. Personally, I would make different choices if I had to do it all over again.

I even had issues with the bushings at BOTH ends of their track bar and both have been replaced.

 

[kjeeper10]

The sector shaft brace also seems to transmit more vibration through to the steering wheel. (If that was the only issue then I would find it acceptable, actually) The new custom sector shaft nut with built in bearing race that was provided had a big flat spot on it where the needle bearing rides as if the cast nut was machined slightly off-center. When I sent a picture in to Synergy they felt that it was acceptable and were not compelled to send a replacement race. It would be fair to say, the moment I experienced my first episode of violent death wobble I was on the phone to Northridge like a sheep blindly ordering all of the Synergy front end parts. I am sure Synergy loves when folks just do this. Personally, I would make different choices if I had to do it all over again. I even had issues with the bushings at BOTH ends of their track bar and both have been replaced.

Besides their new bushings Synergy has taking a dive recently.

SS yeti for the win

 

[monte417]

Getting a little cold in the customer service dept as well

 

[Gary2]

I removed the steering brace part of my synergy set up. I was never confident I installed it with out adding any lateral pressure because of the fit and where you have to work to actually install it . Now its another Synergy conversation piece on the wall. I will continue to drive without it

 

[Comanche Scott]

I've built a couple of these for "non-Jeep" vehicles. Used a sealed bearing pillow block with a colar setup. But in looking at the Jeep frame and steer box, I think if I was going 37" tires or larger, I'd go with a ram assist instead.
The frame seems very sturdy, and the sector shaft is reasonably short and stout.
I've noticed even with the 35" tires when playing in the rocks the steer box will go into relief. So my personal thought (having no first hand JK experience with this kit) is I'd want assist anyway, why make it more complicated than I have to by adding more "stuff" under the Jeep.

From you guys with first hand experience with this, am I missing anything?

 

[PetrichorJeep]

Well, I actually had one and removed it. You are better off putting your money toward ram assist such as Redneck Ram or PSC.

But in looking at the Jeep frame and steer box, I think if I was going 37" tires or larger, I'd go with a ram assist instead.
The frame seems very sturdy, and the sector shaft is reasonably short and stout.

^^ Yes, this ^^

Even Synergy have acknowledged that a ram assist is a better solution (on another forum). Ram assist could be out of reach for some folks as compared to a ram assist, which is at least double the price of a Red Neck Ram system. You can probably DIY a steering ram assist for not much more than the braces.

 

[Comanche Scott]

Cool thanks. :beerdrinking: I missed your initial post somehow...
On the older stuff I built, you could actually watch the frame bow, and the boxes were the older Saginaws with the long arsed sector shaft and long pitman arms, so it was worthwhile.

Just didn't seem as needed here. I've considered a small assist even with the 35" tires, but that would mean more stress on the rest of the stock steering system, so will probably wait until I go to 37-ish tires, new axle and upgraded steering components.

 

[Amphibole]

This is all such a bummer to read. I've got one sitting one the shelf too. Not sure what to do with it at this point.

 

[kjeeper10]

I think its a good mod if not running hydro. I mean it would not hurt installing it.

 

[RichL35]

I have the track bar brace and the sector shaft brace. I did go through the hassle of removing the shock and spring to do the install. The install was straight forward and everything lined up as it should. Torqued it all back down to spec where I could and pumped some grease in. I haven't felt anything negative from the install but its only been a few hundred miles. My concern with the brace is the bearing/race. There is no seal and the race doesn't feel case hardened or anything so I see that as an issue.
Also... I believe that this only works with a synergy track bar. I know it didn't work with my forged RC track bar. I'm not sure how I am going to feel about this in a year but today I'm happy with it.

 

[tabber02]

very interesting to read...

i installed the sector shaft brace and hi-steer kit along with rear track bar bracket on my JK probably two or three years ago. synergy's products noticeably improved the handling of my JK. at the time i was still on 37" tires...

wonder what changed... was planning to install the same on my JKU. might have to do more digging before i make that plunge.

 

[harv3589]

I just installed the sector shaft brace along with the upper and lower synergy track bar braces and the upper track bar brace on the rear as well...lower one came with my Rock Krawler lift. My steering seems better now, but I also did the yeti drag link flip and tie Rod.