My buddy has a YJ with a rusted solid drag link, and he can't align his steering after installing a 4" lift with 5" shackles. We've tried hammers, heat, liquid wrench, you name it. I have my old tie rod, drag link, and TRE's I removed for my U-Turn steering sitting on my growing scrap heap. Can my linkage fit his Jeep and get some crap out of my garage? He's in Cali right now and I'm in Washington, so we can't measure them side by side. Both are Dana 30 axles.

Thanks,
Mark

5" shackles

5" shackles, or 5" lift shackles. Stock YJ shackles are 4.5" bolt to bolt, so if 5" is the measurement from bolt to bolt, then thats not really anything out of the ordinary. If they are 5" lift shackles, then that means they are 10" longer than stock shackles, or about 15" bolt to bolt. I assume its the former.

Other than that, Im not sure if you can use your TJ steering. They should be pretty close, and I would think you could, however, you would probably need a direct comparison to see.

I seem to remeber convincing myself that you cant. If I remeber correctly the measerment from the center of the pit man arm to the center of the steering knuckle hole for the TRE is way different when compared to each other

5" shackles isn't officially the question. Although, based on Road Head's math (15" long) we gotta seriously doubt that they're 5" lift shackles.

TJ steering and YJ steering are different.
Currie Enterprises Steering

As far as your buddies parts being stuck on... Use a bigger hammer.

I have a Warn hub conversion kit, so my wheels are spaced out from the hub about .75". I drilled and tapered my knuckles out from the top and bought some GM 1/2 Ton TRE's. One side threaded, the other side threaded with a hole for the drag link. I put a GM TRE in there too and drilled out a stock steering arm for that final TRE at the steering arm. To connect all of this I bought some jam nuts and 1.25" x .75" wall DOM steel.

So because this comes from the top, my tie rod is about 2" about the line it was formally on. It's DOM steel, so even if I was to run into something, it is not going to bend. And lastly, it's all 1/2 ton stuff. All very stout.
I am SUA.

I hope that answered your question.