Steering Box
The steering box transfers the movement of the steering wheel to the wheels through the pitman arm, drag link and tie rod.
SWB
A short wheel base vehicle has less than 100” of wheelbase. This includes TJ and YJ Wranglers and CJs.
Tie Rod
The tie rod is part of the steering linkage, connecting both knuckles on a steering axle allowing the vehicle to turn. A bent tie rod is a common failure on the trail and results in your tires being excessively ‘toed-in’.
Triangulated Suspension
A suspension design that uses control arms that when viewed from the top appear in the shape of a triangle. The opposing direction of the arms controls the side to side movement of the axle and allows the track bar to be eliminated.
TJ
The TJ Wrangler has been produced since 1997. It features coil springs, and arguably a better on road and off-road ride. It replaced the YJ Wrangler.
Torque
A force that turns or twists resulting in rotation. Torque is measured in ft. lbs. (US)
Track Width
The measurement from right tire to left tire centerline. Track width can be modified in several ways, some of which are new axles, new wheels, and wheel spacers. A wider track width can help to make your vehicle more stable on side hills and uneven terrain.
Track Bar
The track bar locates your axle side to side underneath the vehicle. The track bar must be modified or relocated when the vehicle is lifted to compensate for the additional lift. If it is not re-located the axle will be offset from the center of the vehicle and can result in adverse handling characteristics.
Transfer Case
A gearbox that allows the power from the transmission to be transferred to both the front and rear axle equally. It also allows the driver to shift from 2WD high to 4WD high, and 4WD low
Turning radius
This is a measurement of how sharp a vehicle can turn. The smaller the number the tighter the vehicle can turn. This can be very important on some trails that have very little room to move.
