We Test: The RPM Steering HD 2” and SteerSmarts’ Yeti XD steering kits

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Words by JD Keating @Dads_That_Wheel; Photos Brad that Wheels Morris.

The ‘low hanging fruit’ on almost any solid-axle equipped vehicle is the steering componentry. In order to transfer power from your power steering box, energy is transmitted through a pitman arm, down through a draglink, and across a tie rod. Unfortunately, all of this essential equipment is directly in front of your axle and susceptible to all manner of damage.

The OEM steering components on our two JL’s held up surprisingly well, considering the abuse we put them through. But, after countless hours of intense confrontations with rocks and roots, it was time for an upgrade. The stock joints had worn and can’t be rebuilt, so rather than replace with OEM options, this seemed to be the perfect time to experiment with an aftermarket alternative.

The go-to for Jeep steering upgrades is 2.5 tonne steering linkage. But what does that even mean? This upgrade is the OEM equivalent of what is installed on full-size trucks like a Ford F350. For our purposes, we got our hands on an RPM HD 2” aluminum steering kit and a SteerSmarts Yeti XD steering kit, including a Yeti XD track bar relocation bracket, and a frame side-track bar reinforcement bracket.

Yeti also offers this super-cool alignment tool that can be mounted to your wheel studs to more accurately dial in your Jeep. Out of the box, the RPM stuff is super light, massively gauged and very shiny (which of course appeals to Brad’s vanity). The SteerSmarts kit was much heavier, but also much more complete, with custom-shaped and forged ends, extra correction brackets and a custom-tuned steering stabilizer.

Our initial impression on the RPM kit was that it was very robust, looked fantastic and was a simple design. With massive 2’ solid 7075 aluminum links, RPM’s kit is able to take a beating. It is also a very clean installation with no bolts or brackets hanging down to get snagged in the rocks or mud. However that simple design also leads to some simple malfunctions.

For instance, the tie rod holds tight and tracks straight, it also takes abuse and bounces back, which is the advantage to aluminum. But it also rocks fore and aft significantly, which forces the joint to sit at its extreme angle while at rest. While the tweaked angle didn’t give us any problems over thousands of hard miles, the resting position does pose a concern over the longer term.

The SteerSmarts system was a lot more complex, but for good reason. Each joint end is forged and heat-treated in-house and designed specifically for the JL application. The Yeti XD Draglink can be flipped to run top-mounted (on lifts more than 4.5 inches) utilizing a patent pending “reverse pin” technology, which is a fancy way of saying SteerSmarts ensures your draglink and track bar geometry stays parallel to prevent steering issues.

The SteerSmarts crew will gladly walk you through which product is right for you. The Yeti XD kit is a natural progression when replacing OEM. The SteerSmarts Yeti XD kit improved our steering response and stability. Even though the system is also entirely adjustable, it has taken some serious abuse and we have not had to adjust the steering wheel once, which says a lot.

Both of these aftermarket kits are a strength improvement over stock. In our opinion, the RPM system is best suited to a Jeep that spends the majority of its time off-road.

The fine folks at SteerSmarts know their craft, and they’ve refined the steering components for the JL so well it should be a mandatory upgrade for any daily driven Jeep JL that is also used a lot for off-roading. Having the confidence to know that your steering linkage will get you home safe and sound is one of the best investments you can make in your daily driven rock crawler.