I don't know the need for me to have crossover (hysteer) steering. I have a upgraded tie rod from Marlin already. Is the only need for crossover steering to raise it above the axle or to be able to move the axle forward? The j-style arm has done me well. If anyone has performed this on a old 83 let me know if an IFS steering box will bolt up to my power steering that I currently added over a year ago. "Thanks to all"

There is conventional crossover w/ tie rod in the stock location or high steer which puts the tie rod over the springs. Makes it easier to move the axle forward in either case since the drag link runs side-side instead of front-back. IFS box will not bolt up, you have to spend 1/2 day hacking all the stock steering and torque rod brkts. out of the way then drill, sleeve and plate the frame to accept the IFS box:

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/CrossoverSteering/index.shtml

Getting the tie rod up is a great benefit of high steer cross over steering but not the only reason for doing it. If you wheel long and/or hard enough you Will eventually break a J arm. Hopefully you break it completely and on the trail because you will not be able to steer when it happens. When mine broke I was in Tellico and when we removed it you could see where it had been broken for awhile because it had rust in the crack. A friends also broke at Tellico a couple years after mine and his too was already cracked. In both cases we did not know they were cracked. Thank God they broke on a slow trail. The hardest part of the swap is mounting the IFS steering gear box but it is not that hard. My lines all hooked up to the IFS box on my 85.

Another issue is how much suspension lift you have on your truck. With 3-4" or less, you don't always need x-over steering (a dropped drag link works), and with less than 3" it can interfere with the springs.

If you have >4" of lift, x-over will make your truck steer a lot better.

Just to add one thing, though. Overall lift isn't as large an issue as overall suspension travel and/or articulation. Too much droop reaks havoc on that j-arm.

i have 3 J arms for sale if you want them.
as I built up and got 4 inchs of suspension lift and alot of travel I found that when the drivers wheel dropped I could not turn at all, the pitman arm/ drag link would just pick up or push down the drivers side tire. when stuffed I could not turn as it got into the u bolts.
I saw a guy break a j arm so I bought a spare, then parted out a truck. I also have 2 dropped pitman arms, one for a spare that is missing a cap, the other was in good shape when I took it off.
put them on when I got my sky jacker lift about 3 years ago.
after bending springs and being top heavy, I dropped the truck down to 3.5 or 4 inches with alcans..
I went with skys kit and plan on power ram assist now.
course the full hydo is not much more then sky's kit but takes alot of getting used to on the road, and if the pump stops turning, motor dies or you blow a belt, steering is a real pain, I am talking like bending the steering wheel.
so, trail queen, full hydro is ok as you trailer or tow it to the wheeling.