tierod ends, steeringlinkage

[dotcentral]

Anyway to check these if they are not on the truck? I'm swapping over to a 79 front end and need to use the 79 tie rod ends. I thought about getting all new, but got scared off by the prices. So now I'm thinking about trying to use at least some of the donor parts.

Only way I have heard to check is with the entire front end & wheels/tires on the truck, jacking it up and pushing/pulling the wheel to see how it feels. Is that the right way? Is there another way to do this?

[fordman]

you can shake the steering wheel while its on the ground while someone watches the linkage from underneath the truck but that will only give you about half of the picture. of what is and isn't good. if the stuff is already off of the truck then you can try moving the tie rod studs around and up and down to check them for play. if you have any you know it. because they won't feel tight they'll flop around.

[xxxtina63]

Better to check when on the truck. Just because they feel tight when working with your hands, doesn't mean they're as tight as you think.

[FORDification]

If the pieces are already out, you can check them for wear simply by grabbing the tapered ends and trying to move them around. If you can put moderate-to-heavy pressure on them without them moving, then they're probably safe to use....as long as they're not stiff from lack of lubrication. If it appears they're greased up, and you can't easily move them around in the sockets, they'll be fine to use.

With new pieces you can't push them back and forth in the sockets, you have to use heavy jerking motions to get any movement.

Just make sure they don't look like this!

[dotcentral]

One was good, one was bad. Plus i messed up the threads on the center/drag link getting it out, so looks like new parts all around.

Question. What is the correct terminology of parts here? Looking at what I have, and the tech articles, seems like I am missing something.

Passenger side linkage, a long rod with a tie rod on one end, the other end bolts to the pitman arm.

Drivers side has a tie rod, the adjustable piece, which connects it to the center or drag link, is that right?

When I call up advance, NAPA, etc, the talk about inner & outer for each side, & the drag link. They make it sound like 5 pieces. I count 3, 4 if we want to include the adjustable piece on the driver's side.

Am I missing something here?

[FORDification]

You're correct: The main drag link goes from the Pitman arm to the R/S spindle's steering arm. The L/S has an inner and outer tie rod end, connected with an adjustment sleeve, that hooks into the middle of the drag link and extends to the L/S spindle's steering arm.

Most vehicles do have an inner and outer tie rod end for the other side too, so if the local parts guy isn't looking at his catalog and doesn't know our front-end setup, he's probably just assuming ours is like most other cars.

[dotcentral]

Thanks Keith. That was what I was thinking sitting in the garage looking at the parts.

[dotcentral]

Bought new TRW parts at Advance Auto, about $120 with tax. Driver inner/outer & draglink. They didn't have the threaded sleeve, but since that's not really much of a wear part wasn't concerned by it.

FYI: The draglink and outer tie rod did not have zerks fittings, castle nuts, & cotter pins. The inner tie rod end did. All TRW parts, so no idea why it was this way. So, you may need to save some parts to reuse.

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Another question. Is there suppose to be a bushing or spacer between the tie rod and the caliper mounting point? I'll look through the boxes again, but didn't notice any.

[FORDification]

No spacer or bushing, the tie rod end fits directly into the spindle steering arm.

[dotcentral]

Should there be a 1/2" or so gap? Seems like dirt, water, etc would get in there & work it's way into the tie rod eventually. I know there is the grease it would have to push past. Or is my stuff not fitting together right?

79 spindles, 79 steering components. It was about 3 years ago when I pulled all this stuff, so I can't remember how it looked then.

[dotcentral]

I can't find this figure in my Chiltons or my Haynes manuals. Tie rods at spindles get in the area of 52-72 ft-lbs. I used that range, but it put a hurting on the rubber bushing. Compressed it by at least half. And when comparing it to the 71 drum or 79 disc center link, thatey don't look the compressed.

any one got this torque?