Tie rod end help

So I think my tie rod ends are mixed up on my front right of my truck. Went to do a string alignment and started to adjust things. Went and started to move radius sleeve and noticed that the thing doesn’t move the tire. The tie rod ends appear to be moving in sink with each other versus pushing apart or pulling together.
Also this is how the truck came.
Could one of the tie rod ends be wrong?
Could the radius sleeve thing be backwards?

This is the movement when I try to adjust.

Pstyckiewicz said:

So I think my tie rod ends are mixed up on my front right of my truck. Went to do a string alignment and started to adjust things. Went and started to move radius sleeve and noticed that the thing doesn’t move the tire. The tie rod ends appear to be moving in sink with each other versus pushing apart or pulling together.
Also this is how the truck came.
Could one of the tie rod ends be wrong?
Could the radius sleeve thing be backwards?

Click to expand...

.
Hey there,


yes, I had the very same thing on my newly purchased truck. Follow the story here:


What turned out to be was the last active duty Marine working on these installed two right had ends on one tie rod, and two left hand on the other tie rod. That seems impossible since the rods are threaded, but it happened.

The best thing to do when you change tire rod ends is remove the unit entirely from the vehicle and then count the number of threads. Then try to re-create the number of threads and the measured distance from the rod to the threaded pipe.

You can also use the three blocks of wood method. You have one long blocks on the bottom and two smaller ones on the top. When you remove the tie rod, take the smaller rods and staple them or nail them or screw them to the rod to exactly re-create the length of the tie rod. Use that as a template. Your vehicle will never be out of alignment if it was originally in alignment.

Hahaha Thunderbirds that seems to be my problem. My truck is a Marine unit as well. Not sure what knuckle dragger was working on it. I can get it to move around quit a bit, but it is useless that way. So moral of the story is the radius sleeve thing is most likely cross threaded on one end and probably need a new one.

Pstyckiewicz said:

Hahaha Thunderbirds that seems to be my problem. My truck is a Marine unit as well. Not sure what knuckle dragger was working on it. I can get it to move around quit a bit, but it is useless that way. So moral of the story is the radius sleeve thing is most likely cross threaded on one end and probably need a new one.

Click to expand...

I was able to get the toe in adjusted to specs. You will need to disconnect the rods from the truck after you took you measurements. Adjust them by turning the ends one at a time (in or out depending on what your goal is) until desired length. I had to put in back into the truck 4 times on one side and five on the other side. But I got it to exact zero.

One day when I have enough $$$ to get it done right, I will replace both rods and all 4 ends. It will cost a bit though, for now the setup is safe and at factory zero.

EDIT: Yes, the radius sleeve is damaged now. I wouldn't trust installing the correct left and right hand threaded ends.

Thanks for the good info. Yeah this thing is way out of alignment. I was going to take it to a semi truck place to get it aligned. I wanted it to be close as I could get it in the mean time. But I will have to correct this first haha

Pstyckiewicz said:

Thanks for the good info. Yeah this thing is way out of alignment. I was going to take it to a semi truck place to get it aligned. I wanted it to be close as I could get it in the mean time. But I will have to correct this first haha

Click to expand...

I am sure you will be able to get it spot on by yourself. The tolerance is 1/4 to 3/8" IIRC. With enough patience you can save all them $$$ for the next breakdown.

Any idea if the grease fitting is an indicator of what hand tie rod I have. Seen some pictures that the fittings are on the same side as each other.

Pstyckiewicz said:

Any idea if the grease fitting is an indicator of what hand tie rod I have. Seen some pictures that the fittings are on the same side as each other.

Click to expand...

.
Absolutely. If you compare in the parts manual, one is facing the opposite direction of the other. Looking at the diagram, the Left Hand Threaded (Not to be confused as a left side for the truck) is item number 17, and is installed on the right looking at the back with the threads pointing down.
Item 11, Right Hand threaded is facing to the left, looking at the back with the threads pointing down.

I hope the way I am wording this makes sense?

Depending on what model you have (I do not see you mention it anywhere above) there are two common tie rods, the Basic/A1 and the A2/later trucks.
ALL the tie rods ENDS are the same (there is a right and left thread so there are two part number) , that is why there are no UOC codes listed under the tie rod ENDS circled above.
There were two #10 the tie rods themselves, he unfortunately cut the page a little short and all you see above the A2 etc. part number is the UOC code for the other tie rod Basic/A1
You should download the parts manual and become familiar with it and what YOUR vehicles UOC code is so you can find the correct parts the first time.
UOC stands for Usable On Code.

I have an M1152A1.

OK then your truck is not in that parts book.
In your case the A1 designation does not mean the same as the early trucks.
I believe your tie rods are the same as the M1152.

NSN #2530014212563 and manufactures part # 06005119

If I am wrong hopefully someone will jump in here and correct me.

What is your serial number?
I am with you on looking for replacements, that cross threaded tie rod could not be a strong as a correctly threaded tie rod

Serial number is 252865.

I’m kind of confused still haha. So in my case do you think one of my tie rod ends is wrong? Or is the sleeve thing on wrong? Is the sleeve a direction specific thing. Like one side is for right hand only and the other is left hand only?

thanks for all the help.

Pstyckiewicz said:

Serial number is 252865.

Click to expand...

Then I think the one you showed is correct.
The only differences is their length, so you could ask them to measure the tie rod itself not including the tie rod ends and see if they are the same as yours.

Pstyckiewicz said:

I’m kind of confused still haha. So in my case do you think one of my tie rod ends is wrong? Or is the sleeve thing on wrong? Is the sleeve a direction specific thing. Like one side is for right hand only and the other is left hand only?

thanks for all the help.

Click to expand...

No they are the same for both sides.
You have all the correct tie rod ends but someone assembled them incorrectly, two of the tie rods and two of the tie rod ends are cross threaded and likely damaged.
Each tie rod should have one right hand thread tie rod end and one left hand thread tie rod end.
I have never tried to cross thread a tie rod but I imagine they had to work real hard to screw them up, maybe they had it in their mind that both right hand thread tie rod ends go on the right side and the left hand thread tie rod end go on the left

Contact Mac Motors and they can tell you if the one you showed above is correct, just have your model and serial number handy.

Mogman said:

OK then your truck is not in that parts book.
In your case the A1 designation does not mean the same as the early trucks.
I believe your tie rods are the same as the M1152.

NSN #2530014212563 and manufactures part # 06005119

If I am wrong hopefully someone will jump in here and correct me.

Click to expand...

.
As usual, I believe you are correct. The TM 9-2320-387-24P C05 reads on page 0135 00-1 as Item 9. but with knowing the serial number of the truck, we have to pick the next item below that. Hey P, you may benefit if you had the TM for this truck. I found a free copy here:

Thunderbirds said:

.
As usual, I believe you are correct. The TM 9-2320-387-24P C05 reads on page 0135 00-1 as Item 9. but with knowing the serial number of the truck, we have to pick the next item below that. Hey P, you may benefit if you had the TM for this truck. I found a free copy here:

https://www.hummersurplusparts.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/TM-9-2320-387-24P.pdf

View attachment 932824

Click to expand...

And I am sure you already have the Operators manual from this site: