baby HEMTT drag link adjustment

[Jones]

Baby HEMTT update.

I'm assembling the steering on the baby HEMTT and have come up on a little detail I can't get o good answer for.

Adjusting the drag link ends is controlled by tightening or loosening "adjusting plugs" that push the ball seats together and down against a coil spring. This is the basic design for the 5 ton axles I'm using (late M800 and M900 series 5 tonners)

Now, I've already gone to my TM library and TM 9-2320-260-20, sect. 9-12 "Drag link adjustment", page 9-33, instruction line 7 sez:
"Tighten adjusting plugs, then back off adjusting plugs until holes align".

Fine... but how tight is "tighten"? Up against the spring?, Up against the spring then X number of turns more?, Until the adjusting plug compresses the spring to the point where the stem on the ball seat and the stem on the safety plug contact each other inside the spring?

Has anyone else done a drag link change or adjustment and if so, what settings did you use?

 

[Recovry4x4]

TM 9-8022 says about the same thing. "Screw adjusting plug tight, then back screw out one-half turn or less until new cotter pin can be installed". Tight I would assume means remove any and all clearances.

 

[Jones]

Thanks Kenny.
The same manuals that tell you in great detail which way to turn a light bulb in order to remove or install it, gets wonderfully vague at just the wrong moment.
The mechanic at my local truck stop sent me away with this gem; 'aww, just keep tightening it 'til it don't feel sloppy no more'.

 

[mikew]

'aww, just keep tightening it 'til it don't feel sloppy no more'.

Don't underestimate his wisdom, because those are words to live by!

 

[wreckerman893]

just keep tightening it 'til it don't feel sloppy no more'.

A long gone GF use to tell me that all the time.

 

[Jones]

Thanks guys... knew I could count on you to set me straight.

 

[Armada]

Quote:
just keep tightening it 'til it don't feel sloppy no more'.
A long gone GF use to tell me that all the time.

That's why she's long gone, you ran out of threads...

 

[USMC6062]

Baby HEMTT update.

I'm assembling the steering on the baby HEMTT and have come up on a little detail I can't get o good answer for.

Adjusting the drag link ends is controlled by tightening or loosening "adjusting plugs" that push the ball seats together and down against a coil spring. This is the basic design for the 5 ton axles I'm using (late M800 and M900 series 5 tonners)

Now, I've already gone to my TM library and TM 9-2320-260-20, sect. 9-12 "Drag link adjustment", page 9-33, instruction line 7 sez:
"Tighten adjusting plugs, then back off adjusting plugs until holes align".

Fine... but how tight is "tighten"? Up against the spring?, Up against the spring then X number of turns more?, Until the adjusting plug compresses the spring to the point where the stem on the ball seat and the stem on the safety plug contact each other inside the spring?

Has anyone else done a drag link change or adjustment and if so, what settings did you use?

I ran into the same problem when I was putting my truck together. I found that same information in the TM. Once you put it together, it will make since. The plug will bottom out, about the same time it becomes flush with the end of the drag link. So tighten it up, then back off just enough so the cotter pin hole lines up. I took pictures of the 5 ton before I pulled it apart and the plugs were ran in flush.