Drag link removal

[gimpyrobb]

I'd try 30ftlbs and red loctite.

 

[welldigger]

I'd try 30ftlbs and red loctite.

Hmm that and maybe spacers bewteen the two halves to fill some of the gap.

 

[bones1]

I was very careful with this part knowing it was cast metal and snuck up on the tightening procedure for that reason.I think that this was the first time I have ever followed tightening instructions to the letter ever. Would always tighten by feel. And this was made before the days of Chinese cast junk metal. I am now very nervous about doing the final tightening on the spring perch bracket to 200 ft lbs. Would hate to snap that one.Think a tig would fix it?. I have a shop full of welders, gas,migs, stick and plasma cutters...guess which one I don't have in the shop?.
I have already contacted Peashooter..........once again he will bail me out.

 

[bones1]

The contact pattern is not very good on this bracket. I could see where it could snap.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Stick and or mig will fix it fine. Make sure you V the crack so you get full penetration and fusion.

 

[bones1]

10-4 I will look at that tomorrow, maybe make a pencil holder out of it. I won't trust it anymore.

 

[ivbeenrokd]

Bones1, would you happen to have the length of the factory drag link? I can't get enough travel to turn all the way to the right with my air assist and I'm wondering if the air assist drag link is shorter than the factory drag link. I've adjusted my drag link where there is only 1" clamped in but it's still not long enough.

 

[bones1]

OK. You are a turn off center. Take loose the steering arm end and point the steering arm @ 12 o'clock towards the passenger side tire. Now go to the pitman arm and by hand point it straight down to 6 o'clock. Connect the draglink WITHOUT moving either the pitman or steering arm and you will find that you will have to thread it in now and have about 1.5 inch less threads showing.

 

[ivbeenrokd]

I started with your method first. If I turn the drag link in farther in from where it is now then it's not going to turn as far to the right as it does now. Does your truck turn all the way to the right as it should with the air assist installed? Would you have the ability to measure the stock drag link ball socket to ball socket?

assuming the pitman arm wasn't removed (which it wasn't) it really doesn't matter if you connect at hard left, hard right, or center since the drag link is really the only means of adjustment anyway.

I'm thinking one solution may be to move the pitman arm but I'm thinking its keyed. Do you know if its keyed?

 

[bones1]

I got this from another thread here "balls are 1 1/8" center to center is 15 3/4" rod size is 1 1/4". I still think you have a lot of thread showing for some reason. What procedure did you use to install the air cylinder on the tie rod?.You are supposed to pull the ram all the way out, then back in a couple inches and then clamp down your bracket on the tie rod. Just a thought.

 

[ivbeenrokd]

Currently I'm sitting at around 16.5" long. When I mounted the ram I measured it all the way out, measured it all the way in, then split the difference while the tires were facing straight. This would have put the ram in the middle of the cycle. I also measured it on the other truck before I removed it and the 2 matched up. If it was the ram holding it from turning far enough there wouldn't have been a difference between where I am now and say an inch shorter on the drag link or an inch longer on the drag link. The farther out I take the drag link the farther the truck will turn to the right. Either way, it would be easy to disconnect the ram and turn lock to lock so I'm only dealing with the linkage portion and not the air assist portion.

 

[bones1]

Do you have this info?.http://www.jatonkam35s.com/DeuceTechnicalManuals/MaradyneSB82805airassistinstallation.pdf

 

[ivbeenrokd]

No, but I do now. Thanks for that, I'll read it thoroughly over the next day or 2 and start over to see if I learn anything new.

 

[bones1]

10-4 You'll get it. I have read a while back somewhere that with the Air-o-matic achieving full right to the stops was difficult.I don't remember when/where I read that.

 

[ivbeenrokd]

This is how I pulled it in last. Tires straight.

 

[ivbeenrokd]

After removing the Drag link from the steering arm and centering the steering box it looks like I still need a good 3/4" longer on the drag link. I currently only have approximately 1 inch of penetration on the threaded part of the drag link.

 

[ivbeenrokd]

Okay, I just figured out the cause! We flipped the front perches drastically changing the angle of the front axle. The effects of this were then multiplied by the longer steering arm making the drag link too short.