I had finished another days’ work on my 68 FJ40 project and was about to quit when the wife decided to knock out an hour of gardening… so I had an extra hour in the garage with the truck. And I happened to have an OME original parts replacement steering damper from SOR waiting to be installed. Two cotter pins, two castle nuts… off with the old, on with the new, finish and still have time to clean up, right. Right? Uh, no.
The original steering damper (31) fastens to a bracket in the center of the relay rod (29) at one end, and to the pivoting center arm (34). at the other end. I removed the cotter pin and castle nut from the relay rod end. Started there because it was easy access. Almost halfway done!
Except, even with a 5 lb dead hammer I could not get the threaded end of the steering damper bolt knocked through the relay rod bracket to release the damper. I did not expect this. After several wailing hard blows I was only able to move the steering damper bolt about 1/4-3/8 inch. I really thought it would pop out.
So I thought the relay rod end might release easier if the center arm end was released first. So let’s try that. First, the castle nut is in a very tight cramped space. The castle nut and cotter pin had a thick coat of old grime, grease, and undercoating overspray. Wasn’t sure if there was a cotter pin in the mess. Took a while to wire wheel off the accumulated crud coat, especially working in the tight quarters between the center arm and the driver side frame member right above. A good cleaning of the castle nut scared me: you could only see a shiny nub of cotter pin head buried solidly in the castle nut well. Nothing to latch on to. Spackled in solid with years of packed crud. At first I thought it was broken off.
Working on the other ends of the cotter pin, I tried pushing (needle nose pliers) and tapping the straightened split ends. Trying to bump the head on the other side out of the castle nut hole. The whole cotter pin seemed to be a size too small. Eventually… I broke one of the cotter pin legs off at the base of the castle nut, and snapped off all but 1/4” of the remaining cotter pin leg. I think I’m screwed. Hate I did it. Feel awful. It’s on me.
Don’t know how to undo that. And if I can’t undo the steering damper nut on the steering arm, no point in undoing it at the relay rod end. At this point, I can only think to put it back together until I can figure out next steps.
To the point(s):
1) Is it supposed to be so hard to separate the steering damper bolt from the bracket at the relay rod end? Is it a pickle fork job super whack job? The currrent steering damper assembly moves smoothly (when I turn the wheels) with no binding. Just didn’t expect it would be so hard to get apart. Not sure if I’m screwing up.
2) No point in (1) if I can’t get the castle nut off the other end because I broke the cotter pin ends in the castle nut. How do you get off a castle nut with a broken off cotter pin in the castle nut shoulders? Bonus: it’s in a space with about as much maneuvering room as a lizard cervix.
3) I’m hoping the final solution doesn’t involve the word “Sawzall” but if I have to… I have to. I’d hate to destroy a good working OEM (I think) steering damper.
THanks,
Chip
VA Mountain FJ40
The original steering damper (31) fastens to a bracket in the center of the relay rod (29) at one end, and to the pivoting center arm (34). at the other end. I removed the cotter pin and castle nut from the relay rod end. Started there because it was easy access. Almost halfway done!
Except, even with a 5 lb dead hammer I could not get the threaded end of the steering damper bolt knocked through the relay rod bracket to release the damper. I did not expect this. After several wailing hard blows I was only able to move the steering damper bolt about 1/4-3/8 inch. I really thought it would pop out.
So I thought the relay rod end might release easier if the center arm end was released first. So let’s try that. First, the castle nut is in a very tight cramped space. The castle nut and cotter pin had a thick coat of old grime, grease, and undercoating overspray. Wasn’t sure if there was a cotter pin in the mess. Took a while to wire wheel off the accumulated crud coat, especially working in the tight quarters between the center arm and the driver side frame member right above. A good cleaning of the castle nut scared me: you could only see a shiny nub of cotter pin head buried solidly in the castle nut well. Nothing to latch on to. Spackled in solid with years of packed crud. At first I thought it was broken off.
Working on the other ends of the cotter pin, I tried pushing (needle nose pliers) and tapping the straightened split ends. Trying to bump the head on the other side out of the castle nut hole. The whole cotter pin seemed to be a size too small. Eventually… I broke one of the cotter pin legs off at the base of the castle nut, and snapped off all but 1/4” of the remaining cotter pin leg. I think I’m screwed. Hate I did it. Feel awful. It’s on me.
Don’t know how to undo that. And if I can’t undo the steering damper nut on the steering arm, no point in undoing it at the relay rod end. At this point, I can only think to put it back together until I can figure out next steps.
To the point(s):
1) Is it supposed to be so hard to separate the steering damper bolt from the bracket at the relay rod end? Is it a pickle fork job super whack job? The currrent steering damper assembly moves smoothly (when I turn the wheels) with no binding. Just didn’t expect it would be so hard to get apart. Not sure if I’m screwing up.
2) No point in (1) if I can’t get the castle nut off the other end because I broke the cotter pin ends in the castle nut. How do you get off a castle nut with a broken off cotter pin in the castle nut shoulders? Bonus: it’s in a space with about as much maneuvering room as a lizard cervix.
3) I’m hoping the final solution doesn’t involve the word “Sawzall” but if I have to… I have to. I’d hate to destroy a good working OEM (I think) steering damper.
THanks,
Chip
VA Mountain FJ40
