Adjusting drag link to center steering wheel: Real World Feedback (1 Viewer)

[Heckraiser]

Those of you who have done this, how was your experience? A mud search reveals many tales of repeated heat cycling, parts breakage, using a cheater pipe the size of a street sign pole, etc. Does it always go this way? Or do some of us luck out and can actually make the adjustment with the drag link still on the truck and the tires on the ground? FWIW, my drag link ends actually appear to be just about the least rusty part of my undercarriage.

Basically, if I have reason to believe I am getting into a project that is going to make more of my hair fall out, I'd rather not deal with it now. But if I have a 50/50 shot at getting this done in an hour in the garage, I might give it a shot.

I don't want to use this guy:

 

[TrickyT]

That pipe wrench should do just fine.

 

[inkpot]

Mine is pretty easy to turn, but I can't quite do it with tweezers from my First Aid Kit. Soak it for a few days with your favorite penetrating agent and then try it.

 

[blkprj80]

I used a pipe wrench only 3/4 that size, and a cheater only 4' long. And a huge vise and a torch.

And it still was a bitch!

 

[Springs505]

It's tough to do if it has not moved in a while. Try to work some antiseize into the slit underneath the clamps, if you get things turning. How much trouble this will be depends entirely on age and condition of the parts.

 

[Steve Curl]

After I put brand new TRE's, Rod, and Drag Link in, everything adjusts just fine

There's anti-sieze in there now, and I'm going to add it to a yearly maint check to make sure I can rotate them. I figure if I catch it within a year, and should be able to break it free and apply more if needed.

 

[mrsleeve]

I just changed out all 4 of my TRE and I had soaked them in PB for a week or so every day prior... It still required a helper, a big vice, a big ass pipe wrench a bigger crescent wrench a cheater about 3 feet long and preheating the assembly IN the wood stove for about 5 mins on each end ...... Once we got them broke lose and about 1 and 1/2 turns on them you could spin them out by hand

Good luck

 

[Pin_Head]

I made a living doing front end alignments for 3 years. We had a SST that fits into the slot of the drag link tube over the threaded part of the tie rod end to turn the drag line / tie rod. The cool thing about the SST is that it pulls the tube away from the threads, freeing up rusted TREs. Sometimes we had to put a 3 foot cheater pipe on the SST. Other times we used a 4 foot pipe wrench. For stubborn rods we used both; sometimes with the blue tip wrench.

 

[Heckraiser]

Can you show a picture or link for such a tool?

 

[Ridgerunner78]

Something like this?

Amazon.com: Astro Pneumatic 7802 Tie Rod / Pitman Arm Adjusting Tool Set: Home Improvement

 

[Pin_Head]

Let me Google that for you:

https://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/TRW7023/TIE-ROD-SLEEVE-TOOL/

 

[Heckraiser]

Google shows a plethora of crazy contraptions that I can't even fathom how they might fit onto the drag link, but thanks for being specific

Responses to this thread are making me think I may indeed loose some hair over this job. :/

 

[Pin_Head]

About 90% of the tie rods would turn easily out here in CA. I don't know how much you have in CO.

 

[smorkington]

1 Clean the threads with a wire brush
2 Heat it up with a torch
3 Apply wax to threads and in the little slit
4 Air hammer time

 

[ajax1]

I just did mine on my 96, both rods are slees had no issues.
On my 95 with stock steering drag link was no problem, this is the one that centers the wheel. The tierod behind the axle didn’t want to move. Put some magic spray on and we’ll try again with pipe wrench.
On both trucks I could spin them by hand.
On reinstall I put anti seize on and spin them back in.

For me if on the 95 that one that is being stubborn I might just buy a new rod, money that cost is time saved which is more valuable to me.
Both trucks are Colorado trucks and garage kept.

One other tip is to spray in the slots of the stock rods, then take a chiesl or punch and smack the slot trying to open it a little and break the rust, move the clamp completely off the slot.

 

[Broski]

Easy, just give it a try ( mine were easy, done in place) if they move do the adjustment.
If not walk away

 

[Marco Lau]

i just pull my non- airbag steering wheel and center it and be done with...works great and simple

 

[Broski]

i just pull my non- airbag steering wheel and center it and be done with...works great and simple

Unless you’re very lucky, it only gets it close !
The drag link method has an infinite adjustment so you can get it perfect

 

[Marco Lau]

Unless you’re very lucky, it only gets it close !
The drag link method has an infinite adjustment so you can get it perfect

yep, been doing this for the past 5 yrs....no complaints.

 

[Rusty Marlin]

I don't want to use this guy:

Why not? Works a treat!