Loose steering rods.

[Cruiserhead05]

So i was just under the 80 trying to figure out this weird intermitant shimmy it has. nothing really jumped out but i noticed that the steering rod that goes from tire to tire, located behind the knuckles can very easily be rotated. Wasnt sure if this was totally normal. i see that they have rubber gaskets that each end are connected to but just wasnt sure how much play was normal or not.

thanks,
Brandon

 

[Tooth Fairy]

Those tie rods aren't supposed to have any play. A little rotation IMO isn't that bad, but, freeplay is real bad.

What steering stabilizer are you running? I've run w/o one and had a shimmy that went away when I put one back on.

 

[elmariachi]

So i was just under the 80 trying to figure out this weird intermitant shimmy it has. nothing really jumped out but i noticed that the steering rod that goes from tire to tire, located behind the knuckles can very easily be rotated. Wasnt sure if this was totally normal. i see that they have rubber gaskets that each end are connected to but just wasnt sure how much play was normal or not.

thanks,
Brandon

I think its plausible that a 241k mile 80 (looking at your sig line) could need tie rod ends. Those rubber boots should be full of grease and the rod should be pretty tight.

 

[Cruiserhead05]

I am running a brand new OME steeering stabilizer. just the make sure we are talking about the same rod, when i say its behind the knuckle i mean like closer to the rear of the vehicle then the front. just checkin..So is it something i just need to tighten?

Thanks tooth

 

[Darwood]

The fact that the rod rotates on the ball joints should be ok, however if it rotates too easily this could mean the joints are worn out. Try having someone turn the wheel while you look at the joints and see if you get any side to side movement. If you do, the joints should be replaced. If not they should be fine.

 

[Bear80]

sounds like the clamps on the end of the rods are not tight. if you can rotate the rod, then you are screwing with the toe alinement. check the clamps, and alinement and it's probably good to change the tie rod ends with that many miles.

 

[Cruiserhead05]

ok just went back out again. i noticed the rod in front of the axle also has a little play, not as much as the rear but all four seems to have little to no grease in them.
Is there any way i can fill the grease? i didnt notice a fitting or anything. when i take the 80 in monday i am going to have them check the tierod ends and all the steering links we're talking about.
Could this be a legitimate source for my shimmy? it noticable at about 35mph+ and is kind of random, coming and going for a few seconds at a time.

 

[Tooth Fairy]

Tie rod ends (TRE) aren't servicable you are better off just replacing them. When I did mine not too long ago I couldn't get them out of the tie rod and just replaced the rods too. Every time I would turn the rod the TRE would pop apart. That's bad. So I just ordered all new heavy duty stuff from Slee.

Oh, and yes, it's the tie rod on the back of the axle.

I had about as many miles as you on my 80 then and after hitting a mud hole faster then I should've the steering whel wasn't straight anymore. Never did find anything that was obviously bent. After installing all the new parts I took to the alignment shop and had it aligned. Works great now.

 

[Cruiserhead05]

Ok thanks guys.

Sounds like there is not a whole lot i can do right now. i will just wait til monday when it get checked out. I am taking a pretty long road trip over next weekend, about 6 or so hours all on the highway. just trying to make sure the trip will be as comfortable as possible.
Brandon

 

[Bear80]

I'd have to say the tie rods could give you some shimmy. For the miles you would be best off just changing them. The soild axle is kinda new to me, I know on the ifs trucks/4runners etc. bad ball joints can cause a shimmy. So could I apply this to the soild axle and say that trunion (s/p?) bearings are going bad?

 

[Cruiserhead05]

Bear,

Im not very educated in this stuff either.

Im trying to learn though. just curious, i was looking at slee's site.....

I'm guessing the front bar is the tie rod and the rear bar is the relay link?
Thanks again though, im hoping the problem is as simple as just tie rods.

 

[Tooth Fairy]

I'm guessing the front bar is the tie rod and the rear bar is the relay link?

Switch that.

Where you are back east I would bet that your TRE's are going to be frozen in the rods themselves and you'll need to replace everything. When we tried to get mine apart we tried a torch, penetrating fluid and the biggest breaker bar we could find and all it did, like what I said, was seperate the TRE's.

The 80's TREs are not servicable or greasable like what you noticed. Go with factory on those too. Slee has a whole kit.


Something else you might wanna check is the torque specs on the four nuts on the studs on the bottom of your knuckles where your steering arms attach. Some here have had them come loose.

 

[Cruiserhead05]

Thanks tooth.

As i recall last year when i got the 80 inspected the alingment was off and the had to heat the tie rod ends up just to try to free them. I should have had them do the whole thing the right way then but thats my fault.

The shop i use is great, they are very nice and always trying to find a way to save a few dollars, i guess in this case they should have just dropped the money and been done with it.

Oh well.

 

[Tooth Fairy]

That whole kit from Slee I think is the way to go. I've been very pleased with the quality and strength.


Good luck.