Steering Question: Play in Drag Link? (1 Viewer)

[rmcquet]

Was hearing an intermittent clunking noise whenever I was turning wheels beyond a certain point. I got under the car and listened while my son turned the wheel. It's definitely coming from either the drag link or the tie rod.

TRE's were replaced not too long ago, about six months. Since then, car been only on paved roads.

The drag link, however, has a bit of play - it rotates a bit when i try to move it. Is this normal? Should I just take out the cotter pins, tighten the castle nuts down using a socket, and replace pins?

 

[lovetoski]

The drag link, however, has a bit of play - it rotates a bit when i try to move it. Is this normal? Should I just take out the cotter pins, tighten the castle nuts down using a socket, and replace pins?

From memory - the FSM recommends cranking down to fully tight, then backing off 2 1/2 turns. Sounds like you might be looser than this. In my case, I experimented a bit. Ended up at 1 turn backed off. Steering nice and tight, but there's still some give for when needed. My guess is that the FSM spec is for continous driving on really rough roads, where the looser setting provides some shock absorbption to the rest of the steering systyem.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Biased opinion ahead...

The FJ60's steering linkage absolutely sucks. The goofy ends on the drag link are the source of TONS of slop, and the factory adjustment is BS. Every other Land Cruiser gets by without the spring loaded ends like an FJ60, and as soon as I can figure out a practical way to eliminate those ends on mine, I will.

I have found the best adjustment is fully seated down, and back off like 1/2 turn at most. Mine have been like that for 3 years at least, and don't seem to be wearing excessively or anything like that.

Still, its not a smart system and I wonder what Toyota was trying to accomplish with the spring loaded drag link ends. Plain tie rod ends would make much more sense---like found on every 80 series, whose drag link is otherwise similar.

 

[rmcquet]

Thanks for the replies. I crawled under our 80 to compare the amount of play btween the two. The 80 (1996, 134k) has significantly more play than my 60.

Gary at Mudrak did the TRE work about six months ago, so I've got to assume it's pretty solid.

I guess the source of the clunking is not the TREs. Will have to keep tinkering with it. . . . .

 

[NocalFJ60]

Have you jacked up the wheels on the front and made sure the wheel bearing preload is still tight? If you jack up both sides at the same time you can turn the wheels with your hands and listen and feel where sound is coming from in the front.

 

[jwest]

Spring shift. Do the same test you described in the first post while concentrating on the leaf packs.

 

[Sixty's Guy]

I have found the best adjustment is fully seated down, and back off like 1/2 turn at most. Mine have been like that for 3 years at least, and don't seem to be wearing excessively or anything like that.

That's what I did with mine too. Steering feels heaps better.

 

[jvazquez53]

I did the same as Cruiserdrew, and the problem was taken care of.

 

[Civil1]

A good temporary fix is to remove the cotter pin, unscrew the end of the drag link add a penny and then wrench it down like cruiserdrew mentioned.

 

[rmcquet]

I did as suggested with the castle nut/penny. No change. Then spent some more time under there listening for the source of the noise.

Jwest was right. I was the leaf packs. Popping during the turning. Can see them move a bit. Rusty and lots of crud in there. I will know for absolute certain it was the springs when I get my OME lift in December. (Xmas present to myself!).

Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[cruiser88]

I did as suggested with the castle nut/penny. No change. Then spent some more time under there listening for the source of the noise.

Jwest was right. I was the leaf packs. Popping during the turning. Can see them move a bit. Rusty and lots of crud in there. I will know for absolute certain it was the springs when I get my OME lift in December. (Xmas present to myself!).

Thanks for everyone's input.

Thank you. Just found the source of my popping. Been driving me nuts.

 

[lynchmob]

I did as suggested with the castle nut/penny. No change. Then spent some more time under there listening for the source of the noise.

Jwest was right. I was the leaf packs. Popping during the turning. Can see them move a bit. Rusty and lots of crud in there. I will know for absolute certain it was the springs when I get my OME lift in December. (Xmas present to myself!).

Thanks for everyone's input.

New OME wont necessarly change this issue for you. Check for other related threads. New OME may do the same thing - It does it on my BJ70 all the time.