Tie Rod End / Ball Joint options (in Mexico) (1 Viewer)

[WideAngleWandering]

I'm in Baja Mexico specifically, and don't plan on returning to the states for at least several months. Vehicle is an '84 HJ60.

My driver's side tie rod end has a bit of play in it. If I give the driver's wheel a good shake I can feel it move and there's a bit of click. The passenger side feels solid. I can feel the play/clicking telegraphed through the tie rod if I hold it while someone shakes the wheel.

I don't feel it while driving (but the roads are all pretty bad down here. I noticed it after a mechanic pointed it out while replacing a busted birf.

The mechanic said the problem is the driver's side (left-hand) "terminus" (i.e. ball joint). The downside is lack of parts availability. His supplier didn't have one. I stopped at a couple of alignment shops and they just looked at it and shook their heads and told me they couldn't get parts.

I thought perhaps I could grease it and tighten the castle nut to get some more life out of it but there are no grease fittings and I couldn't get the thing off with a sledge & a bottle jack. Castle nut is already as tight as it's going to get.

So I'm going to have to find a shop to do the labor and track down the part.

Questions:
1) Is there anything else in the steering linkage/knuckle/axle that could be causing play? I just had both birfields replaced with chromoly hardened ones but only the driver's side has play in it. Probably not related.

2) Assuming it's the ball joint, how is it going to fail? Gradually and gently over many thousands of miles? I'm driving on rough roads & trails. The ball joints have 20-30k on them. I believe they are the 555 units.

3) Any options for improving the situation short of replacement?

4) Any suggestions on finding one in Mexico? I believe I'm looking for Toyota part #45047-69065. Was it used on any other Toyotas? The early 80s solid axle pickups are pretty common down here.

Many thanks.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Is it the tie rod end or the drag link end? It is very common for the drag link ends to loosen up and they can be fixed temporarily with a nickel and a screwdriver. The tie rod ends in contrast are not adjustable.

Can't one of the Cruiser shops mail you a set in Mexico? Check with Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters.

 

[WideAngleWandering]

Yeah, I could get a part shipped to me down here (I just did that with the chromoly birfs - many thanks to Georg @ Valley Hybrids). I'd like to avoid doing that since it takes about a week for the part to clear customs, and then I have 15 days to retrieve it before it's returned. It just makes coordination a hassle since I have to time where I'll be. There's also a 20% import duty.

If I can't find one locally, I'll bite the bullet and drive back up to Calexico / El Centro and bring it back down myself.

How can I determine if the problem is the drag link or tre?

 

[WideAngleWandering]

drag link end = relay rod end, correct?

45045-69045 (RH)
44044-69055 (LH)

The part numbers look like they might be wrong in my diagram so any help confirming would be great.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

drag link end = relay rod end, correct?

Correct. Has the big adjuster screw and the cotter pin.

 

[JLH911]

Drag link is on the right with the big slotted end.

And yes, the cotter pin wasn't installed yet. It goes through the holes on the outer shell of the end of the drag link.

 

[WideAngleWandering]

My knuckle arms & relay ends look different from your pic. I'll post a photo later.

In any event, you're talking about tightening the castle nuts right? Mine are tight - the relay rod ends seem to be just like the tie rod ends in terms of adjustability.

I don't see how a bad drag link end / relay end could transmit play to the left-hand / driver's side wheel though.

 

[JLH911]

There are 2 adjustable drag links.

 

[WideAngleWandering]

Here are photos of my relay rod ends (sorry about the B&W - just realized my camera was on monochrome when I took these).

Questions:
1) The adjustment is basically tightening down the castle nut correct? If so, mine are already tightened as much as they are going to go.

2) Wouldn't a problem with the relay rod end / drag link manifest itself on the RH (passenger) side more than the LH (driver) side? The left wheel, where I can feel the play, is only attached to the relay rod via the RH knuckle arm & the tie rod. It doesn't seem intuitive.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

You don't have stock equipment here. That's a high steer set up that I suspect is running 80 series ends. Who did you buy it from? Many of the non-Toyota tie rod ends wear out fast.

BTW-none of the ends shown here are adjustable in any way. The castle nut is just to make sure the taper is tight in the arm. It has nothing to do with adjusting the end itself.

 

[WideAngleWandering]

Ok, that makes sense. I'll talk to the PO and find out for sure. I can see some of the parts are stamped 555.

While I sort that out, what do you guys think about the cause of that bit of play? Is the TRE the right place to focus? How is it going to degrade?

 

[WideAngleWandering]

The setup was put together by Luke @ 4x4 Labs (it's the "heavy duty" setup). The ends are FJ80 (not fzj80).

 

[Cruiserdrew]

The setup was put together by Luke @ 4x4 Labs (it's the "heavy duty" setup). The ends are FJ80 (not fzj80).

Luke does a lot of different things, but he usually uses Chevy 1 ton parts (great BTW). These look like 80 series TREs like Marlin and others use. They are widely available, but I recommend you use real Toyota parts, as they will out-last the alternatives.

You need to figure out what you have, then just replace whatever is loose. It's easy and really not that expensive.

BTW--80 series ties rod ends and drag link ends are different, and most vendors use tie rod ends. Just get new ones and don't stress further.

 

[WideAngleWandering]

I'm pretty sure they are all 80 series parts - Luke offered that as an option. The TREs look like FJ80 TREs (no grease fitting). I'm not sure about the relay rod ends (they do have grease fittings).

I'll try and call 4x4 Labs tomorrow. I don't think they sold FJ80s in Mexico so I'm sure parts will be fun to track down (and of questionable quality).

In any event, not stressing ... just planning. It's not slowing me down too much.


Found Some Mud by WideAngleWandering, on Flickr

 

[WideAngleWandering]

Talked to Luke - they are 1994 FJ80 TREs on the tie rod & the relay rod (some of them came with grease fittings, others didn't).

All my PDF files are for the 60 series - does anybody happen to know the Toyota part numbers for those TREs? That may make parts easier for me to find at the local shops.

 

[MANUCHAO]

if it is a 94 then it's an FZJ80 part number.... I would post that question on the 80's forum as well....