In an attempt to get the slack out of my steering I need to replace the tie rod ends on my '74 fj40, being new to this I have no clue where to find new ones! Where should I go and are they model specific? I am guessing they are. Thanks in advance!!
Tie rod end replacement
- Thread starter GreenMachine19
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If any of your rods are rusty and crusty (look suspect) buy the tie rod ends for that rod from the Toyota dealer because you get the rods along with the ends. Otherwise pick your favorite vendor for a complete TRE kit without rods. Cruiser Outfitters, MAF, SOR, etc.
Surely every cruiser is different, but new TREs did very little for my sloppy steering even though the old ones were looking pretty bad. The relay rod and center arm seem to be responsible for the bulk of the slop, have you already checked yours? The center arm in particular is adjustable and makes a big difference.
X2 I bought mine from toyota (CDAN)
i agree that the center arm is usually the culprit, it was for mine but i replaced the ends anyways.
- Thread starter
- #6
thanks guys, I am going to do some checking today. I am not much of a mechanic, but I am enjoying working on this old truck!
Before you go changing things, you might want to "test" your TREs and Center Arm, so you know what it is you're fixing!
I'm also replacing my TRE's on my DD 76 fj40. At my toyota dealer the price was about $80 a piece and the auto parts stores ran about $30 a peice. (in Texas)
There are a ton of TRE links on this board if you search but I know what a pita it is so, If you decide to use ccot make sure you get extra boots because they had a problem with them rotting off after about 6-8 months. Go SOR, cruiser outfitters or someone like that other than parts houses. You can pick them all up for a bit over one hundred bux. When you go to tearing them down use some break free or similar to work some of the rust loose, I use a 30" pipe wrench on mine when I tear them down and it works pretty good and make sure you have a bfh too to knock the tre from it's socket. you will beat the crap out of it until your sure it's gonna break and then it will just fall off. I have tons of play in my steering and I've rebuilt the tre's, steering arm and box but no good. I was told it could be the "camber"? is off due to a small shackle lift. not sure how true that is but I cant find it other wise...
GL
GL
Castor issues from a lift can have a mega effect on steering squirreliness.
Last edited:
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
Caster issues from a lift.
Solid front axle has fixed camber.
Check Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters for TRE's...
Solid front axle has fixed camber.
Check Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters for TRE's...
Yes, caster I meant. Exactly. Thanks and edited.
Roger, where are those shims I ordered?
Roger, where are those shims I ordered?
is it necessary to remove the drag link rod when doing a tre replacement? if so, is there a special tool to get it removed from the pitman arm?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F5LJ3M/?tag=ihco-20
This tool worked great for separating my TRE's. You shouldn't have to remove the drag link, necessarily, but if you disconnect the ends, it pretty much happens regardless! When I replaced mine, the old ones had been in there for decades. It took a lot of penetrating oil, heat, and putting the tie rods in a vice to get the threaded portion of the tie rod end out of the tie rod. I think there is (or was) a tool for this as well, but I don't have it!
This tool worked great for separating my TRE's. You shouldn't have to remove the drag link, necessarily, but if you disconnect the ends, it pretty much happens regardless! When I replaced mine, the old ones had been in there for decades. It took a lot of penetrating oil, heat, and putting the tie rods in a vice to get the threaded portion of the tie rod end out of the tie rod. I think there is (or was) a tool for this as well, but I don't have it!
Check for play in/adjust the steering box, Center Arm, and Drag Link.
Check or Have the Toe in and Caster checked.
Once those are good, check and/or replace the TRE's.
Any one of these could be the cause of your problem. My lists starts with the easiest/cheapest and moves on from there.
Check or Have the Toe in and Caster checked.
Once those are good, check and/or replace the TRE's.
Any one of these could be the cause of your problem. My lists starts with the easiest/cheapest and moves on from there.
FWIW - when I bought my '78 40, I was NOT able to set toe-in correctly with the original tie and relay rods - they were NOT threaded deep enough. The FSM says 'set toe-in at 1/4"' - I only needed an additional 1/8" of toe-in to stop my 40 from drifting all over the road, but had to replace the tie and relay rod to accomplish that additional 1/8" - when I replaced them, I also replaced the TREs and RREs.
I learned that the rods were not threaded deep enough when I discussed this with cruiserdan - he's the guy who told me that they were 'bottoming out'.
Since the FSM says 1/4" and it obviously worked for years, I assume the fact that I needed an additional 1/8" was the result of my 40 possibly having slightly larger tires (30x9.50R15) than stock - or the fact that a PO installed a mix of mini-=truck and FJ60 power steering or something along that line.
I don't really know, all I know is my 40 stays completely true since I made this change.
Also, as someone touched on above, if you are going to replace tie/relay rods and TREs and RREs, if you buy them from cruiserdan or beno, you will get 25% off, but you will need to buy two TREs and two RREs, each TRE and RRE will come with its own rod (you can't buy the rods from Toyota - you have to buy the Ends to get the rods) - not sure why they are sold this way, but the price is good and it leaves you with a spare tie rod and a spare relay rod... should you somehow need them.
I don't know what year you have, but IMHO, if you are replacing TREs and RREs, you should really replace the rods to ensure you have latitude to properly set toe-in.
Also, using suggestions by a number of MUDders, I was able to break my rods loose from the Ends by exercising 3 days of patience, a lot of heat, simultaneous taps from two hammers on opposing sides, penetrating oil, remove the collars and drive a large screwdriver or cold chisel into the slot on the each end of the rods - to 'spread' them - assuming you are replacing the rods! Spreading the slot worked really well, but damages the old rods.
Also, if you are NOT replacing the Ends, be careful you don't melt the boots on the Ends.
HTH
I learned that the rods were not threaded deep enough when I discussed this with cruiserdan - he's the guy who told me that they were 'bottoming out'.
Since the FSM says 1/4" and it obviously worked for years, I assume the fact that I needed an additional 1/8" was the result of my 40 possibly having slightly larger tires (30x9.50R15) than stock - or the fact that a PO installed a mix of mini-=truck and FJ60 power steering or something along that line.
I don't really know, all I know is my 40 stays completely true since I made this change.
Also, as someone touched on above, if you are going to replace tie/relay rods and TREs and RREs, if you buy them from cruiserdan or beno, you will get 25% off, but you will need to buy two TREs and two RREs, each TRE and RRE will come with its own rod (you can't buy the rods from Toyota - you have to buy the Ends to get the rods) - not sure why they are sold this way, but the price is good and it leaves you with a spare tie rod and a spare relay rod... should you somehow need them.
I don't know what year you have, but IMHO, if you are replacing TREs and RREs, you should really replace the rods to ensure you have latitude to properly set toe-in.
Also, using suggestions by a number of MUDders, I was able to break my rods loose from the Ends by exercising 3 days of patience, a lot of heat, simultaneous taps from two hammers on opposing sides, penetrating oil, remove the collars and drive a large screwdriver or cold chisel into the slot on the each end of the rods - to 'spread' them - assuming you are replacing the rods! Spreading the slot worked really well, but damages the old rods.
Also, if you are NOT replacing the Ends, be careful you don't melt the boots on the Ends.
HTH
Replacing them on mine is on the docket, what does the relay rod and center arm look like??? Any pics?
MUD member 'coolerman' has some great step-by-step info for:
Rebuilding the center arm - here --> http://www.globalsoftware-inc.com/coolerman/fj40/21B.htm -
Steering Linkage Rebuild - here --> http://www.globalsoftware-inc.com/coolerman/fj40/21.htm - his first picture (below) shows orientation of the 'pieces' - ralize, the picture is taken from the driver's side.
BTW: Someone also recommended a large pipe wrench for unscrewing rods - it helped a lot - but, remember... if you are keeping your old rods, a pipe wrench will mar them - probably quite significantly...
