Jump to content
  • Sign In Changes:  You now need to sign in using the email address associated with your account, combined with your current password.  Using your display name and password is no longer supported.

 

  • If you are currently trying to register, are not receiving the validation email, and are using an Outlook, Hotmail or Yahoo domain email address, please change your email address to something other than those (or temporary email providers). These domains are known to have problems delivering emails from the community.

Tie rod end follies

sewebster

By sewebster,
in The Garage

 Share

Recommended Posts

sewebster NPORA Old-Timer

sewebster

Posted
Posted

So one of my tie rod ends was toast, so I set about replacing all of them. Took everything off and then reassembled the assemblies. I figured I might as well grease them while they were out, save me some bending over. So I pumped them full of grease. Of course then I went to install them and realized that I needed to squash the boots down to install and grease was going everywhere.

 

This isn't ideal, because you aren't supposed to grease the tapers. Anyway, I figured I'd just clean things up as best I could and install them. I mean, even if there is a little grease on there, it shouldn't really matter much... you are putting on a castle nut and pin after all.

 

So I start tightening down one of the inner ends and it seems like it's just turning for ever, never getting to my target 55 ft-lbs (half way in the range in the FSM). Eventually I stop and I barely even need to use the tie rod end puller to get it out.

 

I cleaned it up again and put it back in, and this time it's no problem, but the nut is down pretty far, and the boot is pretty squashed from how much I turned it last time.

 

What I think happened is that there was grease on the taper, and it reduced the friction so much that I was actually stretching out my centerlink a bit. So now the tie rod end sinks in a bit deeper than before. Sounds ridiculous, but I can't see what else could have happened. The CL isn't cracked at least.

 

I think it should be fine now, because if there is a problem it will likely show up as play in the system and I can do something about it. Thus ends my tale of woe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MY1PATH NPORA Old-Timer

MY1PATH

Posted
Posted (edited)

isn't the taper differant on the inner and outer tie rods?

swap them arround and try again.

I seriously doubt a little grease allowed you to stretch your centerlink taper.

Edited by MY1PATH
Link to comment
Share on other sites
sewebster
NPORA Old-Timer

sewebster

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I don't think the taper is different. I installed them based on the packaging. I.e. I bought an outer tie rod end, and I installed it in the outer position etc.

 

But it's the same on each side right, the right hand thread on the outer, LH on the inner? If you are correct then I would have had the problem twice, once on each side, but I didn't.

 

I would also like to have some other explanation, because I admit, mine sounds kinda ridiculous.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MY1PATH NPORA Old-Timer

MY1PATH

Posted
Posted

maybe your CL cracked?

Idono, its hard to say not bein there.

look at everything closely.

 

My theroy was if the inner is a larger taper then, if you compress the inner on the kuckle it would come tight early and thus the smaller outer dives deeper on the CL...

Defective replacement?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sewebster
NPORA Old-Timer

sewebster

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Yeah, thing is, it all went together ok the second time. Torqued up nicely. Only difference I can see is the grease. If the CL was cracked (is isn't, I looked because I suspected this) then it wouldn't have gotten snug the second time either.

 

I understand your theory... but then I'd expect to have the same problem on the other side, but I didn't. So then we're at the defective part idea, which would make sense if it didn't go on ok the second time. Hmm. Very odd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
unccpathfinder NPORA Old-Timer

unccpathfinder

Posted
Posted

tapers are different between different years (not sure which ones they are)...i found this out b/c all my TRE spares are 87 and I have 95 TRE's on the truck...one problem i have had in the past is that the ball joint on the TRE will spin...typically i put a pry bar in and give it some pressure so the nut will torque down and hten i can torque it down...i typically don't have the problem with brand new TRE's but used or ones that were pre greased would have more freedom and less friction to hold the ball against the socket

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sewebster
NPORA Old-Timer

sewebster

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Yeah, it wasn't spinning either, checked that too when I was turning it.

 

At one point I was worried that a previous owner had swapped the centerlink for one off a newer truck so I had the wrong taper, but again, it only happened on one side, and only the first time... i.e. it went together ok the second time (albeit with the castle nut a little low on the stud, maybe not too much...).

 

Maybe it's a good reason to upgrade to the grassroots CL... :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
andrewt6447 NPORA Regular

andrewt6447

Posted
Posted

tapers are different between different years (not sure which ones they are)...i found this out b/c all my TRE spares are 87 and I have 95 TRE's on the truck

The changeover was mid 93 I think, or thereabouts anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...