| Author |
Message |
    
Nick B
| | Posted on Thursday, May 02, 2002 - 08:55 pm: | 
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I heard from a few people its advisable to change the steering ball joints at around 60000 miles... anybody heard of such a thing. or is just the stealership trying to do money. im guessing from how they look it is a fairly easy job |
Ron
| | Posted on Thursday, May 02, 2002 - 08:59 pm: |
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Depends. if the boots are shot then absolutely, if not see if there is any play. To be honest they probably do need to be changed but as a necessity, no.
Ron
PS thatchedroofgarage.com has disco/RR/D90 ball joints for 14.58 (something like that) and they are greaseable. |
Nick B
| | Posted on Thursday, May 02, 2002 - 09:11 pm: |
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thanks for the info... there is no play w/ them but i did notice that the boots are starting to crack |
PerroneFord
| | Posted on Thursday, May 02, 2002 - 09:22 pm: |
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I wish I had changed mine back then. But if you change them now, you can do it yourself rather easily. I'd order them from DAP or Mansfield Motors like I did. Then you get ones with grease fittings. Compared to the LR ones they are much nicer. I paid $11 each for mine from Mansfield.
-P |
Nick B
| | Posted on Thursday, May 02, 2002 - 11:12 pm: |
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-P-
did u get it the alignment pretty close to where it was before... |
Nick B
| | Posted on Thursday, May 02, 2002 - 11:34 pm: |
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another stupid newbie question.. i notice on the read tie rod arm i would have to remove the steering damper... is that a hassle |
PerroneFord
| | Posted on Thursday, May 02, 2002 - 11:37 pm: |
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No,
I got "exactly" where it was before. It's not hard if you are methodical. I used a little trick. Work on one side of the shaft at a time. Count the threads like all the instructions tell you before removal, but I also lay a bubble level on the ball joint and adjust it dead center. Then install the new one to the proper thread then lay the level on it and center it. You'll get it back within a fraction of a degree.
-P |
Bill Bettridge (Billb)
| | Posted on Friday, May 03, 2002 - 08:41 am: |
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Couple things here:
1) Contrary to popular belief - stock tie rods ends are easy to free up even if full of rust instead of grease  Remove the boot - clean it all out with PB Blaster or equivalent. Drill and tap for 1/4 x 28 threads on the top - clean out the top and then screw in a zerk and grease. Works well and costs $0.40 for a zerk.
2) If using stock rover drag link and track rod - tie rod ends screw in 33 turns each and that will put alignment back to stock. Additionally -measure when you remove the original items, but before taking out the tie rod ends and then adjust to get that exact measurement again with the new parts
3) If still concerned with alignment - front is 1/8" toe out - so measure back of tires side to side and then move to the front (180 deg) and measure there - adjust until you get 1/8" toe out. Then just twist drag link until steering wheel centers (if it changed at all) |
PerroneFord
| | Posted on Friday, May 03, 2002 - 09:38 am: |
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Ok Bill,
1. Or you could buy new ones for pretty cheap. I tend to like this option because the new ones I got are beefier than the stock units.
2. Mine were not 33 turns each. as each side was different.
I'm not saying your advice was wrong, I'm saying it wouldn't have worked in my case.
-P |
Bill Bettridge (Billb)
| | Posted on Friday, May 03, 2002 - 11:17 am: |
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No arguments here - but has anyone ever seen a stock tie rod end break? Seems like they are not the weak link on the chain. Even JBS has bent one of his own drag links (in an odd siutation - he still had it on his truck last time I saw) and the stock tie rod end held up fine.
The 33 turns info is, I'm told, a Rover spec from stock - so what has happened after that is going to be different anyones truck that has had the alignment messed with. Also - I should have clarified - that is with genuine parts tie rod ends - aftermarket lengths could vary considerably |
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