| Author | Message | ||
     Trevor (Daredvl) Member Username: Daredvl Post Number: 86 Registered: 03-2003 |
Ok, I believe my balljoint/tie-rod end on the pitman arm end of the draglink is shot. I've been told this by a non-rover mechanic that it has too much play. I got under there today, and with the wheels still on the ground, I was able to wiggle it enough at that end so that I could hear a click/clank type noise and could see the balljoint move. It would not do this at the wheel end. So I tried to tighten the nut at the top of the balljoint/tie rod end? and it just spun freely. Is this normal? How do you even remove the draglink to replace the ball joints? The nut at the top would spin freely causing the shaft that the nut is screwed on to to spin with it. Is this normal? Can I tighten this? I suppose I should have jacked it off the ground to see how much play was really in it. I drove it afterwards, and the wandering feeling was as bad as ever if not worse. I kept turning it clockwise (tighty righty!) but it didn't seem to be doing much. I'll post pictures, suggestions? I can't even figure out how to get the draglink off so I could replace the balljoints. Would play in this cause it to wander? | ||
| andrew adia (Drew) Member Username: Drew Post Number: 45 Registered: 03-2003 |
Did you take the cotter pin out? | ||
| Mike Mason (Lrmike) New Member Username: Lrmike Post Number: 5 Registered: 10-2003 |
Does the nut move when you move the drag link and hear the noises? You may have a wallowed out hole in the pitman arm where the end attatches, in which case the pitman arm needs replacing as well. Try clamping the rod end into the hole very tightly with a clamp, or maybe put a jack directly under the joint and push it up into the arm as you try to loosen the nut. Don't jack the truck up by the arm, just put good pressure into the taper of the stud. Worst case involves cutting it out, but like I said it may be too late. If you need to do the arm and the joint, I'd loosen the adjustment on the drag link, remove the arm from the steering box and take both offending pieces out at the same time. Best of luck, Mike | ||
| Bill Bettridge (Billb) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Billb Post Number: 1210 Registered: 02-2002 |
If the taper of the TRE is actually that loose in the drop arm, then you shoud be able to tear off the rubber boot and grab the lower portion with vise grips while you unbolt the top. Definitely check the female taper for damage though once its apart. Normally you'd have to give the drop arm a few good whacks with a hammer to free the taper, but yours should all just fall apart  Bill | ||
| Trevor (Daredvl) Member Username: Daredvl Post Number: 87 Registered: 03-2003 |
Thanks for the responses. I'll try your suggestions. So the fact that the rod that goes through the pitman arm spinning freely indicate that the balljoint is indeed busted in some way? I'm able to wiggle it about 1 MM in the pitman arm, I hope thats not wallowed out as you say, or I'll have to try and source one of those as well. Any idea what the price of one of those goes for? Thanks. I'll post pics of my mess. | ||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 765 Registered: 08-2002 |
I had the same thing happen with one of my BJ (not the one on the PA though). I cannot remember who I talked through it with, but we came to the conclusion it was toast, mainly because the other ones did not bahave that way. | ||
| Trevor (Daredvl) Member Username: Daredvl Post Number: 89 Registered: 03-2003 |
Brian, the balljoint or where it was mounted to? Was everything back to normal once you replaced it? ( I assume so). Thanks | ||
| Matt Taylor (Whodatmatt) New Member Username: Whodatmatt Post Number: 2 Registered: 09-2003 |
Trevor - I just went through the same problem two weeks ago, except I had trouble with the joint on the opposite end of the pitman arm. I pulled the boot off of the end and tried to grab the post with a bunch of different tools, but I couldn't stop it from spinning. I had the new ends ready to put on, but I couldn't get that damn nut off. After trying for a long time, I called a buddy who is a mechanic and, after some trial and error, he got it loose by wedging a huge crowbar against the drag link, putting pressure on the ball joint so that it could not spin, and I hit the nut with the impact wrench. It's a good thing he was there, because once we got the drag link off the truck, we couldn't get the ball joint out without taking it to his shop and heating it up real good. Hope this helps. You can get new ends from a bunch of places. I got mine from Rovers North for like $30 apiece. It really made my steering improve. |
