Drag Link and Track Rod
#11
You can do the alignment yourself pretty easy on the Disco with a tape measure and a couple of jack stands. Jack it up, set a jack stand under each end of the axle, let her back down so the front is compressed like its sitting on the ground. Loosten the adjusters and then set it to be toed out 1/8" in the front. Tighten back up and viola. There's no caster or camber adjustment. You'll also want to adjust your steering wheel the same way, but no tape measure required. Just eyeball it.
#15
I ended up going with the Terrafirma HD rods and installed them late yesterday and this morning. Here are a couple observations.
First, I learned the hard way that the track rod cannot be installed with the wheels on the truck. There's just not enough clearance.
Second, the TF rods now come with castellated nuts and cotter pins, not the nylocs of old. A problem was that the holes for the cotter pins were drilled too far up the threaded shafts at all four tie rod ends. I solved the problem by adding an extra washer at each.
As someone else in another thread noted the thickness of the TF steering damper bracket meant I needed to get a new, longer bolt. An M12-1.25x70 at Lowe's was $5.38. Ouch. I tried to go with a 63¢ 1/2x3 bolt but its unthreaded shank was too big for the steering damper. It fit trough the bracket but not through the damper.
If I had not tried to shortcut the installation by not taking off the tires this would have been a relatively easy job.
Getting the drag link length just right to center the steering wheel is a bit finicky. Getting the track rod length right to preserve alignment wasn't difficult.
I'd been concerned that getting the old rods out would cause problems but a few whacks with my 5-lb mini-sledge did the trick for each of the four joints.
The old rods were overdue for replacement and I'm happy with the outcome.
First, I learned the hard way that the track rod cannot be installed with the wheels on the truck. There's just not enough clearance.
Second, the TF rods now come with castellated nuts and cotter pins, not the nylocs of old. A problem was that the holes for the cotter pins were drilled too far up the threaded shafts at all four tie rod ends. I solved the problem by adding an extra washer at each.
As someone else in another thread noted the thickness of the TF steering damper bracket meant I needed to get a new, longer bolt. An M12-1.25x70 at Lowe's was $5.38. Ouch. I tried to go with a 63¢ 1/2x3 bolt but its unthreaded shank was too big for the steering damper. It fit trough the bracket but not through the damper.
If I had not tried to shortcut the installation by not taking off the tires this would have been a relatively easy job.
Getting the drag link length just right to center the steering wheel is a bit finicky. Getting the track rod length right to preserve alignment wasn't difficult.
I'd been concerned that getting the old rods out would cause problems but a few whacks with my 5-lb mini-sledge did the trick for each of the four joints.
The old rods were overdue for replacement and I'm happy with the outcome.
Last edited by mln01; 04-08-2024 at 08:48 PM.
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JUKE179r (10-07-2017)
#16
I didn't remove my wheels when I replaced my steering bars; not sure what the difference would've been between your install and mine. Did you have trouble getting the old bars out? Might be a difference between the factory bars and the HD bars.
Metric is expensive at the box stores. You're best to go to fastenal if you have one around. Too late now, but might help the next person to come along.
I like that the TF rods have castle nuts with cotter pins. Whenever I wreck my steering rods I'm going to have to go with an upgraded set.
Glad to hear you didn't have too much trouble!
Metric is expensive at the box stores. You're best to go to fastenal if you have one around. Too late now, but might help the next person to come along.
I like that the TF rods have castle nuts with cotter pins. Whenever I wreck my steering rods I'm going to have to go with an upgraded set.
Glad to hear you didn't have too much trouble!
#17
FYI 2 things. The TF set has cotter pins because it's using a D90/D1/RRC style rod end, which uses cotter pins instead of nyloc nuts. Secondly - The reason the rod end needs a washer is because it's the wrong size/wrong taper for a d2, which is why we like our version over the TF version.
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Kdo58 (10-07-2017)
#18
FYI 2 things. The TF set has cotter pins because it's using a D90/D1/RRC style rod end, which uses cotter pins instead of nyloc nuts. Secondly - The reason the rod end needs a washer is because it's the wrong size/wrong taper for a d2, which is why we like our version over the TF version.
The drag link was no problem. However when I tried to install the track rod there was not enough vertical clearance. Regardless of which end I first dropped into the steering knuckle the rod hit the bottom of the front diff case input when I tried to lift the rod up to drop in on the other side. It was as though the stems were too long (they were; that ties to the need for an extra washer). The additional thickness of the TF rod was also a factor.
With the wheels off I was able to "roll" the stems into the tapers from the rear in one motion, but even then just barely.
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