Steering Adujust - draglink

M

Mort

Senior Member
OK, here we go. I have about 4" of play in my steering wheel and am working to get rid of it. I am using, for reference, Les Andrews book, the Ford service bulletins and Jim Schilds restoration book. I have eliminated everything in the linkage and the play is at the pitman arm. I took some of it out by tightening the pitman arn nut buy still have a little to take out of the worm gear (2 tooth, 1931 coupe). My question has to do with the drag link. I removed it as instructed but it appears to be different than the exploded view in Andrew's book. He illustrates there being an "end plug, then spring, then two ball caps. On my drag link the end cap is all that is there. It seems to fit tight and the back side of the cap is cupped to receive the pitman arm ball as it a plug on the other side of the ball. Is this correct or did someone put in a screwball after marked drag link?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
 
It sounds like you're saying there is NO spring. Both ends of the drag link and both ends of the tie rod need springs to hold the wear cups tight to the ball. Page 20 in Bratton's latest catalog shows the parts and an exploded view.
 
Here are the parts. The bottom set of caps and spring is what you are talking about.
04560.jpg
 
Mort, I have a 2 tooth box on my 28 and the adjustments took care of final play after I ensured nothing moved (no slop) in the tie rods, piman arm and drag link. I had Pam move the wheel right to left while I examined every point while the car was on the ground. I found the pitman arm required tightning, drag link and one tie rod were not quite up to spec. I lifted the front end to adjust the box in order to ensure no binding as per the manual. I have springs on both sides of the balls as Tom suggested.
 
Be sure the pitman arm is squeezed (bolted) tight ... and check that the steering gear/frame bolts are tight.
 
OK, that is what I have been able to find about the spring and cup. On this draglink the threaded plug at the end has the cup built into the opposite end and there is not room for a spring and separate cup? Is this something anyone has seen before?
 
Hi Mort, I have one like you descibe the spring and the wear cup are on the other side of the ball is this how yours was? I'm bad at desribing things but starting from plug side was plug, ball, wear cup and spring. Sound right to anyone?
 
Clydes 31 P/U said:
Hi Mort, I have one like you descibe the spring and the wear cup are on the other side of the ball is this how yours was? I'm bad at desribing things but starting from plug side was plug, ball, wear cup and spring. Sound right to anyone?
Click to expand...


That is good for one side, the other (at least on a 30 and 31) has Plug, spring, wear cap, ball, wear cap. Like the bottom of the picture.
 
Thanks all, the mystery was solved by Clydes, he is absolutely correct. On the rear of the drag-link the order is reversed. It is (from the rear forward), the plug, then the pitman arm ball, then a cup and finally the spring. It is just strange when you take it apart you are expecting to see a spring then a ball, but not so. At least on my 31.
 
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