Tie Rod Install Dilemma

[fine69]

I'm in slight situation, and I hope someone out there will share their expertise.

I received new VB&P tie rod sleeves which are different than the OEM variety...
I accidentally threw away the paper that had all the measurements that I scribbled out when I removed the tie rods. So now I have no clue how to adjust the tie rods into the sleeves.
if anyone has suggestions on how I adjust the tie rods for installation, please please let me know on how I should proceed.

Thank You!

 

[JohnZ]

Set the steering wheel straight ahead, and set the front wheels straight ahead; use a tape measure outside-to-outside across the front and rear of the tire treads, and set the wheels so the front measurement is 1/16" less than the rear measurement (that will give you 1/16" total toe-in).

Then thread the tie rod ends into the sleeves an equal number of turns on each end of the sleeve (LH thread on the inboard end, RH thread on the outboard end) and test fit/adjust length until the tie rod end studs drop into the holes in the relay rod and the steering arm without moving either one. When making adjustments to get it to drop in, hold the tie rod ends stationary on each end of the sleeve and turn the sleeve to shorten or lengthen the assembly so the threaded end of each tie rod stud has equal thread engagement in each end of the sleeve. This will get you close enough to drive it to an alignment shop to set toe-in correctly and center the steering wheel.

 

[joe1975]

Also make sure your idler arm is dead ahead

 

[fine69]

JohnZ, Thank you so much for sharing your valuable knowledge. Incredible!

 

[fine69]

Joe1975,

When you refer to "dead ahead" - do you mean it should be at a certain angle?

 

[joe1975]

Straight ahead because it is very possible to wind up with your steering wheel upside down or with less of a turing radius on one side

 

[JohnZ]

Since you're starting out with no tie rods at all, turn the steering wheel all the way to full left lock. Then turn it all the way to right full lock, and count the turns it took to get there from left full lock; divide that by two and turn it back that amount of turns, and the steering gear will be on-center, and the pitman arm and idler arm (and your relay rod link) will be in the the straight-ahead position.

You can verify steering wheel straight ahead position by popping off the horn button and looking at the chisel mark on the end of the steering shaft - if the system is straight ahead, the mark will be at 12 o'clock. There's a matching index mark adjacent to it on the steering wheel - both should be aligned with each other (although "Bubba" frequently re-indexes the steering wheel instead of properly centering it via tie rod end adjustments on an alignment rack, which also screws up operation of the turn signal cancelling mechanism). Both the bottom end of the rag joint (to the steering gear input shaft) and the top end of the rag joint (to the flange on the steering column shaft) are positively indexed by design and can't be assembled wrong.

 

[fine69]

Straight ahead because it is very possible to wind up with your steering wheel upside down or with less of a turing radius on one side

Thanks Joe

 

[fine69]

Since you're starting out with no tie rods at all, turn the steering wheel all the way to full left lock. Then turn it all the way to right full lock, and count the turns it took to get there from left full lock; divide that by two and turn it back that amount of turns, and the steering gear will be on-center, and the pitman arm and idler arm (and your relay rod link) will be in the the straight-ahead position.

You can verify steering wheel straight ahead position by popping off the horn button and looking at the chisel mark on the end of the steering shaft - if the system is straight ahead, the mark will be at 12 o'clock. There's a matching index mark adjacent to it on the steering wheel - both should be aligned with each other (although "Bubba" frequently re-indexes the steering wheel instead of properly centering it via tie rod end adjustments on an alignment rack, which also screws up operation of the turn signal cancelling mechanism). Both the bottom end of the rag joint (to the steering gear input shaft) and the top end of the rag joint (to the flange on the steering column shaft) are positively indexed by design and can't be assembled wrong.

John,

This is great info. Would you recommend that I connect the pitman after the tie rods are adjusted and connected? Thank you.

 

[JohnZ]

John,

This is great info. Would you recommend that I connect the pitman after the tie rods are adjusted and connected? Thank you.

No! The pitman arm should be connected to the steering gear before you start - otherwise you'll wind up doing it twice.