Drag Link Replacement

[dorkweed]

Just got done with this chore about an hour ago.

 

Discovered the OEM was shot yesterday.   Had some time yesterday;  so I asked the neighbor to come over and lend a hand so I could check ball joints and tie rod ends etc.  Jack one side up with the floor jack, neighbor on the 4 ft. bar under the wheel drivers side lifting and releasing..................essentially no movement I could see or feel.  Then on the same side, neighbor grabs wheel and 3 and 9 o'clock and tries turning wheel back and forth.  No movement at tie rod end, but the the drag link end had 5/16" at least of movement, and the rubber boot was split.  We did the same on the other side, and the results were the same...............ball joints and tie rods seem good.  

 

Got a new drag link bar today from AutoZone.............Just under $90 out the door.  Not a hard job, but this thing weighs almost 20lbs. and trying to maneuver that thing while laying down under the truck is a chore when you're not so young any longer!!!

 

Here's a few pix of the OEM one and the apparent problem!!!  New one looked almost like a twin minus the dirt, grease and rust.

 

It's so stupid that you cannot just replace the "ball joint" at the end.  That just makes TOO much sense I guess!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dripley]

Looks a little dry in there. I have a track bar sitting at the house waiting for me to get home.

[dorkweed]

Looks a little dry in there. I have a track bar sitting at the house waiting for me to get home.

Track bar is easy to replace compared to this bad boy.................

[dripley]

Track bar is easy to replace compared to this bad boy.................

I replaced my drag link about 4 or 5 years ago along with every thing. I had the whole thing apart so it did not seem any worse than the others. But the track is only one nut and bolt, another nut and a pickle fork and it is out. Still weighs 20 #'s though.  And I am 62.

Edited August 31, 2015 by dripley

[dorkweed]

I replaced my drag link about 4 or 5 years ago along with every thing. I had the whole thing apart so it did not seem any worse than the others. But the track is only one nut and bolt, another nut and a pickle fork and it is out. Still weighs 20 #'s though.  And I am 62.

51 cowboy!!!  

[dripley]

51 cowboy!!!  

I remember turning 50. That's the day I forgot how to zip up my zipper before going to work. Still haunts me to this day.

[dorkweed]

I remember turning 50. That's the day I forgot how to zip up my zipper before going to work. Still haunts me to this day.

Musta been from the "brewskis"......................and you were still probably drunk!!!!

[dorkweed]

One day of driving now......................not that the steering was bad....................way better now...............................she tracks now, vs. constant correction in turns!!