I am far from smart when it comes to steering and since I hardly mess with it and hear different names for a lot of things, I can hardly keep up. So I am going to try and make a thread showing all the components so everyone can understand just what it is everyone is talking about. Problem is, I need to know what I'm talking about first So I am posting pics of things I am not 100% sure on. I have some theories on what they are called haha, but not sure. If anyone can help me, just list the letter and it's name possibilities. What I mean is put A: track bar, pitman arm, brake..... all the possibilities that one might call it.When I get this all figured out, I am going to make all the pics have labels instead of letters then try and make a sticky out of it, which is why I just dumped this in general conversations for now. Thanks for any help you guys can lend!

A: Idler armB: Part of the Idler arm, never heard a different name for it. C: Inner Tie Rod EndD: Toe in adjustment sleeve (not sure on name)E: Outer Tie Rod EndF: Tie RodG: Mount for steering stabilizerH: Pitman ArmI: Bump StopJ: Sway Bar Link, FrontK: Steering KnuckleL: Shackle (or reverse shackle, since the spring is above it)M: Sway Bar Link, Rear

Either I'm ignorant or dumb, haven't even seen half those terms lol. Thanks for the help AH64ID! Google hasn't been any help at all with anything

Hopefully I got them all right.. I had to think hard on a few for a while.. It sucks when you know what something is, but can't remember the name of it for the life of you!

yeah, I had absolutely no clue what the idler arm was. I saw it and just stared at it like, where the hell did that thing come from I know I know, pathetic isn't it lol.

---------- Post added at 01:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 PM ----------

Is the tie rod also called the track bar?

Is the tie rod also called the track bar?

No, you won't have a track bar on a 2wd truck, thats for 4wd trucks.

Helll, I need pics of the parts on a 4wd that I don't have lol.

Went out and looked at all the 4x4's around here. Now I know what the track bar is lol. Theres 4 pics in here from my brothers 6.0 and theres a bar I don't know what is or does. It's got all the "???"'s on it. Any idea? Other 2 pics are showing track bar in plain view, even on the tractor

The parts change a little on crossover steering setups. The ???? are on the track barThe thing you have labeled the track bar is the tie rod (tie rod always ties the tires together)The thing you have labeled the tie rod is called a drag link.

That should make it easier. So the bar going across the tractor and rust bucket are tie rods too?I have A: Tie RodB: Track BarC: Drag LinkD: Sway Bar

Here is the 3rd gen steering.

Its not the most clear.

Here is the 2nd Gen...

---------- Post added at 03:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:59 PM ----------

That should make it easier. So the bar going across the tractor and rust bucket are tie rods too?

I have

A: Tie Rod

B: Track Bar

C: Drag Link

D: Sway Bar

Correct, and correct..

As you can see on some rigs the tie rod connects in the drag link (2nd and 3rd gen), and on some the tie rod attaches to the knuckle separately (like some of the photos you linked).. I think the latter is a stronger and better setup.

I think I got it now. Been looking all this up as you mention it. I went and looked at my ford and wondered why it didn't have a lot of it but read about how leaf springs don't need some things since they do the job of some things like the track bar. Thank god I finally understand all this. I have been lost for years. Now I just have to run over and find a 4x4 dodge so I can get some pics.