Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Replacing steering drag link

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    West Pennant Hills
    Posts
    469
    Total Downloaded
    0

    Replacing steering drag link

    How hard is it to replace the steering drag link? Are there any tricks one needs to know. I don't have the special tool so is breaking the taper difficult?

    I assume just take out the old one, put in the new one to same length (keep wheels on ground so they don't move) and then go get a wheel alignment?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
    Posts
    3,828
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Easy to do with a separator - get one from an auto part store - it's just a wedged fork for knocking in to separate the ends.

    Once the old on is off, place it next to the new one and adjust the new one to the same length. Fit new one. Get wheel alignment.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Burpengary Qld
    Posts
    186
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Removing tapers. Many years ago in the crane industry someone told me after loosening the nut place a hammer; a heavy one, on one side of the yoke and hit the other side of the yoke with a second hammer two or three strikes. It works on cars and trucks.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    20
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie View Post
    Removing tapers. Many years ago in the crane industry someone told me after loosening the nut place a hammer; a heavy one, on one side of the yoke and hit the other side of the yoke with a second hammer two or three strikes. It works on cars and trucks.
    Yep, can vouch for this working. Is amazingly easy! (When done right)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    71
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Glad to read this, shortly before we put Daisy in a big metal box to ship her to Oz my rear air suspension bags failed (just after all my tools had been packed up for shipping). I took her to the dealers to get the rear suspension fixed but before doing that they took 2 days to carry out a 400(ish) point check to tell me what I already knew - she was in good health.

    Apart from the drag link, they said it needed changing and with no way to gainsay them I gave them the go ahead. It was actually the steering box that was worn out and I have since changed it myself. Meanwhile I have 3.5 turns lock to lock but now it's 2 turns one way and 1.5 the other.

    Can I adjust the length? How do I do it? Having changed the steering box I have the bolt needed to fix it in the 'midships' position.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    West Pennant Hills
    Posts
    469
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Daisy Driver View Post
    ...Meanwhile I have 3.5 turns lock to lock but now it's 2 turns one way and 1.5 the other.

    Can I adjust the length? How do I do it? Having changed the steering box I have the bolt needed to fix it in the 'midships' position.
    I have now changed the drag link (and read the manual).

    You adjust the drag link length to centre the steering. Put the locating bolt into the steering box and drop arm. Loosen the clamp bolts at the LHS of the drag link and turn the nut that sits between - its like a turn buckle with a right hand thread one side and left hand thread on the other - to shorten or lengthen the drag link. Theoretically this will not affect the wheel alignment which is adjusted by changing the length of the Track Rod (the rod connecting the wheels and which is behind the diff).

    I had to make the adjustment several times to get it right, which is a bit of a pain jacking up, using stands, going for a test ride, etc. It doesn't take much of a change in the adjusting nut to affect the centring. With the steering wheel centred, if the disco is heading right, you need to lengthen the track rod slightly.

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Search AULRO.com ONLY!
Search All the Web!