TIE RODS ???

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Does anyone offer a complete kit, with every tie-rod, tie-rod end, and sleeve for a 1985 DRW F-350 ??

Are the "LUKE'S LINKS" a better tie-rod??

I know all the stylish people declare MOOG MOOG MOOG; but, how do the McQuay-Norris components stack up against MOOG ??

Reason I am asking is that, just as soon as I get this all new, what I really want will turn up, and it will then lay around and rust.

I am going to quit stalling, and go ahead and rebuild this Twin-I-Beam mess, so the straight front axle set-up, that I have been wanting, will go ahead and pop up, once I get all my money tied up in the old Twin-I-Beam.

Thanks.

 

[dman91]

To be honest you should really go with the straight axle. But if not remember that Moog is like OEM and Norris is almost as good. If you can find the axle then the swap would be easy.

 

[yARIC008]

MOOG MOOG MOOG!

I dunno, I know MOOG is alot better than TRW. At least when it comes to ball joints.

 

[RLDSL]

I recently replaced all of the tie rod ends, drag link, sleeves, steering stabilizer, the whole shootin' match with spicer parts ( the steering stabilizer was a monroe i think )from www.rockauto.com for a very resonable price. I bought the cheaper "service grade" they have a more expensive "professional grade" I don't know what the diferences are, but I've got the joints all filled with Amsoil synthetic racing grease and I've never had a spicer part fail prematurely so I'm comfortable with the setup.
As far as one stop shopping, it took about 5 minutes to click my way through it start to finish.
Parts quality looks good and I've already abused the heck out of them while towing a pretty good load, no problems so far.

Replacing it sleeves and all made for a very quick job.

-------Robert

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

I recently replaced all of the tie rod ends, drag link, sleeves, steering stabilizer, the whole shootin' match.

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Replacing it sleeves and all made for a very quick job.

-------Robert

I was thinking along the same lines of replacing sleeves and all, at one time.

Did you pre-assemble the rods to proper length, and then bolt them in ??

Did you hit the lengths right, the first try; or, did you have to have a front-end man set them, after you got done ??

Thanks.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

www.rockauto.com
-----------------------
a very resonable price.
-------Robert

I just had a quick look at that site.

The prices are un-believably low, compared to what I have been quoted at local parts stores around here, and, more unbelievable = genuine Spicer parts, instead of "store-brand" stuff I never heard of.

I figured both ways for all the tie-rods/ends/sleeves; and, if I didn't leave anything out, the Spicer RED service grade = about $73 -- that is DIRT CHEAP.

For the Spicer Professional grade = $237 = still a bunch cheaper than around here.


The one thing I would like to know is the difference in outer diameters of the LONG drag-link, between the RED/standard-grade and Professional-grade.

Being so long, the bigger - the better; as, a fatter shaft will resist flexing better.

I am in a puzzlement, now; as, I am prone to go over-kill on stuff like this and lean toward the Professional grade, because this is our steering we are talking about.

BUT, I really do want to find a king-pin Dana 60 (or bigger) straight front axle/leaf spring set-up for this truck, and ditch that Twin-I-Beam mess; so, this makes me also lean toward the lesser investment of the RED/standard parts.

Before anyone gets confused, MY TRUCK IS CURRENTLY TWO-WHEEL-DRIVE.

I am not so much interested in a 4x4 conversion, as I am in getting the superior handling characteristics, and ease of servicability, of the Dana straight axle and leaf-spring.

 

[RLDSL]

The new rods were the same diameter as the stock ones, actually a little beefier in a few spots like right at the ends where they join on.

The truck pulled to the right and the steering wheel was off to the left before the job, I measured the old ones and matched the new ones to it , pre assembled the whole works and popped it in. It still pulled to the left, although not as much, so I did have to take it in for allignment, unfortunatgely, they pulled it out right at closing time and when I got on the road, it was still pulling to the left and the steering wheel wasn't centered, but i was heading out of town, so I'll have to go back there and get them to make it right.

----------Robert

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

I bought the cheaper "service grade".
I've got the joints all filled with Amsoil synthetic racing grease.
-------Robert

Before I order, the "service grade" DO have Alemites in them for greasing, right ??

Thanks.

 

[RLDSL]

Before I order, the "service grade" DO have Alemites in them for greasing, right ??

Thanks.

Yes. they come with new grease fitting, cotter pin and castle nut and a nice protective sleeve over the joints to prevent shipping damage. They look as good or better than the stock ones ( well, they looked a heck of a lot better than the hammered things I yanked off my old beast

------Robert

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

ANOTHER MISSION ACCOMPLISHED !!!

Thanks for that link to ROCK AUTO.

I ordered everything I needed from them, plus a bunch of other odds and ends for our Dodge/Cummins fleet.

I got the RED/service-grade tie-rods/sleeves/drag-links.

I carefully measured the old and matched the new to the old measurements.

Everything easily slid right back in where the old came out.

I haven't had it on the road, as I just have picked up my tools and put them away.

I did make a few figure eights and lock-to-lock maneuvers, just to make sure I did have things all screwed back together.

I pumped them full of Kendall Super Blu, so they should last a long time.

The old joints were so bad that they were scary.

Now, I am ready for the next project.