Installing The Steering Connecting Rid

I’m at the stage of installing the steering connecting rod and understand how the parts fit ( I have the shop manual) but I’m having a hard time installing the end that goes to the bell crank. On the other end the steering rod is put over the ball on the arm on the Ross steering box and then all of the parts are inserted into the rod end and finished with the screw in plug. On the bell crank side it looks, at least how I read the manual, is that the some parts are inserted into the steering connecting rod before it is put over the ball on the bell crank. I tried searching the site but can’t find where someone posted about this. I appreciate the help.

 

Notta. I was working on the steering yesterday and stopped when I had to figure this out. Have you done this before?

 

I’ll keep working at it. I understand how the parts go in each end, but looks like the linger snd spring go in before installing rod snd this dies not give you enough room for the ball on the bell crank to fit in the hole on the rod.

 

I hate that the manual calls it a "steering connecting rod" when everywhere else its known as a drag-link.
-Donny

 

I found some pictures form doing mine several years ago.

Here's the order of the front when I took it apart. Nut, spring guide, spring, cup, bellcrank ball, cup:


Here's the order of the rear. Spring guide, spring, cup, pitman arm ball, nut with integrated cup:


An item I had trouble with was the cotter pin slots in the new nuts from Crown being *way* too shallow. There is no way to get the cotter pin in when assembled. I used the original nuts and new everything else. Original on left, useless replacement part on right:

 

The nut's not going to wear. Why do they even bother?

 

I think as someone else suggested I have the arm back wards. I’m not at my shop, but will be there today. I’ll let you know. Thanks for the great photos from when you took the dang link apart.

 

I got it put on today. The pictures did the trick. I didn’t have it reversed, I had the springs, spring guides and cups in the wrong order. I’ve tried so hard to document the tear down and rebuild, but there are times like these when I wish I had taken more pics when I tore it apart. I’ve got lots of pictures, but it always seems like I could use more. I have the shop manual, but it seems like maybe it was not correct as the diagram I have does not show the two cups in one end of the drag link. I’m just glad I got it on. Thanks for the help.

 

You are not the first! And I do recall it has been discussed here before, maybe search 'drag link?'

The critical thing for you to understand and double-check is that the ball ends will remain absolutely trapped, no matter what force is applied, and regardless of the spring. They must not be held by spring pressure alone.