remove radiator to fix steering?

I'm tearing into my stock Ross steering setup on my '53 M38-A1. I was studying the setup last night and in order to remove the cotterpin on the nut which holds the spindle for the little barrel looking thing (I can't remember the name of that thing, it has the 2 arms sticking out of it and mounts to the front crossmember frame), it is looking like I'm going to have to pull the radiator (stock radiator with Buick 3.8 motor). My planned couple of hour project is now looking like a full blown all weekend long deal. Has anyone replaced this thing without pulling the radiator?

Dondo

 

BELLCRANK!!! HA!

I don't know why I can't remember that.

Thanks for the advice, might look into doing it that way. Of course, I wouldn't think that my radiator would hold more then about 2 gallons anyway..

Dondo

 

i removed my bellcrank when i installed the saginaw but i did not have to remove the radiator. took two wrenches one to hold and one to loosen. i almost resorted to removing the radiator but finally figured out that i didn't need to. but i was working on a 69 w/v6. so it may be different.

 

didn't remove the rad when i rebuilt mine last year. came from the rear of the crossmember and underneath the motor.

 

Watchout if you take the stuff apart, there are 2 sets of needle bearings stacked one on the other inside there somewhere, They aren't hard to clean and replace, if you know they are there, I did not, they spillt all over the freaking place one me.

 

yes, i remember now. that's how i did it too. much easier i thought.

 

Bellcrank is the word I think you are looking for.

I always re-install the cotter pin(s). Ya just don't want that thing backing out on you a little at a time until one day poof! -- the ball disconnects from the socket and the jeep goes out of control.

What I use to remove the joint once the cotter pin is out is a pneumatic chisel bit.

Now I use the chisel like a big screwdriver and not as a chisel, but I connect it in a cordless drill and zip it out. A lot will depend on how much other stuff you have removed from the jeep. It can get pretty crowded in there.

If you can't get into the area because it is so tight, you can put a vise-grip on the chisel bit instead of the electric drill and back it out a little at a time. Once it is loosened up, using a phillips head bit from a hammer driven impact works too. The phillips screwdriver bit has a hex shaft, so you can put it in a socket and use the ratchet to remove the plug.

I'll assume you have it on jack stands at the time, so you can spin the steering wheel right or left to get the joint in the best position for removal. When you get the steering to either the right or leftmost extreme the joint is either pushed forward or aft as far as it will go.

If you have latex or nitrile gloves, this is a great time to use them since this is a greasy, knuckle busting task. I let the gloves take the brunt of the abuse and save the fingers.

 

Hmmm, thanks for the advice. I'm sure that taking it apart will become more clear to me once I start. I have both a Haynes & a Chilton manual as well as the original military operating handbook for my Jeep. It has pictures of how to disassemble all of this stuff. It might be a p-i-t-a to get the cotter pin out as it is in backwards. Meaning, I need to "push" it out from behind the crossmember. Of course, they got it in there, so I should be able to get it out. From that point, I guess I just need to start honkin' on the bolts. As sloppy as the bellcrank is, it will probably fall apart in my hand.

Thanks

Dondo