Hi gang,
After another failed attempt to replace the steering boots ('73 MGB) I'm
turning to this group for more advice. I'm not sure what should be separated
to get to the end of the tie-rod and I also don't know how to use the tie-rod
separator (do I separate the ball from the socket or pull the pin attached to
the ball out of the eye attached to the wheel?). One problem I'm having is
terminology so I'd like to get that straight first. So here are what I
think are the right names for each part.
Steering box - at the end of the shaft coming from the steering wheel.
Open this up to add oil.
tie-rods - extending from this box nearly to the wheels, ending in threads.
The end near the box is encased by the boots.
I've heard one side is reverse-threaded, which side?
knuckles - Out near the wheels, screwed into the ends of the tie rods.
This is where I get lost. The knuckle screws into the tie rod and
there's a lock nut on the tie rod to keep it in place. At the wheel
the knuckle turns into a ball joint which extends downward and appears
to become a pin that goes through an eye (I don't know what the eye is
called but it's connected to the wheel). Below the eye the pin is
threaded and the nut on that is also called a locknut (?). It seems
to me this pin could be lifted out and I could then unscrew the
knuckle assembly from the tie rod. But when I looked at this part,
it almost seemed like this isn't a separate pin because it turns with
the eyelet, maybe it's just a tight fit. It seems more likely that
the ball is a pin and should lift out of this eyelet.
So my question is, what gets separated so that I can unscrew the knuckle?
Do I pop the ball out of the knuckle or lift the assembly out of the eyelet?
How does one use a tie-rod separator (what does it get inserted between) and
which size separator is proper (I saw a 21/32 and 15/16").
Moss suggests using a jack to put pressure on the pin below the ball joint
and using a brass drift (what's that?) to remove the next piece.
If anyone wants to take this discussion offline, send me email
(djd@aurora.arc.nasa.gov). I can even fax a picture of what I have.
Thanks in advance.
-Danny D.
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