Is my Steering Crossbar Center link on backwards?

[djmachinist]

I'm having some steering issues....The Steering is a little nervous when driving at freeway speeds and the turning radius is pretty poor. In addition the inside wheel in a tight turn at steering lock is dragging the tire or scrubbing the tire a lot. you can actually feel the tire dragging. I jacked the front end up to see if I could see anything wrong with the Steering linkage. I think the Center link is flipped 180 deg. I have attached pics:.....

Thanks,
Dale

[NINERS1]

Yes it is, when fliped it will run real close to your crossmember, also your tie rods go in from the back and the nuts go on the front, not sure if it matters. you can see the tierod in this pic

[djmachinist]

Originally Posted by NINERS1

Yes it is, when fliped it will run real close to your crossmember, also your tie rods go in from the back and the nuts go on the front, not sure if it matters. you can see the tierod in this pic

Niners1,

Thanks for the excellent pic, Now I know for sure. I'll take it back to the shop tommorrow and have them fix it and re-align the front end.

Dale

[NINERS1]

your welcome, dont ask how i know

[djmachinist]

Originally Posted by djmachinist

Niners1,

Thanks for the excellent pic, Now I know for sure. I'll take it back to the shop tommorrow and have them fix it and re-align the front end.

Dale

Niners1,

Oh...It does matter if the tierods are on the front or back. If they are located in the front that increases the akerman angle by quite a bit. That would explain why the inside wheel is turning to much at steering lock causing severe tire scrub.

Thanks again,
Dale

[lolife99]

You will have to remove it and swap it "end for end".
Easy to make this mistake,... when replacing everything.
You might have to put some 90 degree grease zerks in the inner tie rods also.
(makes it alot easier to grease the inners)

[djmachinist]

Well....I took the truck to my shop that did the suspension and brake rebuild and ask them to flip the centerlink that was in backwards....Wow!!!what difference!!! The truck has lost the nervous twitch and low speed steering lock is ok now. The steering radius is improved quite a bit. one more problem fixed!...

Dale

[NINERS1]

DJ, I know what you mean, just recently built my front end and it drives sweeeeet!!!

[OhOneWS6]

Originally Posted by NINERS1

That upper bump stop is on the wrong side of the A arm?

[RedRider]

This thread assured me that I didn't accidentally flip the center link, but now I'm having a hard time getting to the grease zerk on the inner tie rod:

Maybe it's just a matter of getting an angled grease gun fitting in there (I only have the straight-end). How do you guys typically get to that zerk?

[S-31]

90° zerk fitting will take care of that

[GASoline71]

The inner tie rods I bought from Moog came with 90 degree zerk fittings.

Gary

[RedRider]

Thanks guys, a 90 degree fitting would've made more sense in that spot. This is a CPP front-end kit so the tie-rod ends are likely not Moog. I'll try finding a 90 degree grease gun fitting instead.