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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 222
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Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
i put some miles on the truck today and put it up on the hoist this evening to check everything... turns out the tie rod ends are rubbing against the tires. There is not much room there to start off with..so i'm not sure what to do.
What have you guys done? Buy new tires or wheels? Wheel spacers? Bent both steering arms? I'm running 235/70-15 tires on 15" rims with what i think is 4" back spacing. I know backspacing may be the issue here. |
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#2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Toppenish, WA
Posts: 15,498
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
I had to run spacers on my 48 with 14 inch rims and 205-60-14 tires on it for the same reason without a dropped axle.
I think what I would do is put it back on the hoist and pull one of the wheels off (do the one that looks like it is rubbing the most) and stack some flat washers on each stud and bolt the wheel back on and see if you have clearance. DO NOT DRIVE IT THAT WAY. The thickness of the washer stacks it takes to clear the tie rods is the thickness of the spacers you need. The other options are to change to rims with less back spacing or change to the newer style tie rod ends that should give you more clearance and probably tighten up the steering a bit. If you already changed tie rod ends it's plan A or B.
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Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around. |
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 222
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
I already have 1/4" between the tie rod end and the tire (about half that with it on the ground).. my guess is that it rubs when i turn somewhat hard. The sidewall likely walks over in that direction depending on which way i turn. Do you think 1/4 spacers would do it?
That would give me about 3/8" of space when it it is on the ground.. or i go to 1/2" spacers. |
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Toppenish, WA
Posts: 15,498
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
That is why I suggested putting washers behind the wheel to help figure it out.
I'm wondering why the clearance changes when you put the weight on the tires because it shouldn't unless something is loose. With an I beam axle good king pins and good and properly adjusted wheel bearings the relationship between those components shouldn't change with weigh on or off.
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Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around. |
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 222
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
The weight of the truck alone makes the tire bulge, albeit at the bottom, but wouldn't it make the whole tire slightly wider.. or at least that makes sense to me that it would.
Kings pins are new and wheel bearings have all been adjusted. If i go to 1/2 spacers, I will need to change out the wheel studs, or switch to open ended nuts instead of closed end lug nuts. |
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Toppenish, WA
Posts: 15,498
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
I don't think you need 1/2 inch, in this situation a miss is as good as a mile and as long as it clears all the time and from lock to lock you are good. If I needed a half inch I think I would be changing rims rather than using spacers and changing studs.
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Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around. |
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 222
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
ok. I'll get 1/4 and try it. I tightened up the wheel bearings (newer taper roller ones). I was always taught that bearings should be just barely touching the washer and that the wheel has just enough play that you feel it (with wheel on). I tightened them up 1/8 so the cotter pin fits into the next gap in the nut. Feels too tight though and has some resistance when turning the wheel.
Thanks for the input. |
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#8 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: San Angelo, Tx
Posts: 1,068
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
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#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 222
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
newer style for sure, just don't know how new they are. They are now exactly like the CPP ones in that the threaded end that goes onto the bar is female threaded, not male.
I could take a picture, but they are definitely newer style. I have to flip them over onto the bottom of the steering arms when i went with the dropped axle. |
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#10 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: San Angelo, Tx
Posts: 1,068
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
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#11 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 222
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
I can't put them on top as they are stock, the bar will not clear the springs.
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#12 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: San Angelo, Tx
Posts: 1,068
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
I have the new style from CPP on mine and have them on the top. But, it's stock height.
Tried them on the bottom and they rub the tire. Top is fine. |
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#13 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3,303
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
Sid at dropped axles . com sells bent steering arms for this concearn. I have purchased his, I have added longer studs with spacers and I have bent my steering arms and re aligned the current truck. On the next huild if I have the cash, ill buy sids arms. If i dont, I will bend them again myself.
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GOD BLESS AMERICA! |
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#14 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 222
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
i thought all he did was reverse the taper, but bending makes sense. I can do that on my own. Thanks for the suggestion... likely the least expensive one..
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#15 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Fox, AR
Posts: 394
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
Quote:
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#16 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Motown
Posts: 7,680
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
Quote:
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cool, an ogre smiley ![]() how to put your truck year and build thread into your signature shop air compressor timer |
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#17 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 222
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
i'll chalk up the tires and go for a spirited toot to see if it rubs again with the tighter bearing nut.
Thanks again guys, great to have this board. |
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#18 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Motown
Posts: 7,680
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
Quote:
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cool, an ogre smiley ![]() how to put your truck year and build thread into your signature shop air compressor timer |
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#19 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3,303
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
Lol.
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GOD BLESS AMERICA! |
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#20 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 222
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
Lol.. i guess i wasn't thinking of how that sounds...
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#21 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Motown
Posts: 7,680
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
i think we all understood
just never heard it put that way ![]()
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cool, an ogre smiley ![]() how to put your truck year and build thread into your signature shop air compressor timer |
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#22 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3,303
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
Fyi just bolted up some 17x7s with 4.5 backspace and they clear by a mile.
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GOD BLESS AMERICA! |
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#23 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Brookings, SD
Posts: 10,497
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
Dang, that's a lot of clearance.
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Some people are like slinkies, they aren't good for anything, but you can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs. |
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#24 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 222
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
the bulge of the tire would be at a different spot with 17"s though would it not? I installed 1/4" spacers today and will go for a drive tomorrow to see. I hope that does it, otherwise i'm having to bend the arms.
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#25 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 222
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Re: Tie rod ends rub against tire with Dropped axle
just to update everyone, I added 1/4" spaces, and it's still not enough. I will have to bend the steering arms. I'll try to do that this evening.
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