In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Discuss modifications on your 1979 to late 1998 SFA 4x4 Hilux here.
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pampoen
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In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by pampoen »

So when I wiggle my steering wheel I can see there is play on the drag link, no amount of adfjustment will sort it out, its poked. Now I have two options, replace relevant parts with one from Toyota or buy or steal from one of the kind forum members. Alternatively I could modify the steering system and fit the following similar part https://goo.gl/G51Ytm that can be adjusted and which might prove to be less of a hassle next time something needs to be replaced.

Any thoughts on this?
With each replacement of parts, a car slowly becomes Chinese.
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by Mud Dog »

There are a couple of reasons why you have excessive play in the drag link. One will be the cups inside the link ends that are worn - these are replaceable. The second is the ball pin on the pitman and on the "J"-arm (RHS steering arm). I believe that they are replaceable in some cases but if not can be built up and re-machined. If you have it done, be sure to use a reputable engineering works - it's a critical safety issue ..... the last thing you want is the have a ball-pin shear off whilst driving.

So no need to replace the whole drag link (you would only be doing half the job anyway if the balls are worn).

On a side note, treat it with some urgency. You say there is no more adjustment left in the drag-link ends - that tells me that the cups are definitely worn and maybe the ball ends as well. When this is the case the ball-pins start riding on the shank itself, wearing it down and making it weaker, thus more likely to shear.

Best of luck. :winkx:
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by Tim86 »

Those springs in the ends of the drag link and their 1&1/3 turn back from seated adjustment (as per manual) are there to remove small vibrations from the road reaching the steering wheel. I would think that this may also possibly aid in reducing wear on the steering box components. Implementing the tie rod end ball joint setup as in the pic will eliminate this feature and apparently the resultant vibrations in the wheel can get rather tiring, especially on dirt roads I would imagine. I would keep the drag link setup, it's a neat piece of engineering.

A mate of mine had precisely your problem - ends hadn't been greased and the ball-pins had worn away. He had the pins pressed out and new ones pressed in and welded for safety. Depending on what is worn you will only need the four cups and two pins max.
Last edited by Tim86 on Thu Nov 01, 2018 9:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by niclemaitre »

I got an entire replacement drag link from Gemini Spares, it wasn't very expensive from what I recall, around R300
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by pampoen »

niclemaitre wrote: Thu Nov 01, 2018 8:09 am I got an entire replacement drag link from Gemini Spares, it wasn't very expensive from what I recall, around R300
:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by pampoen »

Thanks for the advice Andy and Tim.
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by The Legend »

Geleende foto,s . Ek gaan beslis vir daardie draglink met tirod conversion as die balls op my draglink uitgewerk is.Dit is vir my veiliger.Met tierod ends het jy nie balls wat kan afbreek nie.
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by The Legend »

Die manne wat erg deelneem aan 4x4 kompitisies het ook vir my gese hulle verander hulle draglinks met tierods. Is baie sterker as die draglinks met die balle op.
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by pampoen »

The Legend wrote: Thu Nov 01, 2018 8:05 pm Die manne wat erg deelneem aan 4x4 kompitisies het ook vir my gese hulle verander hulle draglinks met tierods. Is baie sterker as die draglinks met die balle op.
Now here's the million dollar question.... Do you feel a lot of kickback? How is the steering? Talking of the compo guys having issues with them, I know Swartvark has has issues with his draglink, check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ16toEp1qo&t=8s at 7:34, In fact when I saw his bakkie recently I see he braised the ends up completely, hoping he might have something to say about that.
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by The Legend »

If you put the tierod at the back of the draglink op top of the G arm and not under it you will not have kickback or steering wheel vibrations.
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by Tim86 »

How does that reduce the vibrations Dawie? Is it being taken out buy the increased lever arm around the base of the G-arm?
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by The Legend »

Tim86 wrote: Fri Nov 02, 2018 7:06 am How does that reduce the vibrations Dawie? Is it being taken out buy the increased lever arm around the base of the G-arm?
:thumbup:
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by Stef »

If I had the ZAR's I would just go with cross-over steering
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by pampoen »

The Legend wrote: Thu Nov 01, 2018 7:55 pm Geleende foto,s . Ek gaan beslis vir daardie draglink met tirod conversion as die balls op my draglink uitgewerk is.Dit is vir my veiliger.Met tierod ends het jy nie balls wat kan afbreek nie.
Would it be possible to get the details of this arm that you made? What ball joints did you use? thread pitch? Hardened steel? I might even do a write up on it for someone who wants to do the same.
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by Tim86 »

Make it dropped (Z-shaped) as well if you're gonna go to all the effort. Even more versatile like that. Those are tie rod ends, reasonably cheap at Midas (Partquip).
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Re: In Need Of Some Drag Link Advice

Post by pampoen »

Tim86 wrote: Thu Nov 08, 2018 1:46 pm Make it dropped (Z-shaped) as well if you're gonna go to all the effort. Even more versatile like that. Those are tie rod ends, reasonably cheap at Midas (Partquip).
Ball Joints :slap: :slap: :slap: That's what comes from multitasking.
With each replacement of parts, a car slowly becomes Chinese.
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