Drag link too short

[Seaborn]

88 blazer w/ 10bolt, 4" tuff country ez ride front springs + raised steering arm, I'm running out of threads on my drag link ends when adjusting to straighten the steering wheel. The threads in the adjustment sleeve are even with the clamps which means there's only about 3/4" of threads holding each rod end to the adjuster sleeve. I still get equal turning radius and the drag link is horizontal to the ground. Anyone else have this issue? Is there a longer adjustment sleeve available? Am I better off to buy dom tubing, threaded bungs, jam nuts and build a custom drag link?

 

[sweetk30]

you sure someone didn't have the steering wheel off and not put it back on with the notch lined up ?

this shouldn't be a problem . has to be something else I think .

 

[Seaborn]

I've got a gmt400 steering wheel on it and the horn plunger wire thing only allows it to go on one way. It could be a mix master of a different lock plate etc that's throwing that off. I'll jack it up and count turns to see if the steering wheel is centered to the box.

 

[Blue85]

The steering box needs to be centered while the wheels are straight. The fitment of the teeth between the pitman arm and piston is tighter on center then it is off to the sides. So if the draglink is getting out of this range to make the steering wheel straight, there must be some other part mismatch. Plus, the further the box is from center, the less "extra" travel the box has in that direction, so when the front axle articulates you run out of steering in that direction.

 

[Seaborn]

Got the box centered at 1.5 turns, total range is 3 turns. The steering wheel, lock plate, and horn wire nub all appear to be in the proper location. Pitman arm looks to be straight out pointing to the drivers side. Checked the new raised arm against the stock one and don't see any difference other than the obvious height difference. I'm running out of ideas. The pics I've been able to find all look like my how mine is so maybe that's the norm?

 

[Blue85]

Any chance the axle has moved? Like broken spring center pin or worn spring eye bushings?

What is the distance you need between pitman arm and steering arm? Maybe some others have posted up their numbers, or can measure to compare.

Are you sure all 3 parts of the drag link are stock parts? If you're adjusting by turning the sleeve, it's for sure 1 LH and 1 RH, but one or both could possibly be for a different application. There are some tie rod setups that use an adjusting sleeve, but I don't know if it's the same thread size, or even a different length for that matter.

 

[Seaborn]

Springs are new 4" tuff country ez ride. Drag link components appear to be stock. The length C to C is 16 3/4"

 

[blazer74]

Can't tell but one drag link should be longer than the other I believe.

 

[blazer74]

They look grungy, I would have replaced both Drag links with the install of the lift, for what they cost.
I had to go as short as possible with mine to get even close.

 

[Seaborn]

Anyone up for measuring there drag link center to center for me to compare to? Thanks in advance

 

[thearborbarber]

15 1/2 inches center to center on my suburban with the same set up. About a 1/4 inch gap between the ends of the drag link inside the sleeve.

 

[Blue85]

Can't tell but one drag link should be longer than the other I believe.

Yes, but if you had two of the short one they would be same-handed thread and one end wouldn't work safely in the adjusting sleeve.

Mine's about 45", so I can't help.