Tie Rod shortening ??

[70jimmy]

I just put new steering arms on from Northwest Fab. Great product by the way. They are stepped to help with the high steer.

Anyway they angle in toward the center of the vehicle more than the old ones. My ram is connected to the tire rod (the rod that goes from one knuckle to the other) in case I am calling it by the wrong name.

So I need to shorten it to make up for the change. I have heims and even if I take the jam nut off I still don't have enough adjustment to make it right.

On to the question... It makes sense to me to take off equal amounts from each end so the relationship between the ram and the passenger side knuckle stays the same. so in theory I am taking the material off both sides of the rod to make up for the change in the angle of the arms.

 

[Hossbaby50]

Is your tierod tapped or does it have the weld in bushing on each side? If it is tapped then take an equal amount off both sides and retap the tierod a little deeper.

Harley

 

[70jimmy]

Looks like a large nut welded on each end for the threads then a jam nut and the heim

 

[4X4HIGH]

Are your tie rod ends both right hand thread or is one a left hand thread?

 

[70jimmy]

one right and one left.

 

[spoolnaround]

Take the amount of material you need to shorten out of it, sleve it with a solid section and weld it up.

 

[4X4HIGH]

one right and one left.

DO NOT cut from the left hand end. Left hand taps are very expensive and not easy to find. Since it has weld in ends just cut the end off the right hand threaded side and shorten the tie rod then buy a new right hand weld insert and weld it back in.

 

[smalltruckbigcid]

What he said^^^^ I see your using heims but for those using the superduty tie rod ends, the thread size is 7/8 x 18tpi right and left. The 18 thread per inch left hand is so oddball no one stocks it and so they want to make it for you. The right hand tap is a stocking item for about $45.00 the left will run about $125. Sorry for the derail.
George

 

[Mudstud]

I think his main concern is he'd rather not cut off and reweld/fab/re setup his ram location with new brackets if he can help it. In answer to this- I think as long as you can take your DL to a shop to have them cut the threads a bit deeper on both sides (after you cut it to length) that would be your easiest solution.

EDIT-
Opps- you have the weld on bungs. OK as long as you can locate two more bungs at a reasonable cost then sounds like you have a good plan.