Replacement of Tie rod and drag link ball

[joda56]

The balls on my tie rod and drag link looks like easter eggs. I bought the "Weld in Replacement Type Balls". Now I`m unsure, where to weld them. After cutting the old balls off, do I have to drill the hole for the new ball completelely through the arms and weld the new balls from the bottom of the arm? Or do I have to drill a blind hole in the arm and weld it on the top of the arm?

[stevemclark]

You have to drill all the way through,straight through. It's best to do it in a drill press holding it rigidly with parallel bars under them. Weld it with a tig welder at the bottom.Next lightly around the middle.not getting it to hot.Before cutting off the old balls mark the top of the flange just below the ball, you want the new one to locate at the same height.

[wrndln]

The best way by far is to have one of the major model A vendors reball the steer arms. I believe they send them to A&L Specialties in Connecticut where they have the equipment to accurately and safely do the work. I had four sets done by them and was impressed with their work. They turn the egg shaped balls into cylinders and then press on a hardened ball that has a slightly undersized hole in it and then weld the top of the pressed on ball to the turned down egg shaped ball to make sure it is never going to come off. Once the arms are install on the vehicle, no one can tell if the ball(s) have been replaced.
Rusty Nelson

[Bob Bidonde]

Ditto wrndln's comment. If you get this wrong, the consequences can be awful!

[w.michael]

Only do this if you are an excellent welder and excellent machinist with all the necessary tools and equipment. I lost a friend when the replacement ball pulled out of the pitman arm. It was on the car when he bought it, and the car had changed hands several times, so no way of knowing where the arm came from, or who did the work. This is not a job for a hobbyist with average skills.

W. Michael

[supergnat]

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I had mine done by Schwalms Babbitted Bearings in PA.. <http://www.schwalms.com/>
Didn’t want to take any chances. Supergnat

[joda56]

Thank y'all for your replys. Even for the scary one from W. Michael. I wonder, if I can drive the car without thinking of his lost friend aftter rebuilding the balls. But like he wrote, nobody knows, who did the replacement, could have been even a professional shop.



I found some more variations about the replacement method:

-on youtube a video (Model A Ford Drag Link/Tie Rod Ball Replacement - z...) how -in my opinion- nobody should do it. Worst welding work, that I ever have seen! Only one cold welding point on the undersite of the arm. You see it only for some seconds.

-professional shops who will exchange the ball with a ball of stainless steel (don't ask a material scientist about the compound of this materials)
- on page 20 of my "How to restore your Model A" Vol 2 book from The Restorer is an article by Walter Kandetzki, who prefer not to drill through the arm.



I do have a professional welder who will do the job. I bought me a new shortened pitman arm, so we can try at first with the original pitman arm. If this don't get well, I can use the shortened arm and forget about the rest. If the teplacement ball was good, I can use either one. That was my plan.


I would like to let the work be done by a specialist. But I'm stuck in Germany and sending the parts to the States need much time, money and customs hassle. But I tried to look at Schwalms but only get this answer: "This site has been blocked by the network administrator." May be, they don't like Germans ;-)
And when I search for "A&L Specialties in Connecticut" it tells me, that it is closed :-(


For today, I'm a bit confused, what I will do.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by joda56

And when I search for "A&L Specialties in Connecticut" it tells me, that it is closed :-(


For today, I'm a bit confused, what I will do.

Geez.......... Maybe the confusion stems from people giving advice based on hearsay??

Allen with A&L is only catering to Model-A dealers, so you must exchange your steering arms thru a dealer.



Maybe it is just me, but there is too much 'doom & gloom' surrounding steering arm restorations. Personally, I have seen (-or heard) of many accidents involving Model-As where shoddy craftsmanship of all types and in many areas was involved yet no one seems to mention those. Taking this one step further, we have all heard over & over that you should never weld on Model-A gas tanks because they will blow-up. We have also heard that you should never use a torch on a Model-A front axle because the metal will fatigue and crack. The list goes on about never welding on a frame, ...or using an original two-blade fan, or welding on a Model-A wheel, -or etc., etc.

From my own experience when these studs are installed correctly, they are not coming out. Carrying that one step further, if they are installed correctly, they really would not even need to be welded, ...so if a 3rd grade-level welder actually welded it, then it really doesn't matter. Naturally my vantage point tends to differ from others, but I'll share my views and I will listen to yours.

So lets clear the air and talk about my method of doing this properly. To begin with, a fixture needs to be made, -or a good quality mill vice with a Vee block needs to be used to firmly clamp the steering arm while the hole is being made. Sizing the hole is very critical to the safety and success, ...as is location of the hole. IMO, one of the best ways to remove the shank is to use a slitting saw because the cut is parallel with the arm if it was clamped correctly. Next, without disturbing the set-up, a pilot hole is drilled thru the absolute center of the shank followed by a 31/64 (-or 0.4884") drill.

The shank of these replacement balls generally measures around 0.4985"-0.4990", so after the 31/64th drill, you will now have a hole somewhere around fifteen-thousands undersized. The drilled hole then gets reamed to 0.4965", using a milling machine (-not a flimsy drill press) which then gives a 0.0020"-0.0025 interference fit. There are some tricks we use to locate the depth when installing the perch ball shank, but suffice it to say that when the stud is chilled beforehand, -and the steering arm end is quickly heated with an inductive heater, the perch just slip-fits in, ...and stays once everything has cooled to room temps. If someone does feel welding is needed, then use a TIG to only fuse where the shank meets the arm on the bottom side. (Do NOT use a MIG!!) No need for any filler rod or even grinding, ...just use a needle scaler to peen and camouflage the connection. Wanna check your work? Then place the steering arm in a large hydraulic press and see if you can push the the shank of the perch ball back out of the steering arm.


The take-away from this should not be that using these perch balls are dangerous. My take-away is this is not really the job for a professional welder, -but more of a job for a machinist. Can it be done in a home shop? Absolutely!! What I feel makes it dangerous is when corners are cut by someone who does not possess the skillset to capably and safely do the job. I guess this also applies to rebuilding Model-A gas tanks, or wheels, or even brakes too!!

[stevemclark]

This is a delicate mater.My first post stands .I have a machine shop and can and have done this . If you don't have the skill or the machines get a vendor to do it . This is your life on the line here not like a simple repair. I did this because I knew how to do it right.I have been doing this kind of work for over 45 years.Drive safe.

[updraught]

Most of the parts suppliers send them to A&L. A&L do not sell to the public. You are lucky you are LHD.
Find some steering arms on ebay USA and send them to one of the vendors. Snyder's, Brattons or Berts. Then buy the reconditioned arms.
Someone on here may have some arms to donate. They are not rare. Hot rodders will throw them out.
Schwalms seems to have a problem.

[joda56]

First of all: Even if my reply is only to some of you, Thank you all for your help!


Finally, I did order new balled steering arms at Bert's. They do it like Rusty/wrndln mentioned. There I pay $20 for each core charge and do have enough time to send mine to Bert's and then get the 3*$20 back. Ya know, sending packages from and to Germany is expensive and therefore I wait until our next holiday in the states to send mine back to get the core charge back. Fortunately, a friend, who is right now in the States will bring me the new balled arms in the luggage. Anyhow!


Brent, I'm totally with you. When you do it your way, it is safe (I would still put a little weld on it). But you can see the work on the arms from underneath. The not original looking is only a little question of beauty, because in Germany there are no antique judges who will complain about genuineness. But we have to bring the car every two years to an technical inspection. And these guys are not funny. I'm sure, they don't let me drive my Model A with that kind of modification (might be not the correct word?). That's why at first I planned to do it like on page 20 of my "How to restore your Model A" Vol 2 book from The Restorer article by Walter Kandetzki. But with the horror in mind, that the ball get loose and my or anyones neck get broken, I don't like this anymore.

I the looked for a vendor who shape the old ball in a cylinder and press a new ball on. Safe (in my opinion), nothing to see=no complains (technical guys at inspection) and found Bert's, who don't need a core first and wait for my cores as long, as it takes.


Thanks again!
Johannes

[dmar836]

Not directed at anyone as this is a common sentiment nowadays. "Don't ever work on your own brakes!" Don't ever work on your own suspension", "Would you trust your family's lives.... let the professionals ...." on and on. Almost every time I trust a "pro" shop, they have messed something up. From tire shops to dealers. Really, why would you drive 100yo technology?

It's funny, though, that people will buy repro parts and assemblies made overseas with unknown metallurgy or quality standards and be blindy comfortable because it "looks great" and they had no part in building it.
There are hacks in all areas - bad auto mechanics, bad airplane mechanics, bad cops, etc. Do good work, don't cut corners, frequently inspect, don't live in fear.
D

[Phil Brown]

Originally Posted by dmar836

Not directed at anyone as this is a common sentiment nowadays. "Don't ever work on your own brakes!" Don't ever work on your own suspension", "Would you trust your family's lives.... let the professionals ...." on and on. Almost every time I trust a "pro" shop, they have messed something up. From tire shops to dealers. Really, why would you drive 100yo technology?

It's funny, though, that people will buy repro parts and assemblies made overseas with unknown metallurgy or quality standards and be blindy comfortable because it "looks great" and they had no part in building it.
There are hacks in all areas - bad auto mechanics, bad airplane mechanics, bad cops, etc. Do good work, don't cut corners, frequently inspect, don't live in fear.
D

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