The Ford Barn

Woodie1 · 09-06-2021, 02:38 PM

How do you remove a drag link from the steering arm? Does it require a special tool? I know it's a tapered fit. The car is a restored one but I think I have some steering work to do on it.

kiwitony · 09-06-2021, 02:50 PM

There are ball joint crackers which you'll be able to get from a hardware store. Or you can get it by removing split pin and loosen the nut a couple of turns, don't remove as this stops the drag link dropping to the ground. Then with a large hammer hit the steering arm on the side were the ball joint goes in,right angle to the taper. This jars the taper enough to come loose. I try to put a bar in there and put some weight on it to assist the breaking free. Two people is good as well. They can be a really hard to break if been on a long time. Sorry for the long winded reply, it's a job that's harder to explain than do. Cheers tony

JSeery · 09-06-2021, 02:55 PM

Sometimes you can hit the side of the arm to loosen the taper. Can also try pickle forks.

Woodie1 · 09-06-2021, 03:06 PM

My pain is I'm doing it with the car on the floor. No lifts. Can't swing a hammer at it much.

Mart · 09-06-2021, 03:52 PM

Get a ball joint splitter then.

JSeery · 09-06-2021, 04:30 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Mart

Get a ball joint splitter then.

Yep

Woodie1 · 09-06-2021, 04:31 PM

Guess I'll have to.

JSeery · 09-06-2021, 04:41 PM

They can be hard to remove even when you do have good access. About have to have the splitter, might see if one of the auto parts places have a loaner.

Zeke3 · 09-06-2021, 05:05 PM

i was never successful using the two hammer method of loosening tie rod ends as suggested above. I have had much better luck "borrowing" a tie rod separator tool from O'Reilly"s Auto Parts. Much less damage than using one of the pickle forks.

Woodie1 · 09-06-2021, 06:26 PM

Got the tool & have the drag link off the pitman arm. Now I need to figure out where the problem is. I have about 3" play at the outside rim of the steering wheel. I also get some pretty good movement up & down of the steering wheel in the steering tube. I don't detect any play in king pins or the steering arm itself. I tend to think it needs a new bushing or roller bearing at the top of the tube.

Woodie1 · 09-06-2021, 08:28 PM

Cross Shaft End Play

Check by turning steering wheel to center position (turn wheel back 1/2 the total number of turns from either end-stop or place marked spoke straight up or straight down).Shake the steering wheel at ball end. If play or backlash exceeds1/32", adjust the cross shaft (roller shaft) position as follows:
This comes from VanPelts site. Can someone tell me what the STEERING WHEEL BALL END is? I don't know if they mean the bell shaped bottom of the steering wheel or what?

19Fordy · 09-06-2021, 09:30 PM

Buy one of these pitman arm pullers and save yourself a lot of stress and strain especially since you can't raise the car on a lift.
https://www.harborfreight.com/tie-ro...AaAnc-EALw_wcB

Watch this video. Apply some antiseize when you reinstall it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mFVQ1jYmhM

bbrocksr · 09-06-2021, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodie1

Cross Shaft End Play

Check by turning steering wheel to center position (turn wheel back 1/2 the total number of turns from either end-stop or place marked spoke straight up or straight down).Shake the steering wheel at ball end. If play or backlash exceeds1/32", adjust the cross shaft (roller shaft) position as follows:
This comes from VanPelts site. Can someone tell me what the STEERING WHEEL BALL END is? I don't know if they mean the bell shaped bottom of the steering wheel or what?

I think that would be Pitman arm ball end/tie rod end hole.
Bill

bbrocksr · 09-06-2021, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodie1

Got the tool & have the drag link off the pitman arm. Now I need to figure out where the problem is. I have about 3" play at the outside rim of the steering wheel. I also get some pretty good movement up & down of the steering wheel in the steering tube. I don't detect any play in king pins or the steering arm itself. I tend to think it needs a new bushing or roller bearing at the top of the tube.

You shouldn't have any up and down movement in the steering wheel, maybe a couple of thousands at most. If you have more you need to adjust the worm gear bearings. This is probably where the slack is.
With the car sitting still turn the steering wheel to the right and left, if there is endplay in the bearings the wheel will raise and lower as you turn it.
Bill
,

Woodie1 · 09-07-2021, 07:00 AM

19FORTY, there isn't room for the pitman arm puller. That's why I went to the fork. This is slowly starting to make sense to me. I do believe the upper rubber bushing is shot though. Too much movement toward the roof & floor of the car when I push & pull the steering wheel. I'm not pushing & pulling it away from my chest.

V8COOPMAN · 09-07-2021, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodie1

19FORTY, there isn't room for the pitman arm puller. That's why I went to the fork. This is slowly starting to make sense to me. I do believe the upper rubber bushing is shot though. Too much movement toward the roof & floor of the car when I push & pull the steering wheel. I'm not pushing & pulling it away from my chest.

Use that PITMAN arm PULLER to remove your PITMAN arm from the steering box (What a concept). Then ya got enough room!

New bushing toward top of STEERING column. Call Michael at 3rd Gen. Nine BUCKS! DD

https://thirdgenauto.com/product/193...bronze-center/

.

09-06-2021, 02:38 PM	#1
Woodie1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: W. Mich. Posts: 471	1939 sedan drag link How do you remove a drag link from the steering arm? Does it require a special tool? I know it's a tapered fit. The car is a restored one but I think I have some steering work to do on it.

09-06-2021, 02:50 PM	#2
kiwitony Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Whangaparaoa New Zealand Posts: 263	Re: 1939 sedan drag link There are ball joint crackers which you'll be able to get from a hardware store. Or you can get it by removing split pin and loosen the nut a couple of turns, don't remove as this stops the drag link dropping to the ground. Then with a large hammer hit the steering arm on the side were the ball joint goes in,right angle to the taper. This jars the taper enough to come loose. I try to put a bar in there and put some weight on it to assist the breaking free. Two people is good as well. They can be a really hard to break if been on a long time. Sorry for the long winded reply, it's a job that's harder to explain than do. Cheers tony

09-06-2021, 02:55 PM	#3
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: 1939 sedan drag link Sometimes you can hit the side of the arm to loosen the taper. Can also try pickle forks.

09-06-2021, 03:06 PM	#4
Woodie1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: W. Mich. Posts: 471	Re: 1939 sedan drag link My pain is I'm doing it with the car on the floor. No lifts. Can't swing a hammer at it much.

09-06-2021, 03:52 PM	#5
Mart Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Solihull, England. Posts: 8,745	Re: 1939 sedan drag link Get a ball joint splitter then.

09-06-2021, 04:31 PM	#7
Woodie1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: W. Mich. Posts: 471	Re: 1939 sedan drag link Guess I'll have to.

09-06-2021, 04:41 PM	#8
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: 1939 sedan drag link They can be hard to remove even when you do have good access. About have to have the splitter, might see if one of the auto parts places have a loaner.

09-06-2021, 05:05 PM	#9
Zeke3 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Columbus, IN Posts: 1,406	Re: 1939 sedan drag link i was never successful using the two hammer method of loosening tie rod ends as suggested above. I have had much better luck "borrowing" a tie rod separator tool from O'Reilly"s Auto Parts. Much less damage than using one of the pickle forks.

09-06-2021, 06:26 PM	#10
Woodie1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: W. Mich. Posts: 471	Re: 1939 sedan drag link Got the tool & have the drag link off the pitman arm. Now I need to figure out where the problem is. I have about 3" play at the outside rim of the steering wheel. I also get some pretty good movement up & down of the steering wheel in the steering tube. I don't detect any play in king pins or the steering arm itself. I tend to think it needs a new bushing or roller bearing at the top of the tube.

09-06-2021, 08:28 PM	#11
Woodie1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: W. Mich. Posts: 471	Re: 1939 sedan drag link Cross Shaft End Play Check by turning steering wheel to center position (turn wheel back 1/2 the total number of turns from either end-stop or place marked spoke straight up or straight down).Shake the steering wheel at ball end. If play or backlash exceeds1/32", adjust the cross shaft (roller shaft) position as follows: This comes from VanPelts site. Can someone tell me what the STEERING WHEEL BALL END is? I don't know if they mean the bell shaped bottom of the steering wheel or what?

09-06-2021, 09:30 PM	#12
19Fordy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Coral Springs FL Posts: 10,925	Re: 1939 sedan drag link Buy one of these pitman arm pullers and save yourself a lot of stress and strain especially since you can't raise the car on a lift. https://www.harborfreight.com/tie-ro...AaAnc-EALw_wcB Watch this video. Apply some antiseize when you reinstall it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mFVQ1jYmhM

09-07-2021, 07:00 AM	#15
Woodie1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: W. Mich. Posts: 471	Re: 1939 sedan drag link 19FORTY, there isn't room for the pitman arm puller. That's why I went to the fork. This is slowly starting to make sense to me. I do believe the upper rubber bushing is shot though. Too much movement toward the roof & floor of the car when I push & pull the steering wheel. I'm not pushing & pulling it away from my chest.