The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk How to rebuild drag links?

I guys, I need some help...
I bought the kit to rebuild my drag link and noticed that one of the spring seats was longer than the other. When I pulled mine apart it had the same parts as the kit except that one of my old springs was broken. My real problem and question is, I can't get one of the sides to line up to get ball in between the ball seats. One end has an opening about an inch from the end the other is about a half an inch. I have traded the spring seats around with the same result. Any ideas what I might be doing wrong?
Thx! Kevin :confused:

Sorry Kevin, maybe this will get some response. I'm trying to figure out the same basic question you pose.

When getting ready to install the drag link I cleaned up two years ago, I found I wasn’t sure how the various components are assembled. I understand how it works but have forgotten the assembly. Does anyone have a picture or diagram? Specifically the order of component placement into each end of the drag link since each end is different and which end goes to the pitman arm.

Grant
50 GMC
45 Burb

Grant, I have the shop manual for my '40 and it shows two Pics in it, but of course they don't look exactly as mine came apart. If I had the book with me I could send you a copy. If no one sends one to you soon, I will later.
The funny thing is that one of the pics shows two springs in each end. Mine only has one spring and the kit only came with one spring for each end.
Good luck and I will talk at you again.
Kevin

I had the same problem. It has been awhile, I think on one end the spring is distal to the ball cups. But those rebuild kits, the one I got the springs were too long. I was not able to use them, ended up raiding a junk yard for unbroken original springs.

I went through this recently , I wound up getting good used springs from Mother Trucker as the repop ones are too long and near impossible to assemble too .

I'm still looking for the nifty sheet metal dust shields used on other GM products as those crappy
repop rubber ones rot away in 6 months . I suppose I could just cut a slab of rubber....

I worked on the drag link this weekend and had to place the spring in backwords (at least what I think is backwards). I got it to install but now the screwcap won't go in far enough to put the cotterpin in on either end. I think I will take it apart and see if the springs from the kit are too long compared to the existing.
This shouldn't be this difficult!
Grant, I forgot to get you the Pic from my book. maybe tomorrow. I will e-mail you.
Nate, I've not heard of these metal covers, but they seem needed. Since the lube area is very exposed.

Grant, I e-mailed the pictuers that I promised. Sorry for the delay.
I still don't know if I have mine together correctly. I need to spend some time on it, but haven't had the time....Christmas and all.

Hi Kevin,
I noticed that after reading this post that Jim Carters has a blow up of the drag link parts that may help if they are in the correct order. I need to do the same on my 3/4 ton, but I have a spare chassis to look at if I forget how things go together. You might look on-line at some of the other parts catalogs for diagrams. Hope that helps.
Ralph

48, I found those Pics and also have a diagram in the 1940 Shop Manual.
Thanks for the help.

One tip I want to pass along. I rebuilt my draglink and tierod ends and found it was harder to steer than before. After I took them all back off I found the balls were not the same diameter and the cups. Lucky for me I bought the bolt in replacement type. All I did to repair the problem was chuck the ball ends in the drill press and lap in the cups using valve lapping compound. It didn't take much and I was able to hold the cups with my fingers. After reinstalling them, it worked ten times smoother, and the binding was completely gone. I purchased the whole set from Jim Carters. Joe Hand

That's gouge, Joe! Mind if I make a tech tip out of it?

Regards,
John

Not at all John, anything to save time and trouble. Joe

Joe make sure you send them the diagram you sent me for the tech tip on the steering box. That would be a big help!