just thought i’d post this since it took me some time to figure out.
the problem started when i brought the truck in for alignment,
the “mechanic” was not able to get the adjusting sleeve to tighten. there was no rust on the sleeve/rod. just a bunch of that marine undercoating.
they even used a torch and got the ends glowing red.
finally having given up they told me if i come back with the rods freed up they will continue.
i got three of the rods free by just backing the sleeves of the threads a few turns and then wire brushing the threads clean of the undercoating.
however, the rear right would only move half a rotation each way.
even with a 3foot extension pipe on my biggest pipe wrench!
was careful not to break the tie rod ends.
using a laser thermometer i found that only one end was producing heat from friction when turning.
so i removed the sleeve with that tie rod end still attached.
with it removed from the truck and installed in a makeshift jig consisting of a breaker bar and the lift arms of my skid steer,i was able to use all my weight on the end of the three foot pipe and get the sleeve off.
what i found was that the sleeve was not threaded deep enough and so the threads of the rod end became damaged. this created a “locked” situation which prevented movement greater than a half turn.
removing the sleeve mutilated the rest of the threads within the sleeve so reusing the assembly by adjusting the sleeve closer to the other rod end was not viable. however i did install it like this temporarily until the new one arrives.
that way i can move the truck in and out of the shop which also has other equipment.
here are some picks of the threads:
the problem started when i brought the truck in for alignment,
the “mechanic” was not able to get the adjusting sleeve to tighten. there was no rust on the sleeve/rod. just a bunch of that marine undercoating.
they even used a torch and got the ends glowing red.
finally having given up they told me if i come back with the rods freed up they will continue.
i got three of the rods free by just backing the sleeves of the threads a few turns and then wire brushing the threads clean of the undercoating.
however, the rear right would only move half a rotation each way.
even with a 3foot extension pipe on my biggest pipe wrench!
was careful not to break the tie rod ends.
using a laser thermometer i found that only one end was producing heat from friction when turning.
so i removed the sleeve with that tie rod end still attached.
with it removed from the truck and installed in a makeshift jig consisting of a breaker bar and the lift arms of my skid steer,i was able to use all my weight on the end of the three foot pipe and get the sleeve off.
what i found was that the sleeve was not threaded deep enough and so the threads of the rod end became damaged. this created a “locked” situation which prevented movement greater than a half turn.
removing the sleeve mutilated the rest of the threads within the sleeve so reusing the assembly by adjusting the sleeve closer to the other rod end was not viable. however i did install it like this temporarily until the new one arrives.
that way i can move the truck in and out of the shop which also has other equipment.
here are some picks of the threads:
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