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Can this massive tie rod angle be right?

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Old 02-28-2020, 07:36 PM
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Default Can this massive tie rod angle be right?

I just bought this and the steering is trash. Wanders all over. Tires are junkers they put on it (on 31's right now) as it was running 35's and set up for a mud truck. Just had my Son look under it today and he snapped this pic of the tie-rod angle when turning the wheel to the left. He said it was even steeper than what this pic shows. As you can imagine, there is binding and ANY slow speed turning (parking) is a PITA. It's supposedly got the Rocky Mountain 5 1/2" lift on it, but I'm guessing something funky has been done with steering linkage. Was hoping maybe someone had a pic of there Dakota with the same lift and could send me pics of what is supposed to be there. No clue why the steering arm is down so low, but it sure is messing up the steering. Any help?


 
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Old 02-29-2020, 10:11 AM
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Sure doesn't look right to me..... What does the rest of the linkage look like?
 
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Old 02-29-2020, 03:58 PM
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nope. you should get a positive toe change on suspension jounce due to the arc the tie rod follows...you will have a negative change. if the other side is not the same you will have bump steer.
 
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Old 02-29-2020, 08:27 PM
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Thanks. Worked on it a little today. I guess everything is together properly, but the toe angle was so far out of whack the tires were pointing in different directions lol. Got them close enough for now until new tires and proper alignment can be done. Also, the idler arm and pitman arm had not been lubed at all, and were binding up which was causing a lot of the grabbing, hard to turn issues. Hit every zerk I could find and it's amazing the difference it made lol. That tie rod bending down into a V like that sure had me worried, but it's not doing it now after adjusting the toe angle back to somewhat straight.
 
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Old 03-02-2020, 10:41 PM
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I can't believe I am about to say this, but I think the spindles are flipped side to side and upside down. The steering linkage is supposed to be below the spindle centerline as I recall, with the nut below the linkage (stud pointing down)

 
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Old 03-02-2020, 11:24 PM
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Originally Posted by magnethead
I can't believe I am about to say this, but I think the spindles are flipped side to side and upside down. The steering linkage is supposed to be below the spindle centerline as I recall, with the nut below the linkage (stud pointing down)
Well now that would be interesting......anyone want to send me pics of what it's supposed to look like please?
 
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Old 03-02-2020, 11:57 PM
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These are 2003/2004 assemblies, but orientation is same as previous years to my knowledge.

Which means I was wrong...partially.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/JTivupAcYDtL59HC7



https://photos.app.goo.gl/Lvp3w4jjAZYUYDWi6



https://photos.app.goo.gl/3MMXJonoxCp29haJ9



 



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