Tie Rod extender BUSH FIX

[Tonyp 284]

My 1979 / C81 , don't really know how or why but one front wheel became very TOE out.  Could be I banged it and over time and it just got worse, hard to steer.   The Tie Rods are fixed as we know so  I decided to give it a bush fix. I set the right wheel to straight, the left front wheel was way toe out, I measured and needed about 1/2 " more Tie Rod to bring it back to pretty straight.  

 

here  is my bush fix with a drawing.,   I needed an  extension of 1/2 " left side tie rod mount. 

 

-  Remove both tie rods from the steering bracket where they mount  and  make a template marking the tie rod mount holes.

- -Fabricate a .metal plate to mount on the Tie Rod bracket  with an extension on the left side, I needed a  tie rod mount hole an additional  1/2 inch out ,  the bracket is probably 1" extended. 

-  drill 3 holes   1 hole for the extension,  2 holes to match up with the tie rod steering bracket  holes and for the right Tie Rod to be remounted. 

-  mount the new bracket to the  steering wheel tie rod bracket.  

-  reinstall the right Tie Rod into the original position on the bracket 

-  install the LEFT Tie Rod into the new extension hole.   

 

The Toe Out is eliminated , now I have a very slight toe in,   Very manageable.   I didn't take pictures,  so  I made a drawing.   

 

The whole thing took about an hour start to finish. 

[ri702bill 8,327]

Good assesment there, Tony. BUT - are you treating the symptom,not the cause?? 

I too have a 1979 C81 - fine machine. There was enough slop and play in the spindle bores and OE tierods to repair / replace all. Drilled & reamed for spindle & pivot bores to accept bronze bushings, cut the underside of the axle spindle bosses to add thrust washers, made a pair of Heim joint adjustable tierods. No more steering issues and the steering wheel is centered when going straight....

A lot of machining - yup. Worth it? Absolutely.

[Tonyp 284]

And thats why I  call it a bush fix. !   There is some slop for sure  and I will address this again going forward , just not today !    Todays bush fix cost  0  and I didn't need to acquire any parts.    LOL

 

ri702bill Many thx for the reply ! 

[ri702bill 8,327]

1 hour ago, Tonyp said:

And thats why I  call it a bush fix. !   There is some slop for sure  and I will address this again going forward , just not today !    Todays bush fix cost  0  and I didn't need to acquire any parts.    LOL

 

ri702bill Many thx for the reply ! 

 

I picked up a C81 roller about 10 years ago - the left tierod was missing, replaced with a piece of 3/4 x 3/4 x 1/8 angle iron, held in place with 3/8" hexbolts that were loose but double nutted. Noe THAT's a hack fix!!!

Edited March 8, 2023 by ri702bill

[Tonyp 284]

1 hour ago, ri702bill said:

 

I picked up a C81 roller about 10 years ago - the left tie rod was missing, replaced with a piece of 3/4 x 3/4 x 1/8 angle iron, held in place with 3/8" hexbolts that were loose but double nutted. Noe THAT's a hack fix!!!

 

 

NICE ! Where there is a will there is a way.  

Edited March 8, 2023 by Tonyp

[Handy Don 12,233]

3 hours ago, ri702bill said:

I picked up a C81 roller about 10 years ago - the left tierod was missing, replaced with a piece of 3/4 x 3/4 x 1/8 angle iron, held in place with 3/8" hexbolts that were loose but double nutted. Noe THAT's a hack fix!!!

 

2 hours ago, Tonyp said:

NICE ! Where there is a will there is a way.  

Gotta note that if it goes where the operator wants it to go, it’s a runner!

[ri702bill 8,327]

2 hours ago, Tonyp said:

 

NICE ! Where there is a will there is a way.

 Necessity is the Mother of Butchery..... AND, there is only one letter difference between "Hero" and ZERO.....