33-34 Tie rod measurement

[Ken/Alabama]

Can anyone give me the measurement on the 33-34 tie rod from the top of the wishbone to the bottom of the tie rod with the wheels in the straight ahead position.? Mine measures 1 3/8”. The spindle arms have been bent to accommodate a dropped axle and I want to be sure the tie rod isn’t going to interfere with the oil pan. I’m working on a bare frame with no engine. Thanks.

[30Murray]

Sorry I can't give you an answer but if you plan to reduce the clearance, watch that the tie rod ends may hit the wishbones at full lock if it is too little. I had that problem on a similar setup.

[Ken/Alabama]

Originally Posted by 30Murray

Sorry I can't give you an answer but if you plan to reduce the clearance, watch that the tie rod ends may hit the wishbones at full lock if it is too little. I had that problem on a similar setup.

Yes, that’s the problem I was having. I heated the arms and moved them up. Now at full turn I have about 1/2” clearance on the tie rod ends.

[30Murray]

I added a couple of washers under the spindle lock nut to reduce the turning angle limit and that was just enough and doesn't really affect overall turning radius much. I have about 3/4" vertical clearance.

[Mart]

Unless I am misunderstanding, clearance is clearance. As long as it clears from left full lock to right full lock there isn't a right or wrong figure. For example 1/8" would be enough. The distance doesn't change with suspension movement, for instance. That said, clearance to other things like oil pans and front pulleys does change and needs to be enough to accommodate full suspension travel.

[alchemy]

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When you are modifying parts, you will never know if the other guy modified his parts exactly the same. Obviously a quarter inch could make a big difference to your situation. You’ll need to mock up your parts to get a reliable answer. That includes the engine and pulley that you could smash into.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by alchemy

When you are modifying parts, you will never know if the other guy modified his parts exactly the same. Obviously a quarter inch could make a big difference to your situation. You’ll need to mock up your parts to get a reliable answer. That includes the engine and pulley that you could smash into.

This. I don't even have a dropped axle and my pulley will hit the tie rod if I hit a hard bump in my AV8 with a '32 frame and stock suspension.

I'm going to make a tie rod with a bend so it tucks towards the pan to prevent this.

Makes sure you jump on the front to simulate full suspension travel to check for clearances.