tie rod

[DBrer]

I'm getting a death wobble and I'm going to take out the tie rod and drag link, and anything else that is suspicious feeling. My question is can I get the tie rod out without pulling brakes and backing plates. I guess I will find out but maybe one of you has a way of doing it. I don't want to reinvent the wheel with this project. I have read the many threads on this on this site and there is a lot of great info.

[The Master Cylinder]

Originally Posted by DBrer

I'm getting a death wobble and I'm going to take out the tie rod and drag link, and anything else that is suspicious feeling. My question is can I get the tie rod out without pulling brakes and backing plates. I guess I will find out but maybe one of you has a way of doing it. I don't want to reinvent the wheel with this project. I have read the many threads on this on this site and there is a lot of great info.

Yes you can get the tie rod out without messing with the backing plates. I know Les Andrews book sez you have to remove the backing plates but I find that not to be true.

[The Master Cylinder]

Sorry, duplicate...

[RandyinUtah]

I just crank the wheel all the way to one side and you can unscrew the end plug on the rod. The turn the othe wheel the full other way and remove the other plug. You can then remove the toe rod from both sides.

[Jacksonlll]

Measure your toe-in before you take anything apart. Bet you don’t have any.

[Marshall V. Daut]

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Marshall

[Tom Endy]

See attached article.

Tom Endy

[old31]

Save yourself a lot of work and check the toe-in first. If the toe-in checks out good then you know its not that, and then move on.

[DBrer]

Thank you, thats the information I needed, and now its time to go to work on it. I will check the toe in and I do have the rubber ball. I will address these issues, thanks again.

[Dick M]

If your toe-in is within specs and your steering box is not sloppy, continue on and replace the springs and steel cups in the tie-rod and drag link. This should solve your problem.

[lavalley.scott]

What's the best way to measure toe in? How much should there be?

[Patrick L.]

Do the tie-rods need to be removed/fixed ?
The 'death wobble' is caused by something loose, anything from steering box adjustment thru to the wheel bearings and everything in between. Check to make sure everything is as it should be first.
Toe setting should also be checked as mentioned. 1/32-1/16" in.

[Synchro909]

If toe in is OK, then look at king pins - both the bushes in the stub axle and the fit in the end of the axle. Check the ball under the bell housing, steering box tightness to the chassis, pitman arm on the sector shaft, wear in the steering box itself, wheel bearings, ball joints, shackles, spring in the front cross member - everything to do with steering and suspension from the steering box forward. A little here and a little there soon add up to one heck of a death wobble.
Once all these things are right, you will be delighted with how it steers and handles

[J Franklin]

Originally Posted by lavalley.scott

What's the best way to measure toe in? How much should there be?

Any tire shop should be able to check and adjust a model A front suspension.

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by lavalley.scott

What's the best way to measure toe in? How much should there be?

I have welded up a gauge with a fine pointer each end spaced so that they are both on a tyre and at axle height. With the car on a level, flat surface, I put a piece of masking tape on one tyre after putting a vertical line on it with a ball point pen and position the gauge so that one pointer is on the line. I then put a line on another piece of tape and stick it on the other tyre right at the other pointer. Next, I remove the gauge and roll the car 1/2 a turn of the wheels and move the gauge to the other side of the tires where the tape now is and compare the marks. When the marks are towards the rear of the car, they should be about, but not more than 1/16" further apart than when they are at the front. If adjustment is required, I do it and roll the car again to ease any pressure on the tyres before I check it again.
This method eliminates any false results you might get from wobbly wheels or tyre not fitted perfectly straight on the rim. It is utterly reliable and requires no special equipment other than the gauge which you make yourself. I keep it hanging on a nail in the wall of my shop so it takes no space to store.

[old31]

Originally Posted by lavalley.scott

What's the best way to measure toe in? How much should there be?

Toe In

I bought a ruler stickie tape from Hobby Lobby for $2.39 and a shower curtain from Wallmart for about $10

Loosen tie rod bolts (9/16”) on both the left and right side of the tie rods.

Do not make adjustments by turning spindles at end of tie rods, only the tie rods. On the right side tie rod turning the vice grip clockwise will decrease the measurement, counterclockwise will increase the measurement.

First, take the front tire measurement with shower rod with the car about 3 feet back.

Front measurement must be 1/16 less than rear measurement. Thus, this will cause the toe in. / \

Second, pull the car forward so the rod will automatically be placed on the rear part of the tire. Read the tape and see what the toe in/out is.

Make adjustments while rod is still positioned on the rear of the tire.
Adjustment is done by clamping vise grip on tie rod and turning tie rod, either clockwise or counterclockwise. The turn is dependent if you need to adjust in or out. While turning tie rod you will see the shower rod moving on the scale on the shower rod.

After achieving the 1/16 toe in, do the process 1 more time as a double check.