Pittman, Idler, Tie Rods - 87 Fifth Avenue

I learned about castle nuts and cotter pins.
Each tie rod has a vertical tapered, threaded shaft and near the top of the shaft is a hole.
Once the tie rod is in position, you thread the castle nut on it and run it down far enough that you can see the hole inbetween the 'cut outs' on the nut.
Then you put the cotter pin in the hole and bend up the ends on the other side so the nut won't back out.

Course, I was taking it off so - cotter pin out, nut off and tie rod shaft backed out.


Socket on the castle nut.


breaker bar for leverage.

lovely dirt shot


Once the nut is off, you will be tempted to whack it with a hammer.
Don't.
IF you want to use a hammer cause you don't have the special tool, then take the castle nut flip it upside down and thread it on the end of the tapered shaft (cut outs going towards the tie rod).
Only run it down far enough to meet the top of the shaft.
WACK that with a hammer.

If you run it down too far, you wind up with a castle nut trapped below a squished shaft end.
If you don't use the nut, you wind up with a squished shaft end.

Far better to use the proper tool.

Set it up and use a box wrench to wind the center theaded shaft down until the end pops out.

original tie rod

Old above, new below

I chose to replace both the inner tie rod, outer tie rod and sleeve. Two reasons.
1. These were original to the car and were 9/16. I moved them up to 11/16 - little stiffer, little sturdier and we have a 1/4 mile rock road drive way.
2. The car spent several years in Illinois after we gave it to my mother-in-law. Salt can't be good for these things.

Don't forget to screw in the zerts into the ends of the tie rods before you install them. Much easier. Otherwise, you get dirt in your hair as you lay on the ground trying to get it to thread from below.


Driver side

Notice the hole in the center? Thats the very end of the center link with inner tie rod already out.
The arm you see there (passenger side) is the idler arm.
Notice how pretty shiny it is above the center link?

The grease boot had ripped all the way around and there is no zert on the original, so you couldn't regrease it. Had to come out... Too much play in the system as it was.

Great design of the other end of the idler arm. How in the heckamonious do you get to the top of the bolt? What a pain. Finally used locking pliers and backed the nut off the bottom.

Old on the left.
New on the right.

And as I was putting my tools up, I noticed a 6 inch walking stick on the edge of the trash can.


Couldn't get the last cotter pin into the hole of the idler arm shaft. Bent it twice.

Have to go buy a new one tomorrow and then take the car to the mechanic so he can review what I've done and let me know if I did things okay.

You weren’t tempted to use the insect as a cotter pin?

Looking good.

The only think I could recommend different is a better method of supporting the car (appropriate sized (metal) jack stands).

Cinder blocks might be used only if no one ever got underneath it or otherwise in a position if concrete crumbles, where no loss of life (or limb) could be possible.

If I was working on car and support(s) failed - there would be no way for my wife or kids to get me “un-stuck”, IF they knew I was in a pickle to begin with.

We want you to still be with us for a long time and to continue to tell your stories (and not become a permanent part of your driveway, either on top or underneath pushing up daises).
BudW

Coming along very nicely!
You are lucky, up here the cotter pins wouldn't come out if the car was more than 5 years old but the newer stuff usually uses locking nuts vs castle nuts and pins anyway. Salt will really bleep things up. Multiply the rust on your car by a factor of 10 and it's look like the average 10 year old car. Grumble, complain, grumble. That's why an oxyacetelene torch is a mandatory tool.

Took the car out for a test drive.
Drives ever so much better!
That shimmy at 65mph is gone.

Couldn't take it out to mechanic since today is a holiday, so will send it in tomorrow.

Thumbs up

Thanks Bud

Word from the mechanic. It's all good however....
I need to use a torque wrench in the future because my version of tight and his version of tight does not match.
No surprise there
Got back too late from Doctor to pick it up today so will go get it monday

Now you have me wondering if I should do my 84 front end when I get home. Looking at the car tells me it has led a rougher life than my 87 with a lot less maintenance

A torque wrench is always a good ideal even if it's just a beam type. I still use my old beam type all the time putting wheels on a car.

The end result was two worn out parts. Inner tierod end boot on passenger side was ripped all the way around and the idler arm end that connects to the center link was ripped and dry.

Budw was spot on about the centerline connection being dangerous.

I actually like the stiffer front end or maybe it's just knowing it's all safe with no weak spots. Lol

Will find someone else to do the front end alignment and we are ready to go.

I wish you would stop doing stuff that makes me think about my project. I couldn't sleep last night here in Kuwait so I went to Rock Auto and ordered all the stuff to do mine. I am going to the ball joints and check all the bushings while I am there. I ordered the rear brake stuff and shocks before I left.

I need to get everything sorted out where I trust it on the 84. I did all this to my 87 Fifth and my 78 D 150 Adventurer. I look at it as having a dependable vehicle without the payments.

I'm still on the fence about keeping it as a daily driver/airport car. Giving it to my little sister. Or popping the built 318 I have in my garage, sticking a sure grip 8 1/4 I can score and having a sleeper. Any of the above scenarios require a tight suspension anyway. I will figure this all out come spring after I have played with it for awhile.