HMMWV radius rod end replacement

From: mblair1@home.net
Date: Sat Mar 25 2000 - 22:05:13 PST


*This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) Pro*

The left rear radius rod (like a tie rod, but on a rear wheel, and
attached to the chassis instead of a steering wheel) on my 1986 M998
HMMWV is not happy. The bolt which attaches it to the chassis was
loose, allowing the rear wheel to "steer" a bit. The left rear tire is
trashed, and the alignment is probably all off.

Also, the rubber boot on the outer end is torn. I got a replacement
end and tried to install it today, but I just can't get the old end
off. It's frozen into the adjusting sleeve, and I haven't been able to
budge it. I tried Liquid Wrench, tapping with a hammer, spreading the
slot on the sleeve with a screwdriver, and more than a little
swearing, but it seems to be frozen solid. I bet the inner end is
probably frozen, too, though I didn't try loosing the inner clamp to
find out. I detached the outer end from the wheel hub gearbox and
tried turning the end with a big Crescent wrench. I even tried hitting
the end of the wrench with a big hammer. No luck.

Any ideas on freeing the sucker before I give up and buy a new
adjusting sleeve and inner end, and just replace the whole radius rod?

Whether I manage to get the old one apart, or buy a new one, I
definitely plan to put anti-seize on those threads!

I'm hoping that the other wheels are already in the right places. I
plan to try adjusting the rear toe-out using just the left wheel
adjustment (since it was loose before, and is probably pointed in the
wrong direction), and then check the front toe-in and the front/rear
alignment. If I'm lucky, I won't need to worry about the other three
adjusters!

P.S., I got my title certificate from the DMV today.

--
Mark J. Blair, KE6MYK <mblair1@home.net>
PGP 2.6.2 public key available from http://pgp.ai.mit.edu/
Web page: http://www.qsl.net/ke6myk/
DO NOT SEND ANY UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL EMAIL TO THIS SITE



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Apr 04 2000 - 21:57:27 PDT