Drag link worn

[Duane D]

Yesterday I was checking things out on my TT and I noticed the sockets on the drag long were quite loose. What is the procedure for repairing these? The ball looks consistent round but the socket doesn’t look quite as good.

[Original Smith]

File the caps and the drag link. Be sure to keep the file absolutely flat when doing this, then check the fit. You can also rotate the ball on the tie rod. When you have a good fit, with a little clearance, then put in some good grease, I use wheel bearing grease, and bolt it together. If the castle nuts don't want to line up, try a different castle nut, and be sure to cotter pin them.

[Duane D]

Thank you. So at some point i assume you just buy a new one or is there a repair method?

[Scott_Conger]

If the ball on the pitman arm is round, and you keep things greased, it might outlive you. Trouble is, on your T and every other T surviving, I suspect the part got greased twice in it's life and then was left to wear under daily use from 1920 to 1930 or so. If you drive it for 10 years daily and don't grease it, you might have to replace something. Maintain it and keep an eye on it. Eventually, you may wish to put in a hard shim to take up some space. Some people use a penny and beat it to shape with a ball pein hammer. What you want, in any case, is line to line mating of the drag link and it's cap. If you over-file it and it rocks, trouble can develop. You want it tight together with as little remaining "shake" as possible, and then opened up and greased and reassembled. Note: the drag link is threaded and the castle nut is a locknut. The bolt should not just fall out when the nut is off...it still needs to be unscrewed. There are shims made commercially that vendors carry, but they are thin and wear out very quickly.

[Mark Osterman]

I use EZ Turn lubricant on all the ball joints. It’s really thick and stays put for a long time despite use and heat.

[Original Smith]

Mark: I've not heard of EZ Turn lubricant. Where do I find it? I've been using wheel bearing grease all of my adult life with no problems.

[Scott_Conger]

I am hearing more and more people using EZ Turn for this sort of application. I think some caution is in order here. Whether you live on a dirt road or paved road steering components are going to experience a lot of dust and grime. A nearly permanent lube such as this will continue to collect this grit and make a wonderful grinding compound out of it. Standard grease by its nature will tend to separate and ooze and need replenishment. This will carry away much of the grit that could wear away the parts. While EZ Turn may seem to be the perfect lube for this application, it may likely be the exact opposite of what you really want in there.

[Mark Osterman]

Sure ... that sounds logical. I live in a city and drive mostly in the city so dirt roads aren’t really an option. But I do wonder if the sheer density of of EZ lube would actially prevent dirt getting inbetween the parts. Just guessing.