front end (tie rods) question

[rick spears]

i am re-assembling my front end while doing a frame off resto...my question is this, does anyone know if it matters/or what is correct way to install tie rods..rh threaded end out or inboard?? thanks...rick

[Mark L.]

Re: front end (tie rods) question

I believe the RHT is on the right end of the tube (as viewed from the drivers seat)on both sides.

[John H.]

Re: front end (tie rods) question

Rick -

The inboard ends of the tie rods (where they connect to the relay rod) are LH threads, and the outboard ends (where they connect to the steering arms) are RH threads. It was done this way so that the toe-in pit operator could reach up, grab each sleeve, then rotate them both in the same direction (instead of in opposite directions) to get the wheels pointed straight ahead with the steering wheel clamped in the straight-ahead position, then fine-tune the adjustment for toe-in on each wheel. This is the industry standard, and allows a technician on an alignment rack to re-center the steering wheel by turning both sleeves exactly the same amount in the same direction without disturbing the toe-in setting. Scan below of part of a preliminary assembly manual sheet illustration that shows this relationship.

[Mark L.]

Re: front end (tie rods) question

John, I'm glad there is somebody out there who knows what they are doing! If the steering linkage was assembled at St. Louis the AIM should show the proper configuration. I should have taken a look.

[Roy B.]

Re: front end (tie rods) question John nice *NM*

[Joe L.]

Re: front end (tie rods) question

Mark-----

The steering linkage was not assembled at St. Louis, so the details of it won't be in the AIM. The linkage was assembled at Chevrolet-Buffalo and shipped as an assembly to St. Louis.

[John H.]

Re: front end (tie rods) question

Joe -

That's why the "Figure #1" portion shown above was deleted from the preliminary illustration before it was detailed, checked and released for the A.I.M.; it only applied to the steering linkage assembly process at Buffalo. Occasionally you'll find a "jewel" like this on the preliminary sketches and illustration layouts; my wife was an A.I.M. Technical Illustrator at GM for 25 years, and I stumbled across this one about a year ago in her old files.

[rick spears]

Re: front end (tie rods) question

john, thanks so much for the info, it was very helpful!!! rick