Drag Link/Connecting Rod: Screw plug won't go in enough for cotter pin

[Rick C.]

On my 1960, the Screw Plug on the short end of my Connecting Rod (toward front of car), won't screw in far enough so I can insert the Cotter Pin. Any advise regarding why this is occurring?

By the way, the cotter pin has apparently been missing from that end for years. Not sure why I didn't notice it before.

Thanks, Rick

[Roy B.]

Re: Drag Link/Connecting Rod: Screw plug won't go in enough for cotter pin

Take it a part , the cups my not be aligned correct that grab the ball.
Or one spring is located at the wrong end

[Rick C.]

Re: Drag Link/Connecting Rod: Screw plug won't go in enough for cotter pin

Thanks Roy. I'll check it out. I'll also look at the asm info, but is one spring longer than the other? Rick

[Roy B.]

Re: Drag Link/Connecting Rod: Screw plug won't go in enough for cotter pin

yes may be I cant remember Joe would know

[John H.]

Re: Drag Link/Connecting Rod: Screw plug won't go in enough for cotter pin

I'll also look at the asm info, but is one spring longer than the other? Rick

The two springs at the pitman arm end are identical, and the one at the third arm end is different. See section 9 in your Assembly Manual and Fig. 5 on page 9-4 in the ST-12.

[Rick C.]

Re: Drag Link/Connecting Rod: Sometimes I can be so amusing

Ok... my problem is solved. Now I have to determine how I should reply to your posts.

There are a couple of options:

1) Advise that the problem is solved. Thank everyone for the help and move on to the next project.

or, and the most honest and forthcoming response would be:

2) My problem is solved. Thanks to you all for your help. But I have to admit that while I was under my lift and figured out the issue, my face was red. After reading your posts, reviewing section 9 of the ST-12, I disassembled and inspected the draglink. Confident that all the parts were correct and in the right position, I re-assembled the unit only to find that (surprise) I still had the problem. So... what's next??? How about I actually READ the ST-12 and not just look at the nice pictures. That's when I learned that the cotter pin is supposed to slide through the drive slot on the end cap. And that it is NOT correct to run the end cap in far enough that the cotter pin SITS FLUSH WITH THE SURFACE OF THE END CAP. Thus, on the short end of the drag link you can't run the end cap in far enough to assemble the cotter pin in this manner. Man... I'm such a dummy.

Well, at the very least I know more tonight about my car then I did yesterday. And that's a good thing.

Thanks guys. And thanks for continually passing on your knowledge and experience.

Now on to whatever the next adventure is with my C1.

Rick

[Roy B.]

Re: Drag Link/Connecting Rod: Screw plug won't go in enough for cotter pin

You don't need to tell us how dumm you are we were all dummy's at one time. I remember when I realized I had to use the clutch to shift gears. nice to know you fixed your problem

[Richard M.]

Re: Drag Link/Connecting Rod: Screw plug won't go in enough for cotter pin

Right....we've all been there. I find myself assembling something more than once on occasion. If I have a 50-50 chance, I usually get it wrong the first time! Besides, using the books is cheating.