Draglink end

[et1]

Group:

I require some parts for the draglink end on my TC. Abingdon Spares seems to have all of the parts, but the way that they are laid out in their catalogue doesn't seem right. From what I can tell the drag link end requires two ball seats. One has a flat back, as it goes against the back of the drag link. The other goes against the spring. Is this one interchangable with the seats in the track rod ends, or is it the same as the as the other one in the draglink end? Are the balls the same diameter?

Thanks for the help

Mark Evenchick

[Dean Jensen]

Mark the balls are all the same dia, you can change the seat, and spring around, they are all the same springs and seats, I think this is what you wanted to know. Cheers Dean Illinois

----- Original Message ----- [b]From:[/b] et1@attcanada.ca [b]To:[/b] mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com [b]Sent:[/b] Wednesday, January 23, 2002 5:59 PM [b]Subject:[/b] [mg-tabc] Draglink end Group: I require some parts for the draglink end on my TC. Abingdon Spares seems to have all of the parts, but the way that they are laid out in their catalogue doesn't seem right. From what I can tell the drag link end requires two ball seats. One has a flat back, as it goes against the back of the drag link. The other goes against the spring. Is this one interchangable with the seats in the track rod ends, or is it the same as the as the other one in the draglink end? Are the balls the same diameter? Thanks for the help Mark Evenchick Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

[Charles Hill]

Mark, The drag link end at the steering box is indeed different than the other drag link end and the track rod ends. Neither Moss nor Abingdon has the correct parts. Check the TC instruction manual, page 21, for more details about the difference. The only way I was able to correctly rebuild my TC was with some used parts kindly provided by Terry Sanders (TATerry). Regards, Charles Hill

[et1]

Thanks for the responses. I guess that I didn't ask my question clearly enough.

The inside ball seat has a flat back. Does the other ball seat, which fits against the spring also have a flat back, or does it have a short rod that fits inside the spring, as do the ones on the tie rod ends? If so is it interchangeable with one from a tie rod end.

Thanks Again

Mark Evenchick

[i.thomson@talk21.com]

I have just had to replace the joint nearest the steering box (nb. original box and good steering) last summer. The ball had come out of the cup because it tilted in a worn bore and the only thing that was holding it was the joint body itself; which being softer was beginning to wear quite badly. AFAICR this joint is very different from all of the others. The internal parts cannot be swopped around - at least not on the new one which I purchased from one of the specialists. The oval hole in the body is in the wrong place to move the spring. I was not happy with using the "incorrect" part (which was catalogued as correct) but it does not seem to have made any difference! This begs the question of why this joint is assembled "backwards"? I seem to remember posting this question on the bulletin board but getting no reply - presumably because all you experts you were over here. So why are they different? Ian T. ---------------

> Thanks for the responses. I guess that I didn't ask my question clearly enough. > >The inside ball seat has a flat back. Does the other ball seat, which fits against the spring also have a flat back, or does it have a short rod that fits inside the spring, as do the ones on the tie rod ends? If so is it interchangeable with one from a tie rod end. > >Thanks Again >Mark Evenchick

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[Frank O_ The Mountain]

In a message dated 1/25/02 00:52:03 Pacific Standard Time, i.thomson@talk21.com writes: > I remember asking Al Moss this question years ago......his answer as I recall is that the draglink is different because the way it is designed and assembled, the ball cannot drop out even if the adjuster becomes very loose......ie cotter pin lost. This came up because at the time (10+ years ago), one of the larger suppliers were selling the drag link as being the same as the tie rod ends which is improper. Anyone else? Terry

[Chip Old]

On Fri, 25 Jan 2002 taterry@aol.com wrote:

> I remember asking Al Moss this question years ago......his answer as I > recall is that the draglink is different because the way it is > designed and assembled, the ball cannot drop out even if the adjuster > becomes very loose......ie cotter pin lost. This came up because at > the time (10+ years ago), one of the larger suppliers were selling the > drag link as being the same as the tie rod ends which is improper. > > Anyone else?

That's pretty much as I remember it too, except it was virtually all suppliers, not just "one of the larger suppliuers". For many years the design intended for the tie rod ends was also supplied for the drag link. It worked okay as long as it was in good shape, but with enough wear the thing could drop right off the ball. Instant lack of steering control. It was NOT a good idea, but short of having the correct parts custom made it was all that was available. -- Chip Old 1948 M.G. TC TC6710 XPAG7430 NEMGTR #2271 Cub Hill, Maryland 1962 Triumph TR4 CT3154LO CT3479E fold@bcpl.net

[i.thomson@talk21.com]

Thanks for the reply Terry. What you say makes some sense - and it cetainly saved me as the original which I had fitted prevented the thing coming apart even though it had become detatched from the spring cup itself. It doesn't explain why the spring is on the other side though as the smaller hole achieves this end on its own. Contrary to what another poster said (sorry whoever it was - I've deleted it) I didnt have to totally dismantle it to retrieve the ball joint, just back the adjuster off a bit. FYI at least one specialist would appear to be selling the wrong parts cos I've just bought one!

> In a message dated 1/25/02 00:52:03 Pacific Standard Time, >i.thomson@talk21.com writes: >

< I seem to remember posting this question on the bulletin board but

>getting no reply - presumably because all you experts you were over here. So >why are they different? > > Ian T. > > >I remember asking Al Moss this question years ago......his answer as I recall >is that the draglink is different because the way it is designed and >assembled, the ball cannot drop out even if the adjuster becomes very >loose......ie cotter pin lost. This came up because at the time (10+ years >ago), one of the larger suppliers were selling the drag link as being the >same as the tie rod ends which is improper. > >Anyone else? > >Terry

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[candahill@worldnet.att.net]

When I rebuilt the front end on TC7387 a couple of years ago, I discovered a tie-rod end used on the drag link. I tried all of the major suppliers in the US and none of them had the proper part. They all insisted on substituting the tie-rod end. A fellow lister, Terry Sanders (TATERRY), was kind enough to come up with a used part. I think the most frustrating part of the situation is that even after you point out that the part is incorrect, the suppliers do nothing about changing it. They refund your money, but do nothing about having the wrong part. They keep it in their catalog and keep sending it out until they finally find someone who doesn't know the difference and uses it. Regards, Charles Hill

[joecurto@aol.com]

Charles while I am not defending suppliers who sell inferior or wrong parts sometimes there is a method to the madness. The popularity of a part is a factor, if you are going to sell 100 pieces of a drag link per year (highly doubtful) and there is a Tie rod end that will directly replace it from a manufacturer who also has a large liability policy, (lets not forget steering=lawyers= law suits) than maybe that is the way it is going to go, also I have rebuilt drag links as did you from the scrap box thus diminishing the total sales. I sell a nice hand brake rechrome kit for our cars and I have made 100 pieces, in the last 4 years that I have had them I have probably sold 15 kits, not even enough to be low bank interest let alone a return on investment, so a large supplier has to look at movement of an item and decide if it is worth it to tie up money, space, time spent inventorying the item. I am in the process of having some seamingly insignificent snap rings that go into carburetors made, they look like nothing but yet the cost of a die is 2000.00 and I need 2 of them and then once that is made the piece is to cost 28 cent each and I have to buy 5000 each to get that price, this item only fits one SU for only a few years and if you saw the original part you would say it is worth 10 cent tops instead of the .68 cent that they realley cost, well I am going to make 2000 on a screw machine which will make it look different the function will be the same, and at least I can supply a respectable part to my customers who need them. I guess what I am saying is that small operaters such as myself, and all the other guys who run a "Boutique" operation are left to make some of the more interesting and inovative parts, because they have the skill, or contacts and are willing to invest in a product and have it sit around for a long time so that we can service our customers. Joe Curto