Tie rod end sleeve question

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clhyer

clhyer

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Working on a '72 Duster, putting a '75 Duster disc brake package on.
Auto parts sites indicate the tie rod end sleeves to be the same. Check these two pics out, first is my '72; second pic are the sleeves from the '75 that I cleaned up to paint. Both are /6 cars. Clearly, not the same part... Any info is appreciated!
C

DCP_2656.jpg


DCP_2654.jpg
 
The bottom ones are either bent or not from an A body. I would use the greasy ones in the top picture or new ones
 
Hate to break this to you, but the sleeves you cleaned up so well are bent. Must have hit something really hard at one time. After a hit like that I would have the spindles magnafluxed and checked for straightness before I used them. In fact, any suspension parts off that car would be suspect in my eyes.
 
Thanks for the prompt replies, guys. If it warms up a bit this weekend I guess I will be back in front of the sandblaster...
I am going to speculate that it was a homemade modification that was done to the sleeves (for whatever reason). Nothing else on the car appeared to have had any collision damage or parts replaced. Only these two tie rod sleeves and they are bent in the same place the same amount. The bends were both at the outer tie rod end and both were pointing "down". That's why it didn't raise any red flags until I was gathering up my parts order and comparing new parts '72 vs '75.
Thanks again,
C
 
clhyer said:
Thanks for the prompt replies, guys. If it warms up a bit this weekend I guess I will be back in front of the sandblaster...
I am going to speculate that it was a homemade modification that was done to the sleeves (for whatever reason). Nothing else on the car appeared to have had any collision damage or parts replaced. Only these two tie rod sleeves and they are bent in the same place the same amount. The bends were both at the outer tie rod end and both were pointing "down". That's why it didn't raise any red flags until I was gathering up my parts order and comparing new parts '72 vs '75.
Thanks again,
C
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From your description they were probably "modified" by a front end shop who couldn't get the proper toe adjustment from the tie rods ends probably being too short on the threads. Can't adjust all the way? Heat and bend, that'll fix it.
 
The bend looks to be in the same place but the radius doesn't look right, hell the whole "bent sleeve" thing doesn't look right. I suppose it doesn't matter if they look like a lightning bolt in the middle as long as the overall length is correct and have the correct orientation at the ends. ( which the 75's clearly do not have )

The top one in this pic is from a 73+ with manual disc brakes. notice the squiggle that's not supposed to be there :angry7:

The lower one is from a 72 with drum brakes ( after a clean, paint and new ends )

IMG00014 (Small).jpg
 
I agree with ramenth, it was probably a mod at the alignment shop. Were the ends run all the way in on both sides? If it wasn`t a mod then it looks like somebody tried lifting the car by the tie rod sleeves?????? Yikes!!
 
Good thoughts on this. The tie rod ends were screwed in most all the way, all four of them. I doubt it was from picking the car up as they are too evenly bent.
C
 
maybe some bonehead tried to pull it off of something or tie it to a flatbed by the tie rods....
 
Longgone said:
That`s a good guess inkjunkie. Clhyer, they do make a solid sleeve with jamb nuts as an upgrade for the old style.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was trying to make sense of it, too. The photo is hard to work with because the sleeves are not parallel from the end to the bend. From the photo they do not look like they are symetrically bent.

I did a 75 Valiant to 72 Demon K-frame transplant. All of my sleeves were straight.
 
alsdemon said:
tow truck lots of guys just swing the tow hooks under and don,t look where they land. als
Click to expand...
This would be my guess as well. I've seen a tow truck guy purposely put the tow hooks on the strut rods.
 
All this is good info in the event I need to get a tow.
C
 
There is not to many of that hook style truck out there anymore. most have wheel lift types or flat bed. maybe down south or out wests. the repo guys like the wheel lift types back up lift and go. stap down later when you are out of gun shot range. lol als
 
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