Not sure if the correct name for the part in the centerlink but it is the front most bar that has a tie rod end on the drivers side and has a fixed end with zerk on the passenger side...about 3 feet long. Question is...how much play should there be with this bar? I can twist it back and forth with out much effor.
Trying to figure out where a clunk is coming from and that's the only loose component up front that I could find.
Truck is a 99 F250 7.3 4WD.
Thanks.

 

Did you ever get this figured out? I too am having a clunking noise coming from the front drivers tire on my 99 F-250 SD 4X4. I just had the ball joints, brakes, calipers and rotors replaced. The clunk is still there and the steering is a bit jerky with a little slop. I am thinking tie-rod ends but am getting tired of randomly replacing things!

 

OK, I know this is a lifted truck and may not be the same, but take a look and tell me of you are talking about the white bar or the black bar in this picture.



I think you are talking about the black bar, which IIRC is a Panhard rod or bar. It's function is to keep the front axle under the truck while still allowing the suspension to flex.

The center link or drag link is the white somewhat Z shaped rod.

 

start from the steering box.The Pittman arm is next. Then the drag link or connecting rod.This is attached to the tie-rod. The tie rod on the passenger side is match longer than the driver side.Any way rolling movement is fine but there should be no up and down or side to side movement. The next post with the clunk and new ball joints. I just did the same job and found i too still had a clunk. I needed sway bar link bushings.

 

Thanks for posting the pic!
Top white bar is what I was talking about. Not really any up/down movement on the tire, but there is side to side movement. Based on posts and some other research I agree that it's probably the tie rods and pitman.

 

The top white is commonly called the "drag link". It attaches to the pitman arm on drivers side and steering knuckle on passenger. IIt moves back and forth when the steering wheel is turned. There should be no side to side or end to endplay. The only motion should be rotation - several degrees.

The black bar is the "track bar". It only swings up and down. It should have no play in any direction.

If either one has any play, it will result is looseness in steering.

 

So that is called the drag link? It is connected to the pitman arm, then goes across to passenger side. Is this a do it yourself thing or dealer? I am pretty sure I could pull it off but my concerns are alignment.

 

Yes, the top white (with crazy stupid bends in the photo) is the drag link. With proper tie rod end pullers, it is an easy job. Without proper tools, it is very difficult.

Changing the drag link will NOT affect wheel/tire alignment. It will affect steering wheel alignment (ie, wheel will be turned to left or right when truck is going straight). You should be able to get it corrected through trial and error tweaking of the adjusting sleeve.