Bad ball joint?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,804
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From: Southern California
Bad ball joint?
This is the ball joint from my push me pull you steering set up. Its brand new as of a year ago. The rubber boot fell off during week one and I didn't wana waste my time buying and destroying who knows how many more... Anyway, it seems to me like the ball is in a inner sleeve which is in the cast housing. It seems like the inner sleeve moved. Bad?
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Joined: Feb 2007
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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
Clean that mess up and yes it looks like a bearing edge where I red lined it.
For a bearing to come out of a race usually the bearing and race are destroyed in the process.
Meaning when a tie end (ball) comes out of its socket is it from excessive wear.
Now it looks like the bearing race is "staked" into the steering cast housing and the outer race has moved.
Not a good thing if the race can move, it can come out of the piece it is suppose to stay in.
For a bearing to come out of a race usually the bearing and race are destroyed in the process.
Meaning when a tie end (ball) comes out of its socket is it from excessive wear.
Now it looks like the bearing race is "staked" into the steering cast housing and the outer race has moved.
Not a good thing if the race can move, it can come out of the piece it is suppose to stay in.
Moderator & parts slinger
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
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Fleet Mechanic
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From: Southern California
Yea im going to go back and look. They have two grades there. Premium and standard. The standard looks solid compared to the premium... Its also a chevy 1 ton tie rod end 
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2011
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From: Southern California
So I went through a few boxes of these tie rods and that inner part moves on all of them. So here is a question that I think is for numberdummy but maybe someone else knows. What Pitman arm or tie rod ends and sleeve will fit the 78 Dana 44 knuckle and the 78 4x4 Pittman?
Is there any tie rod or Pitman that will fit the 78 Dana 44 knuckle and a 78 2ed Pittman?
I know a lot of the Pittman arms were one piece so I'm thinking if there is no tie rod style that will fit ill have to cut a Pittman to length then weld it back together.
Is there any tie rod or Pitman that will fit the 78 Dana 44 knuckle and a 78 2ed Pittman?
I know a lot of the Pittman arms were one piece so I'm thinking if there is no tie rod style that will fit ill have to cut a Pittman to length then weld it back together.
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Joined: Mar 2013
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From: Sandy Eggo
its a double "jointed" high misalignment tie rod end. there is basically a sleeve around the globe of the stud where it presses into housing, it allows the joint (like that one which connects to the pitman arm) to move over larger angles as the suspension cycles. think of it this way, a stock tie rod end can move maybe 10 degrees off center (and where its located the steering would bind if you used one), by putting a sleeve around it they let it move 20+ degrees and it prevents bind.
aside from being gross and dirty, its actually normal to be like that. i ran that joint on cross over steering for years, and its a factory piece.
aside from being gross and dirty, its actually normal to be like that. i ran that joint on cross over steering for years, and its a factory piece.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2011
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From: Southern California
Ok awesome! Yea it needs a new boot.lol I'm trying to find one. These are Chevy k30 tie rod ends which in the system are for a drag link. I had to shim the one that goes into the pitman so it fit snug 100%.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2011
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From: Southern California
Haha knew there had to be something. That's what came to mind as I was sitting in napa opening 9 different ones and having the same thing happen.lol
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