Drag linkage bushing

[savage]

Iam looking for the rubber bushing that goes between the drag linkage and tie rod.I bought a tie rod dust boot kit from HW item 2323 but it doesnot match the bushing I have.Do they make them or do they just come with the drag linkage?

 

[BRONCROB]

As long as it keeps the grease in and dust out you should be good.

 

[broncodriver99]

As long as it keeps the grease in and dust out you should be good.

Maybe. I have the same setup and I think it actually puts some load on the joint.

Hey Savage, it looks like part of the WH bushing is fairly thick. How does it compare to the old one you have?

 

[DirtDonk]

Every draglink I've ever bought, whether from Bronco vendor or auto parts store, have all had completely different design dust boots from each other.
And those were all different from the original one on the truck!

I guess the manufacturers use whatever supplier is giving the good deal that month?
The one we sell in the kit however, is the one that I've seen most often.
The one that came with the F150 draglink I bought years ago was simply a thinner version of the one you show in your pics 3 and 4. More of a "disc" as opposed to a "boot" I would call it.
Which is the same as the ones we appear to be getting with our draglinks now too, if I'm not mistaken.

Maybe the new thicker one you had on there (Tom's right?) is designed to deform around all the odd angles and stay sealed no matter what angle the link is at? Don't know, just throwing a thought out there.

Like was said though, it's my feeling too that if it fits well, it should work. No matter what the actual design and shape of the material is.
Personally, I prefer the one in our separate kit that you bought. Kind of a "double sided boot" in shape. I don't think it puts as much pressure on the joint, and still seems to seal at all angles.
Should work though.

The same goes for the washers. Some are flat, some are cupped, some don't come with a washer.

Does that help at all with your concern savage? Lots of them out there.
Give it a try, since you have it. If it just doesn't work for you let us know.

Paul

 

[savage]

broncodriver99,if you look the one from WH it has a lip that extendes out and when I put it on the lip it wants to fold endword in stead of going out and around the joint.I guest I could use a pick to pull the lip out around the edge but Im not sure it will fit against the tie rod portion.Ive search the web but came up empty.The old bushing is realy not rubber but more like urethane.

 

[savage]

Hey Paul,which way would you put the lip of the bushing I got from WH?The flat washer that came with it,does it go in side the lip,then face outwords tored the joint,thats the only way I can see it work.If you notice the picture of the old one is pretty smashed against the tie rod,and thats only torqued at 40 ftlbs.

 

[DirtDonk]

Yeah, I saw it looking pretty smooshed in there, but it didn't look too much like it wanted to tear in half.

That's how I did the last one. Washer inside and facing the draglink instead of the tie-rod. Been awhile, but that's what I remember. I've never seen an instruction giving that detail, but like you, I thought it made sense.

The lip is the same on both sides of the bushing/boot, correct? If not, I would put the shallow side against the tie-rod and the deeper side (taller lip) against the draglink.
Since it's not really a bushing, but simply a dust boot, you want to orient it so that it can do the best job of keeping grit out of the socket. The tapered rod side isn't as critical since, once it's seated in the hole, it's pretty well sealed from the outside world.
Still, it's nice to keep excess moisture away from the machined surfaces, but the more open ball-and-socket (rod end) side is the real important job.

Which is why it's also important to keep steering linkage components well greased during their lifespan. A messy, but critical function.

Paul