What steering linkage do I have.

[BBronco]

Took it in for a wheel alignment and the camber is off a lot. They need to know what linkage I have so they can order the right ball joint bushing angles. Or some kind of bushings to adjust camber. I don't know what I got it has a riser bracket and TRO. Someone told me Chevy? I don't know year or anything from P.O.

Any help would be great thanks guys

 

[mudstud]

Yes a chevy one ton like this one http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/YLINK.html Usually the knuckles are kept stock but someone could have changed them.

 

[DirtDonk]

Yeah, not sure why they were asking about linkage unless they thought the whole thing was changed out.
They look like stock Ford 5-bolt spindle disc brake steering knuckles from here. Swapped in from a '75.5 to '79 F150.
They don't look like '76/'77 Bronco knuckles, but that's just a guess from the pictures.
All of which take the same ball-joint eccentric that ALL Dana 44's of that vintage took anyway. Whether GM, Ford or Dodge or Jeep.

And unless they're going for exactness, tell them to get the maximum version at 1.5° and just use any offset they don't need to the rear for better positive caster.

If the eccentrics are not enough (though that would be pretty extreme) they can still source spindle shims to correct camber too.
Of course, they should know all this already. %)

The linkage was changed. Not the axle. If they (or you) ever decide to use spindle shims, they need to be 5-bolt disc brake Ford with the offset (keyed) bolt pattern, which are unique to the mid to late-seventies trucks with discs only.
Ingall's Alignment Products has both types of correction.

Paul

 

[Gray035]

I had camber issues and used the Ingalls shims. They worked great and are fully adjustable.

 

[BBronco]

okay I will tell them exactly what you have told me here, so as far as I am getting this, is they only need to know what knuckles I have because the ball joint eccentric or "bushing" as they call it has to do with the knuckle and overall the camber. Is that correct?

thank you for the help guys

 

[DirtDonk]

Correct.
In your last two photos you can clearly see the large nut on the top of the steering knuckle. That's the upper ball-joint retainer nut. Underneath it, inside the "steering yoke" (which is part of the axle housing and sometimes called the "outer or inner C") is a threaded collar or bushing for setting the preload on the ball-joint/knuckle assembly.

The standard one is simply a center-bore thread in split collar. The one they're talking about it machined with it's center hole offset from center. With this offset, as the collar/bushing is threaded in, it "wobbles" up to 1.5 degrees in whichever direction the offset is biased to.
All they have to do is get it down to/near the torque spec and then turn it in such a way that it corrects your camber.

Easier with a picture, but that's the basic function.

Paul

 

[BBronco]

Back to the grind stone. I now found out the PO reamed too much on the knuckles and the tie rod is tight against the knuckle. Ruining the dust boot of course. I took it apart to find he had these taper bushings, or shims I don't know what you call them. Any how the inside taper isn't the issue, the outside taper which meets the knuckle is indeed too small and allows for the tie rod to go too far. I guess what my questions are

1) what tie rid do I have? I know it's Chevy TRO, but are the years all the same taper?

2) what is this taper bushing called? Has anyone ever heard/used one?

3) what would you do

4) where do I buy new dust boots? I have no idea what vehicle to buy them for...

Need help fixing this taper!

 

[mudstud]

If it was me I would start with a knuckle from the same vintage Bronco you have and start fresh. If this is a Chevy one ton conversion and the PO reamed them where the tie-rod is too deep I would be concerned with the integrity of the knuckle. He would have removed too much material for me. You could weld to fill the tapered hole and ream again but I would just start with another set of knuckles. The bushings are these or something similar. http://www.bcbroncos.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=37_82&products_id=96 These might work. http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/INSSTEER.html Dust boots http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/Energy-Suspension-Universal-Dust-Boots.asp

 

[John Marinan]

Looks like the Sexton unit to me. They could tell you from your picture.