Spicer Dana Spicer Steer Axles - Service Manaul - Manual (Page 14)

10
Inspection
8. Park the vehicle with the wheels in the “straight
ahead” position, then turn the vehicle off.
9. Place blocks in front of and behind the front and rear
tires to prevent the vehicle from moving.
10. If the seal and ring are acceptable, try to move the tie
rod cross tube by hand.
11. If movement or looseness is detected, set up a dial
indicator as shown below.
Do not use a pry bar or other mechanical method on the
steering linkage. This could result in damage to the tie rod
end and/or create a false indication of wear.
12. There are two separate methods that can be used to
check the degree of movement in the tie rod end:
a. To check axial (up and down) movement, set the
dial indicator so the base of the indicator is on the tie
rod arm. Then, place the tip of the indicator on the
bottom of the tie rod end at the area that is most flat.
b. To check radial (back and forth) movement, set
the dial indicator so that the base of the indicator is
on the tie rod arm. Then, place the tip of the indicator
on the socket of the tie rod end. Be sure to position
the dial indicator so that it is in line with the direction
of movement.
13. Set the dial indicator to zero.
14. Again, move the cross tube assembly up and down
or back and forth, depending on which direction you
are checking for looseness. If the indicator reading is
0.060" or more, replace the tie rod end immediately.
If the indicator reading is above 0.030", it should be
replaced at the next service interval.
Do not remove the tie rod end from the tie rod arm to check
for ball stud rotating torque. This may damage the seal if a
removal tool is used. Additionally, the tie rod end seal can
cause false indications of internal torque.
15. Repeat Steps 10 through 14 for the other tie rod
ends.
Note: When one tie rod end requires replacement, it is recom-
mended to replace both to allow for even wear on both
sides of the vehicle.
CAUTION
CAUTION