Loose drag link afte flip kit

jmeredith · Jul 29, 2013

Hey guys after I had my drag link flip put in, I noticed really sloppy steering, took it back over to the shop and found my conical sleeve was blown... Shattered into two parts...they put I back in and said I could drive on it but it would probably loosen back up... I called EVO and Andrew got me replacement sleeves sent out that day. However now the whole boot has been torn off and I can't seem to get the nut off, I'm using an M7 Allen and a 13/16 wrench for the nut... It feels like the Allen hole might be stripped.. I have to get the old broken sleeve out so I can put the new one in... Any ideas what might cause it to break like that in the first place? @mel, @eddie... @anyone

-Jason

JKbrick · Jul 30, 2013

Could the hole it goes into have gotten drilled out too large letting it expand and crack?

piginajeep · Jul 30, 2013

Over torqued maybe?

Do you have an impact? It will probably zip that nut off for you

jmeredith · Jul 30, 2013

Chris@OffroadEvolution said:
Over torqued maybe?

Do you have an impact? It will probably zip that nut off for you

Don't I need an Allen key to hold the bolt from the bottom? How would impact work?

-J

jmeredith · Jul 30, 2013

Chris@OffroadEvolution said:
Over torqued maybe?

Do you have an impact? It will probably zip that nut off for you

What size should the hole have been drilled out to?

piginajeep · Jul 30, 2013

jmeredith said:
Don't I need an Allen key to hold the bolt from the bottom? How would impact work?

-J

If its a good torque it'll break it loose without having a key.

The hole should have been 13/16. If the hole was slightly larger leaving play for the sleeve this could be the cause.

nmwranglerx · Jul 30, 2013

Hmmm....I've been having issues with mine not staying tight over the last year. I wonder if the sleeve is shot or near shot on mine as well. Currently, I have some loc-tite on it and seems to be holding but might have to take nut off and inspect the sleeve. Let us know how yours turns out...

piginajeep · Jul 30, 2013

nmwranglerx said:
Hmmm....I've been having issues with mine not staying tight over the last year. I wonder if the sleeve is shot or near shot on mine as well. Currently, I have some loc-tite on it and seems to be holding but might have to take nut off and inspect the sleeve. Let us know how yours turns out...

What did you torque the nut too? Was the sleeve loose on the install?

JeepFan · Jul 30, 2013

The torque spec on the Drag Link Ball Stud to Knuckle is 63 Ft. Lbs. Either the hole in the knuckle is too big (causing the sleeve to split when the nut is torqued), or the nut was over tightened. After drilling out the knuckle to 13/16" the sleeve should have a snug fit.

wayoflife · Jul 30, 2013

Jkrubi said:
Could the hole it goes into have gotten drilled out too large letting it expand and crack?

JeepFan said:
The torque spec on the Drag Link Ball Stud to Knuckle is 63 Ft. Lbs. Either the hole in the knuckle is too big (causing the sleeve to split when the nut is torqued), or the nut was over tightened. After drilling out the knuckle to 13/16" the sleeve should have a snug fit.

Yup, what he said. Although the nut is big, the torque spec on it is a low 63 ft. lbs. Apply too much torque and you could split the sleeve.

nmwranglerx · Jul 30, 2013

Chris@OffroadEvolution said:
What did you torque the nut too? Was the sleeve loose on the install?

Chris, install was done by you guys so I don't know if sleeve was loose on the install. I retorqued nut to 67 ft lbs when it has come loose

piginajeep · Jul 30, 2013

What shop did the work recently then?

jmeredith · Jul 30, 2013

Chris the shop here said they tightened it way tight so I'm assuming they probably bored the hole out too big, if that's the case is a new pitman arm the "fix"?

StrizzyChris · Jul 30, 2013

jmeredith said:
Chris the shop here said they tightened it way tight so I'm assuming they probably bored the hole out too big, if that's the case is a new pitman arm the "fix"?

I may be missing something here but, in the flip, you drill the knuckle. If Thata bored out too much, the fix would be a custom sleeve to fit the larger hole(I believe poly performance sells these from when they messed up in the instructions in their flip kit)....or replace the knuckle all together. Unless I'm missing something and you did something to your pitman arm in your flip :thinking:

wayoflife · Jul 30, 2013

As mentioned, if the hole is drilled out too big, your best bet is to get a new knuckle and start over. Being that the Dana 30 and 44 use the same knuckle, you should be able to find a used one for cheap.

jmeredith · Jul 30, 2013

Yeah I meant the knuckle arm... Heading back to the shop now gonna see what they say

-J

jmeredith · Jul 30, 2013

The guys at the shop went ahead and ordered me another knuckle, the hole was a little bigger than spec'd. So far they have taken good care of me and stood behind their work!

-Jason

StrizzyChris · Jul 30, 2013

jmeredith said:
The guys at the shop went ahead and ordered me another knuckle, the hole was a little bigger than spec'd. So far they have taken good care of me and stood behind their work!

-Jason

Good to hear! :thumb:

nmwranglerx · Jul 31, 2013

jmeredith said:
The guys at the shop went ahead and ordered me another knuckle, the hole was a little bigger than spec'd. So far they have taken good care of me and stood behind their work!

-Jason

Cool, glad they're taken care of you

munstie · Jul 31, 2013

I love the way the steering feels in mine after doing the flip just hate the fact I gotta put a longer bumpstop in to keep it from hitting the frame.

2011 JKU 3.5 R.E. Longarm lift.

Loose drag link afte flip kit

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