Who has removed steering center link?

[LittleBeast]

So in the middle of my diff drop / 4.77 swap, I realized that my steering center link must've been welded into place by a Vehicross gremlin. So I used the puller that Tom provided with the drop brackets, and it didn't budge and it tore open both boots, I bought a ball joint separator and that did nothing, I even used a jack to put a slight amount of the weight of the VX on the center link and used my 5lb hammer, but nothing would budge it. I ended up buying a 2 pronged 5 ton puller and finally got it on there in the right position that using enough torque got the thing to break loose, but here is my question:

Once removed:
-both my boots on the ball joints on the center link are torn open
-driver side ball joint on center link is very easy to move
-passenger side ball joint on center link is impossible to move and rusted on inside

So should I:
-put it back on the way it is, both torn boots, one loose side, one solid side
-buy a new center link with new ball joints on it ($202.43) from Merlin
-find a used alternative

?????

What do you all think?

[tom4bren]

Ryan,

I tore one boot when I did mine. Replacements are NOT readily available. The front end shop down the road from me took pity and found one in his junk box but didn't know what it came off of. It was slightly different in shape but still fit & didn't need the wire spring.

IMHO - look around for replacement boots. When you put it back together, put anti-seize on the shanks.

BTW, we totally jacked CSTYLES centerlink when we worked on his. He HAD to buy a replacement. He finally got someone to get it loose but he had to torch it cherry red before it would come out.

If I can get home at a reasonable hour one night this week, I'll stop in the front end shop & get some advice.

Tom

[Ldub]

of this thread...

Y'all prolly gunna hate me for this, but why y'all taking apart all your steering linkage & what not....

The whole front axle will flop right out on your big fat belly (some fellers have washboard abs...I gots ONE) iff'n ya have Hunny Girl turn the steering wheel right, so you can get at one side of the diff brackets, then left so the other side is accessable. After that, get your floor jack under there, then YOU get under there & finagle it around a bit...a little twisting, a little back & forth...BAM, Belly wit an axle on top...

What does this mean to you?...hell, I dunno...

But Tom should be receiving my old brackets in the mail in the nxt week or two...

BTW, Ryan I copied you, my green cups are a real purdy shade of caliper red.
The silver base coat really makes em POP.

Had a helluvatime getting it all out & the tools put away before dark...dang Blue Angels kept flying over & there ain't NO WAY I couild stay under the truck wit that goi'n on...

It's the kinda thing that makes all the hair on the back of my neck stand up...& also, AWFULLY glad to be an Amer I Kin...

My parking lot is just a bit N of their turn around to head back to the show, so I got to see wing tip & control surface vapor more than a few times today...

They fly again tomorrow, so I'm hoping to get some pics.

Helluva wknd so far, Fr nite, pyrotechnics guild show at the fairgrounds, then perseids in the wee hrs (which I didn't get up for... ), then two days of air show, right over my apt...SWEET!

[Marlin]

of this thread...

Y'all prolly gunna hate me for this, but why y'all taking apart all your steering linkage & what not....

The whole front axle will flop right out on your big fat belly (some fellers have washboard abs...I gots ONE) iff'n ya have Hunny Girl turn the steering wheel right, so you can get at one side of the diff brackets, then left so the other side is accessable. After that, get your floor jack under there, then YOU get under there & finagle it around a bit...a little twisting, a little back & forth...BAM, Belly wit an axle on top...

Darn, you beat me to it. When I did my aussie install, I took the link apart, took a pittman puller, hours of beating and impact wrenching, and it just kind of popped on its own at some point. We took a break, came back, and voila, it was apart

When I did the diff drop on my own in the driveway, I just did the tunring of the wheel action as described by the "wise one". I used my ample belly as a cushion to protect the fragile front third assembly...lol. It took me months to build that cushion, but well worth it, I got the axle out without a scratch

[VXorado]

I concur "wise ones." I pulled my diff three times & once on a junked VX without removing the steering linkage. Good thing because pitman arms can be a PITA to remove.

[LittleBeast]

All I do now is remove the 4 bolts that hold the pitman arm to the frame on the passenger side and that gives enough wiggle room for anything :-)

[Ebenezr]

All I do now is remove the 4 bolts that hold the pitman arm to the frame on the passenger side and that gives enough wiggle room for anything :-)

This is the way I did it....but why are we talking in a 2 year old thread???

[Ldub]

This is the way I did it....but why are we talking in a 2 year old thread???

Did you see the part in post #2 about "BTW, we totally jacked CSTYLES centerlink when we worked on his. He HAD to buy a replacement. He finally got someone to get it loose but he had to torch it cherry red before it would come out."

Updating info with better methods or equipment is a big part of why we're all here....

Most of what you'll find here is real world, bare (or scraped) knuckles experience, with a very small percentage in the "realm of theory"

[tom4bren]

Loose translation: Learn from t4b's mistakes (he don't).

[mhill]

Just got my new third member (with aussie locker) in today! The VX has been sitting in the garage with Moab mud still covering it from top to bottom. Could of had it done today but going to put new ball joints on. The joints are all good, no play or grinding does any one know if you can replace just the boot on the upper and lower ball joints. Not the steering ball joints in the original post but the upper and lowers. If not any objection to the set sold on ebay. The ones for $80 have the same 1yr warranty as the ones for $399????

[Marlin]

I used the crappy ebay ones, they are toast now. They made it 2.5 years though. I would say that is alright for the price paid. I have also had them apart 9 or 10 times, which I am sure lowers their lifespan.

I assume you got some manual hubs right? If not, driving with the front locked sucks. I did it for a few months when I busted one of my superwinch hubs. No fun, and deifnitely not cool when its wet.

[mhill]

Yes, got the warn hubs ready to go. Like you I have had mine apart several times and the boots just gave out. I was a little frustrated after Moab and cant say I was real careful taking things apart this time. I found a thread on these cheap... I mean inexpensive ball joints from 03/11. Anyone who bought them have any up dated opinions?

If Marlin's lasted 2.5 years mine should last at least 5! Just basing that on what I know of his driving style.

[Marlin]

Also make sure you score a few extra CVs. Not aftermarket junk, get some rebuilt or trooper CVs. I snapped two aftermarket CVs first time on the trail after I locked em. I wasn't spinning tires or anything. I had one tire on a rock, started to move and "SNAP". The second one went the next day at some point. Not sure when.