Simplicity 1691766, Service & Repair Manual

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6 General Repair
6A Steering & Front Wheel Repair
6 - 10
Tie Rod Repair
1. The tie rod can be removed by disassembling the
flanged hex lock nuts and carriage bolts that secure
the tie rod to the left and right steering arm assem-
blies (Figure A–15). Use care when removing the
hardware to prevent the internal spacers from falling
out.
2. Check the spacer for signs of excessive wear, dam-
age, or flattening due to over-tightening of the assem-
bly hardware, and replace if required. (The spacer
allows the steering arms to pivot freely at the tie rod
joint.)
3. Check the tie rod for cracks or other damage at the
rod ends, and replace if necessary. Also the center
portion of the tie rod must be straight to provide the
correct center-to-center distance for wheel alignment.
If the tie rod is bent, replace the tie rod.
4. Reassemble the tie rod to the steering arms using
new spacers or hardware if required. Before
installing the flanged lock nut, squirt a few drops of
SAE 30 weight oil around the spacer (Figure A–16).
5. Tighten the lock nut securely, but do not over-tighten
as this will damage the spacer and may prevent free
rotation of the steering arms.
Figure A–16. Lubricate Tie Rod/Steering Arm Spacer
Figure A–15. Tie Rod/ LH Steering Arm Assembly
A. Flanged Hex Lock Nut
C. Carriage Bolt
B. Spacer
C
B
A
Spacer