[New BMT Blog Entry] Paul's Tales - Spring Progress

[WattsMack]

Taught myself some new swear words trying to disassemble and reassemble my B-67 tie rod ends.

They are the adjustable and rebuildable type. But getting the nut out from inside the tube on each one

after fifty years is a lot easier said than done!

Used a four foot pipe on a long breaker bar with a 3/4 drive straight head socket and still had a lot of trouble.

About a quart of penetrating oil and two cans of WD-40 later, I finally had them apart. But I had broken the

socket in the process.

I gathered all brand new replacement parts from Beam Mack and a friend of mine who had NOS rebuild kits.

Now having a tool custom for the job after breaking another socket trying to reassemble the ends.

The rest of the front axle has come together pretty nicely.

New bearings, special sleeved seals, new kingpins, a little remedial machine work, and it's all reassembled.

(Except for the g---***--ed tie rod!!) I'm actually excited about driving it. Should be pretty nice.

Although the B model trucks were the first heavy duty trucks I drove, by the time I was driving them it was early

in the 70's, the trucks were all pretty much used up. Most of them were in pretty rough shape, so I never drove a good one.

Some advice for anyone wanting to rebuild those old adjustable tie-rod ends: Don't bother. Just change to the new replaceable

style unit. You will be much happier in the long run.

View the full blog entry

[Mike]

Paul,

Thanks for posting this blog for people like myself that has not yet had to change the units. I'll sure keep this in mind.

mike

[Freightrain]

Mine has replacement tie rods ends on it already, thought the drag link is still original rebuildable style(with leather cover). Put king pins in mine way back and everthing else is pretty tight it drives with one finger down the highway.

My shock links(from shocks to axle) are completely rusty to nothing and wore out, thus the one fell off and is junk. Replacing them with 1/2" heim ends and threaded rod. Not quite factory, but since they seem to be hens teeth, it works for me today.