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JeepSaffer View Drop Down
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    Posted: 26 Feb. 2017 at 3:12pm
Interesting question...

I was trying the drag link for fitment and clearance issues on my '48 CJ2A. This is the late model with the bell crank pointing up.

I noticed that the drag link could go on with either end forward. One way puts the bend in the drag link in the horizontal plane, the other way puts the bend in the vertical plane. Both ways fit quite well, and neither has any clearance issues!

It got me thinking which way is factory correct?
Most of the pictures I have seen in the manuals are period drawings and it's not easy to see if the bend is vertical or horizontal.

Provided the internals are in the correct order, does it actually matter?

The only way I can see it matters is in the location of the grease fittings. Logically these should be pointing down for access reasons, and not up into the engine bay. This would make the "vertical bend" option the correct way.

Any comments out there?

Mike
1948 CJ2A #204853 in South Africa
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Stev View Drop Down
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Points: 2391 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Stev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Feb. 2017 at 3:29pm
Mike,

The drawing for the Cj3A which has that style of steering also - shows the front grease fitting at 3 o'clock when you look at it from the front of the Jeep.  The rear fitting is facing downward to wards the ground.

Stev
Stev
1946 CJ2A Trail Jeep (The Saint), 1948 CJ2A Lefty Restored
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Hmmm.... thanks Stev,

On mine, when the front grease fitting is at 3 o'clock, the rear fitting is at 12 o'clock ie pointing upwards towards the engine bay. The bend this way is horizontal.

Turned around, the front grease fitting is at 9 o'clock and the rear fitting is at 6 o'clock, which is the way I prefer. The bend like this is vertical.
1948 CJ2A #204853 in South Africa
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Stev View Drop Down
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Points: 2391 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Stev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Feb. 2017 at 4:28pm
Mike,

I would install it so the rear grease fitting is pointing down (6 oclock).

If you ever install a PTO front winch you will have to take the grease fitting on the front out - if it is at 9 oclock so it will not hit the PTO drive shaft for the winch.

Be Safe Out There.

Stev
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Originally posted by JeepSaffer JeepSaffer wrote:

Interesting question...

I was trying the drag link for fitment and clearance issues on my '48 CJ2A. This is the late model with the bell crank pointing up.

I noticed that the drag link could go on with either end forward. One way puts the bend in the drag link in the horizontal plane, the other way puts the bend in the vertical plane. Both ways fit quite well, and neither has any clearance issues!

It got me thinking which way is factory correct?
Most of the pictures I have seen in the manuals are period drawings and it's not easy to see if the bend is vertical or horizontal.


]Any comments out there?

Mike

                     I had the same question, but then I noticed the threaded ends as shown in the pic's, one side is longer from the opening to the end(see calipers). If you look close at the manual it seems to me to be longer end on the pitman arm, short end on bell crank. I'm pretty sure that's how it was when I disassembled. If this is incorrect hope someone will inform me. Thanks Joe Wadoyado
"It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the jeep you've been driving all your life" (Mickey Mantle paraphrase)
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Maybe this picture from Sean's parts data base will help.
Pay close attention to how the springs and such are arranged.
On the bell crank end the spring plug goes first, then the spring, then the ball seat, then the bell crank ball goes in and thenfinally the plug.

The pitman arm end goes, pitman arm ball, ball seat, spring, spring plug and final plug.
Stan
48 CJ2A (Grampa's Jeep)
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Thanks for the info Stan. The internals can be assembled in the correct order on either end right? That's why I wanted to make sure about the difference between the threaded ends(the distance between the opening for the ball and the end). I guess another way to put it is does no.2 in the diagram go on the short-side or long-side? in my pic's? Whew! Never thought I'd be communicating by typing so much Joe Wadoyado
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Not sure right from wrong, but installed mine so the zerc fittings were pointing down. Oriented this way the Drag lung hit the bell housing before making a complete turn. Flipped it over and no clearance issues.
Glen
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I don't really know right from wrong either. I just know that when I put mine together I was surprised by the different arrangement of the bits in the ends.

I think Glenn's (Redwilly) method of orienting it to the way nothing hits is probably the right way to do it. I think I probably did it that way too, but mine didn't hit anything the first time so I left it.
Stan
48 CJ2A (Grampa's Jeep)
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Originally posted by wadoyado wadoyado wrote:

Thanks for the info Stan. The internals can be assembled in the correct order on either end right? That's why I wanted to make sure about the difference between the threaded ends(the distance between the opening for the ball and the end). Joe Wadoyado

So I finally got to putting my drag link together this weekend, and was able to conclusively sort this out. I hate leaving inconclusive posts, so here goes for the conclusive wrap up!

As Joe in his above posts has suggested (although the pics are now gone), the position of the hole in each end is not the same distance from the end of the drag link. Here are side by side pics of mine.



Considering the different assembly of the internal springs (see Stan's pic above, one side with spring inside the ball, one side with spring outside the ball), it became apparent to me that only one side will accept the spring inside of the ball and leave enough room to get the ball in the hole. This side is the end in my top picture. There is simply not enough room to get the spring inside the ball on the end in the bottom picture and get the ball in the hole. It can't be done.

So.... the end with the hole closer to the end of the drag link goes to the front of the vehicle with the spring inside of the bellcrank ball. The end with the hole further in from the end goes towards the steering gear with the spring on the outside of the pitman arm ball. Like so:



One last thing that also confused me a bit. The Universal Service Manual says "All ball seat springs and adjusting plugs are identical, the only difference between front and rear end being the relative location of the springs."

The springs look identical, but this is patently not true for the adjusting plugs in terms of end shape, overall length, threaded length, depth of cotter pin slot etc etc. I'm not sure why the manual makes such an obviously incorrect statement, but it's worth remembering if you are ordering end plugs (as I did) that they are NOT the same. The plugs below are NOS and were sold as separate items....



Cheers,

Mike
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Points: 728 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wadoyado Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Aug. 2017 at 11:55am
JeepSaffer, Thanks for the pro looking pic's and giving a definitive answer. There are a lot of ways to screw up reassembly. Once I actually installed it memory came back. As far as manuals go "read with caution" If you had the diagram like Stan G.J. sent, one clue that the plugs weren't identical was the different part numbers, which is why I think a parts list manual is more important than some mechanics manuals.
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Just a comment - When these Jeep were built people regularly greased the fittings on vehicles.  It makes sense that they would have been orientated so they could be greased.  But then there is the transfer case pivot zerk which is pretty difficult to reach. 
Stev
1946 CJ2A Trail Jeep (The Saint), 1948 CJ2A Lefty Restored
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