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Garage => Mechanicals => Topic started by: daantjie on 10 September 2017, 11:45 AM

Title: Drag link on 6.9
Post by: daantjie on 10 September 2017, 11:45 AM
Hi guys
Looking at the service manual it shows a "plastic cover and sealing ring" arrangement to seal off the ball joint of the drag link.
I got a NOS 6.9 drag link to replace my old one but it has a rubber boot with clamps on it similar to the boot on the ball joint on the steering knuckle.
I guess you chuck the old sealing rings and cover and just drop in the new setup?
Cheers
Title: Re: Drag link on 6.9
Post by: UTn_boy on 10 September 2017, 02:25 PM
The plastic cover is only to protect the rubber boots in shipping, and must not be installed when replacing the drag link or tie rods.  Regarding the sealing rings....you lost most of us.  There are no sealing rings.  Only rubber boots and metal locking rings that hold the rubber boots on. 
Title: Re: Drag link on 6.9
Post by: daantjie on 10 September 2017, 02:43 PM
Yes sorry I meant locking rings ;D
But the caps you refer to I am familiar with and I know they are shipped with the unit to protect the boot.
Check out job # 46.3.550 and you will see it shows "plastic cover" and "sealing ring" in stead of the boot and locking ring setup.
Title: Re: Drag link on 6.9
Post by: TJ 450 on 10 September 2017, 11:42 PM
It sounds like it got lost in translation, it's definitely the same setup as other MB drag links... just swap out the unit, the ball joints are sealed just like the others.

Tim
Title: Re: Drag link on 6.9
Post by: daantjie on 10 September 2017, 11:52 PM
Thanks Tim yup I looked at the unit currently on my car and it has the "regular" boot set up. Not sure what the service manual is on about but oh well.
Though I see the new unit I have will not accept the split pin (cotter pin) and castle nut.  No biggie I guess as it does have a nyloc nut.
Cheers
Title: Re: Drag link on 6.9
Post by: daantjie on 11 September 2017, 10:22 AM
OK mystery solved, I guess I have an old service manual which only showed the "1st version", but attached you will see reference to the "1st version" and "2nd version" which demystifies it, or unless you guys thought I was crazy (which I am ;D):


Title: Re: Drag link on 6.9
Post by: rumb on 11 September 2017, 05:44 PM
I just went to my shop and looked in the manual.  as you have already found out, there appears to be early versions that did not have the rubber boot on the ball joint and they had 2 additional parts that are no longer found.