Topic: Tie Rod End Replacement Plan

[jssgbsn]

1985 Runner, Cross Over-High Steer, FJ80 TRE's

Here is my plan for the replacement in brief.

1. Jack up truck, remove wheels
2. Remove tie rod and draglink
3. Remove and replace tie rod ends (marking distances to center of TRE's for reference).
4. Install Draglink
5. Realign and center steering wheel/pitman arm
6. Install Tie Rod
7. Align Toe In to 1/8" while in air
9. Replace wheels, lower truck, check toe in under load, note difference, raise truck remove wheels, re-adjust toe in to compensate for load.
10. Hand tighten jam nuts while on vehicle (firm)
11. Remove tie rod and draglink
12. Bench tighten jam nuts in vice
13. Clean, prep and paint tie rod and drag link
14. Final reinstall of tie rod and draglink
15. Wheels on, lower truck, test drive.

***Few questions***

1.) Any major steps I'm missing/forgetting/or in wrong order?
2.) Any big 'headaches' or common mistakes when doing this the first time?
3.) Anybody know a link for a walkthrough on centering steering wheel/pitman arm the correct way?  (Not by removing steering wheel, the correct procedure)
4.) My brain is thinking I should adjust toe-in before centering steering wheel.  I wrote it the other way. Can't decide which to do first.
5.) And clarify 'Tie Rod' is wheel to wheel, 'Drag Link' is Pitman Arm to Wheel.  Just so I'm uing the right terms.

Seems like a moderate level repair job, so not too complicated.  Just havent done before, but seems pretty straight forward.

Thanks in advance for any insight you can offer.   

[84Flatbed]

I'm surprised you didn't get any answers to this post. I'm sure you got it all worked out. I am curious why you would jack up and remove the wheels before each toe adjustment.  With enough room I like the technique were you mark the back side of the tires, measure and then roll the truck forward till those mark are at the front then measure.
 I'm not sure if it's right or the best way but I first point the wheels straight, then center the pitman arm to the box using the mark on the sector shaft, then with the drag link disconnected I count the rotations from lock to lock, turn back half of the total, at that point if the steering wheel is off center I would pull it and recenter it. After that adjust the drag link until it drops right onto the pitman arm.