Ross bellcrank 1966?

I have a bellcrank question that I have not been able to answer with searches:

I have a 66 cj6, and I have play in my bellcrank connection. I have a new bellcrank and a new repair kit. My fear is that I may have installed the wrong size repair kit. I was given the repair kit (new) by someone with a 1956 jeep. The size of the shaft/bolt matched that of the one I removed. I believe it is 7/8" shaft, as that would definitely fit the 56, and could have included 66, but I never measured it.
I still have play, and it appears to be coming from the frame bracket end of the connection, and my bearings and bellcrank are new, so I am wondering if a PO installed a 7/8 kit where a 1 1/8 was needed? Does that size refer to the actual diameter of the shaft/bolt in the kit? Should I be able to install the shaft without removal of the pinch bolt? I am at work thinking of this, so I can't remove and examine immediately and if this is the simple answer to a year of steering woes I can't wait to know it!

 

There are alot of mechanical factors at play in the manual steering. Your 66 should be the 7/8" size if i recall (the other size is 1-1/8" which would not fit in the bracket). You should not be able to install the bellcrank Pivot bolt without removing the Pinch bolt.

Other than just the bellrank area to get play, you also have the following areas:
1. The Ross Box Itself
2. The Drag Link (both Ends)
3. TRE's

After rebuilding the bellcrank and draglink, as well as adjusting the ross box, i removed a huge amount of play from the steering, but still have ~10° of play, and without investing alot more money (doing the TRE's etc) i don't expect it to get much better. Hope this helps a little

 

I took the bellcrank off again last night.

It appears there is a couple of bushings in the bracket on the frame. The lower part is not split, and the upper is split. The pinch bolt does not enter the interior part of the bracket, so the shaft is removable without removing the pinch bolt. Is this right? Or did a PO install bushings so they could use a 7/8 kit. All listings for repair kits say 7/8 goes to 66 and 1 1/8 starts at 66, so did it change mid-year?

The interior of the bushings in the bracket is 7/8, and I had a 7/8 repair kit. I do have some wear on the shaft (I forgot the threads failed on the new one, and I am running the old shaft, with new bearings), maybe that is my only problem, and I will get another new kit. But should the pinch bolt be holding it in as a safety vs just the nut??

 

I am raising this post from the dead. I have been living with the play, and also fighting a carb issue, but I just installed a new bolt (Crown brand) and still have loads of play at the frame bracket. I took it apart to investigate, and I have stripped anoter pivot bolt! But it was tight, and I am nearly convinced someone has installed bushings in the frame bracket. one not split and a longer split one at the top. My main evidence is that the pivot bolt can be put in and out without removing the pinch bolt. Can someone please re-confirm the pinch bolt should hold the pivot bolt in before I order a 1 1/8 kit and try to drive these bushings out?

 

best thing i ever did was change it all out to saginaw, i couldn't get all the play out either i used a manual saginaw out of a 70 something cj off ebay the guy threw in the steering column for free cause he was going to power steering and tie rods from Herm. Was a weekend job and it is 110 % better.

 

Wow, 219 hits and only 2 replies.
It's been 4-5 years since i did this repair on my '69 Commando.
I don't remember any bushings in the Pitman mount, (frame bracket). I think that the shaft is removable without the pinch bolt being removed but my FSM is out in the garage right now.
I remember the MB's and 2A's had a tapered pin that held the shaft in place.
Possibly the bushings are a PO's attempt at a fix.
People have also gone to a 'auto recycler' and got a replacement part and welded it to the crossmember.

231 readers now, Chuck is right, Sagy is the way to go, if you are able to do it.

 

I would really like to wait on saginaw swap. I want to keep it running for several more years and then dive into rebuild when my 6 yo son is big enough to help (and some other costly projects are done). It boils down to if the pinch bolt should ride in the groove and prevent the extraction of the pivot bolt, then I willl order a 1 1/8" shaft. I found someone claiming to have a NOS part for 58, pricey, but if it is better than the crown ones I keep stripping, it'll be worth it. Someone with a 67 or later should be able to tell me if they have done this recently....

 

my part NO.20 needs to be tightened regularly.
every 1000 miles or so i get out the torque wrench and snug everything up.
but after rebuilding everything i dont have any slop at all.

i have my FSM in my lap and there is nothing called a bushing listed.

 

its been a cuple of years but im thinkin yes the pinch bolt has to be taken completly out to remove the pivot bolt because iy is in a groove

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320609428226&viewitem=#ht_500wt_951

Have you seen this??

 

I have a little play in mine (66 Tux V6) and I am going to pull it tomorrow if warm enough (no garage) and see what is going on.

 

I did some more cleaning and scratching on the frame mount. It does not have a bushing, so I def. have the 7/8 pin, but I think I have some wear in the bracket that the pinch bolt is not able to squeeze out. I carefully filed some burs of the bottom of the frame bracket, that may have not been letting things cinch up, and it is improved. I will have to get another new kit.

The one walt linked on ebay has a bronze sleeve vs. roller bearings, which I think I would prefer roller bearings.

Thanks for all the info.

 

I bought one of those.

Is the brass bushing supposed to be stuck on the shaft? Having never done one, I thought it pressed into the bell crank.