Bellcrank Shaft Length

Hi everyone,

I just installed my bellcrank rebuild kit and everything went great except one little problem.

The new 7/8" shaft came with a hole drilled through the end so you can put in a cotter pin, thereby preventing the locknut on top of the bellcrank from coming off. After I got everything snugged up, the shaft doesn't stick up far enough for me to put in the cotter pin, and there's really not enough shaft there to drill a new hole.

I didn't think much about it at first since the original shaft didn't have a cotter pin. But I noticed the nut was grabbing and spinning loose when I turned the steering wheel.

Any recommendations on how I can remedy this?

 

I think if it were me I'd pull the nut off and hit the top edge of the nut with a grinding wheel to remove that tapered face
just grind enough to make the face of the nut flat or to allow enough clearance for the cotter pin

 

You could also try to find a castellated nut, that's the kind with the notches all around for the cotter pin, looks like the top of a castle.

 

Castellated nut is the way to go. I probably have one from my ross steering. It's yours if you pm your address. I'll look tonight.

 

X4

 

Glenn,

I had the horizontal bolt clamped down to the point that the bellcrank would rotate freely, as per the instruction manual. The 7/8" bellcrank bolt is as smooth as a baby's bottom, so the only thing really holding it in is the locknut on the top of the assembly.

Either way, I got the problem solved. I combined the advice from "jpflat2a" and "Rondog", and used my grinder to remove a little bit of the tapered edge, then I used the edge of the grinder to cut some grooves into the top of the nut. Basically I wound up making a "modified castle nut".

I don't know if anyone else can relate, but this was one of those easy fixes that is so simple to do, that you completely overlook the solution. When I read jpflat2a's comment about grinding the tapered edge off the nut, it was like someone smacked me in the back of the head. I was like "Oh duh...I should have known that!"

Thanks for all your help guys

 

My rebuild kit came with a castle nut...hummm. Where did you buy it?

 

gscj5,

I bought the kit from 4WD Co.