Please help? I was hoping to knock this problem out today to just find a new one!
Hey All I just got my NAPA lifetime warranty tie-rod ends in and I unbox them and they don't look right...Before I took them back I wanted to know what ya'll thought b/c it may be the Previous owner did some fabbing himself to the steering so it doesn't look the same.

Here are the new components (1 Gal Tank for reference)


Here is what my steering looks like (please ignore the cheesy stabilizers)


I labeled the parts that have mounting points the same. but as you can see the lengths don't line up. If I swap A for B it may work but the connections are different.

Does anyone have a diagram or one they can pass on?
Or a pic of their steering?

Lastly if mine isn't stock...is it OK? like should I just fab up the same to work or with lukes links or should I go back to stock? (4 lukes links are cheaper if I return these parts but more work and not lifetime warrantied)

I can take measurements if it would help!

Thanks in advance!

JT

 

I think A is your tie rod and B is your draglink. I'm looking at the picture of the new parts. The longer rod will be the tie rod which runs from the left wheel to the right wheel. And the shorter drag link from the passenger side tie rod to the steering arm.

 

The I think D from your new picture will mount on tha pasenger side of the tie rod. And C is the lower end of the drag link that mounts to the passenger side of the tie rod. On the current set up the adjustment is near the steering arm, where as the new parts relocate the adjustment on the lower end near the tie rod. I think...........

then agian, they might be the wrong parts all together............

 

To me it looks like a mix of both the 98 and up and the 97 and down parts. The front end of your truck is upgraded to the newer front end by the looks of it.

From my stock 97, C is correct for Drivers link. A is the link from C to meet link B. B connects to the Passenger hub and then connects to D at the Pitman arm.

The way the system is on your truck seems stronger to have the straight across connection from wheel to wheel and then a link from the Pitman, which I believe is the change in the 98 and up rigs. You might have to see the breakdown of the newer parts to be sure so look up a newer model year than you have.

 

I did check it out...and the part numbers are different for the 98, model on NAPA online but there are no diagrams. As for the new parts the numbers are correct for a 96.

I'll go back and check if they have 98's parts in stock. Are the knuckles the same? like should the parts change over....as you may see it looks like some welding was done on the truck and I don't know if they are to "Make it work" or if they are just home-made versions of 98 parts?

Any pics? or maybe scan out of a chilton or service manual. (or even a digital pic of a service manual?)

Should I keep this setup and piece it together to make it work similar (if it is the 98 version) or revert back to stock? (I'm looking for strength an durability)

This is definitely a wrench in the works.

 

Can anyone with a 98 look at their truck and the pics to see if what I have is similar and if 1998 parts would work. (it takes paying for them upfront and a day or two for them to get them in if they aren't in stock. alot of trouble if they don't work anyway)

Thanks

JT