Hello all,

I hope everyone has had a good Christmas and that their New Year is off to a good start.

Sometime ago I replaced the steering gear box on my '98 Blazer, 4 dr, 4x4, along with the Pitman arm. While doing so I decided to also replace the Tie rods being the Truck has just under 200,000 miles and they began have some play in them.

I had removed the Centerlink (relay rod) as a whole with the tie rods attached to replace them outside the vehicle (Please don't ask why because now that I think about I don't know) then had to stop for a few weeks because of illness.

Now that I'd like to complete the job I can't remember if the side of the Centerlink where the Pitman arm goes should face up or down being it seems to have a slight curve to it and if the tie rods ends that go into the centerlink that receive the nut & cotter pin should be facing the front or rear of the vehicle?

I did find a parts diagram online (.pdf pic attached) showing the curved end (pitman arm side) facing down and the nuts for the Tie rods facing outward towards the front.

I would like others to verify this before I start.

Thank you in advance for any and all help!

 

the pitman arm should face down. liike if you were laying under the truck the nut from the pitman arm will be staring you in the face. as far as the tie rods go, if you look at the tie rod and look at the center link hole, you will see they are beveled so you can really only put them in one way. if you try to put them in backwards only like 1 or 2 threads will come out the holes as one side is bigger then the other

 

Hello,
Thanks for responding.
The idler and pitman arm are already on. I installed them before hurting my shoulder.

The center link or relay rod is what I'm curious about the drivers side end of it has a slight curve to it. I'm not sure if that curve should face up or down when installing it into the pitman arm. In the diagram attached it los as if curves downward.

As for the tie rods I was able to install them on the center link with the nuts facing either direction. I did notice the center link holes had one surface larger then the other where the tie rods install.

Guessing by the diagram the nuts for the tie rods face the front.
Would you know I'd that is how out is on your Blazer.