Bent center link?

Discussion in 'Technical' started by littlecrow, Oct 24, 2012.

  1. littlecrow

    littlecrow Member

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2009
    Messages:
    34
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    Caneyville, Kentucky
    Vehicle:
    1970 Ford Maverick
    Hey guys, I just got a 1970 Maverick with manual steering and I've been replacing the whole front suspension on it for the past few days. I got everything replaced and on the car now, until I got to the center link. I'm not sure what shape it's supposed to be but to me it looks really bent. So what do you guys think?
     

    Attached Files:

    littlecrow, Oct 24, 2012
    #1
  2. 71gold

    71gold Frank Cooper Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2002
    Messages:
    26,589
    Likes Received:
    2,935
    Trophy Points:
    978
    Garage:
    1
    Location:
    MACON,GA.
    Vehicle:
    '73 Grabber
    I say straighten it...without heat...:yup:
     
    71gold, Oct 24, 2012
    #2
  3. Craig Selvey

    Craig Selvey Indiana State Rep - MCCI

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2002
    Messages:
    18,304
    Likes Received:
    1,367
    Trophy Points:
    878
    Location:
    Albany, Indiana
    Vehicle:
    1972 Maverick Grabber - Color: Orange Also, 1976 Ford Maverick 4-door, 1977 Mercury Comet 2-door.
    Yes...it is bent. If you don't want to mess with it, I have a BRAND NEW one I could sell you. Email me DIRECTLY (see below) if I can help.
     
    Craig Selvey, Oct 24, 2012
    #3
  4. wardf

    wardf Ward Frahler

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2002
    Messages:
    1,964
    Likes Received:
    26
    Trophy Points:
    146
    Location:
    Elizabethtown, Ky.
    Vehicle:
    70 maverick
    You can also get them brand new from Laurel Mountain Mustangs.
     
    wardf, Oct 25, 2012
    #4
  5. Acornridgeman

    Acornridgeman MCCI Wisconsin State Rep Moderator Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2004
    Messages:
    6,511
    Likes Received:
    950
    Trophy Points:
    426
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    70 Maverick Grabber, 72 Maverick Grabber Restomod
    Looks like someone drove into a tree stump or a big rock sticking out of the ground. You could use a hydraulic press and put it back. If it were my car I would just buy a different one and be done with it.
     
    Acornridgeman, Oct 25, 2012
    #5
  6. littlecrow

    littlecrow Member

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2009
    Messages:
    34
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    Caneyville, Kentucky
    Vehicle:
    1970 Ford Maverick
    Yeah, it was like that when I got the car. The guy had to have hit something while backing up and somehow that was the only thing that got bent. Unfortuntly though, he also had the car aligned with the bar like that, so I want be able the match tie rods length up so I can drive it to an alignment shop. I'll end up buying a new center link because I just don't trust having that one re-bent and not knowing the specs.
     
    littlecrow, Oct 25, 2012
    #6
  7. MSmithPDX

    MSmithPDX Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2010
    Messages:
    1,275
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Vehicle:
    1971 Comet (sold to scrapper), 1974 Comet GT
    Good choice, re-bending never works out in the long run. I've worked for a lot of cut-rate employers that when having me repair and refurbish machines would have parts 'repaired' rather than replaced... usually just wound up replacing them a few weeks or months later anyway. Always had to remember to not shove it in my bosses face if I didn't want to get fired. err... This part is too important for making your car work, get a new part.
     
    MSmithPDX, Oct 25, 2012
    #7
  8. Craig Selvey

    Craig Selvey Indiana State Rep - MCCI

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2002
    Messages:
    18,304
    Likes Received:
    1,367
    Trophy Points:
    878
    Location:
    Albany, Indiana
    Vehicle:
    1972 Maverick Grabber - Color: Orange Also, 1976 Ford Maverick 4-door, 1977 Mercury Comet 2-door.


    Wow.....I can't imagine that would work...but maybe it did.
     
    Craig Selvey, Oct 25, 2012
    #8
  9. 71gold

    71gold Frank Cooper Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2002
    Messages:
    26,589
    Likes Received:
    2,935
    Trophy Points:
    978
    Garage:
    1
    Location:
    MACON,GA.
    Vehicle:
    '73 Grabber
    I'm with you, as short as that is they would have had to screw the ends off to make it long enough to get the front end in spec...:yup:
     
    71gold, Oct 25, 2012
    #9
  10. 71gold

    71gold Frank Cooper Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2002
    Messages:
    26,589
    Likes Received:
    2,935
    Trophy Points:
    978
    Garage:
    1
    Location:
    MACON,GA.
    Vehicle:
    '73 Grabber
    it's just a rod, straightening it without heat would not hurt anything...
    I would run it on my car...:drive: :chirp:
     
    71gold, Oct 25, 2012
    #10
  11. MSmithPDX

    MSmithPDX Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2010
    Messages:
    1,275
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Vehicle:
    1971 Comet (sold to scrapper), 1974 Comet GT
    Sorry once you get past a certain bend radius the damage is done at a granular level. Bending it back without heat just pushes the microfissures back together but does nothing for the elastic stresses put on the rod. Heating and re-tempering would be the best fix but even then the rod would never be able to handle the stresses it could prior to being bent. One day you would be driving down the road in a corner and it would snap.
     
    MSmithPDX, Oct 25, 2012
    #11

Share This Page