installing centerlink

[chevyart]

installing my new dropped centerlink, and it is tightened up to pitman arm and new idler arm, tightened with a wrench, turning easily. now the wrench really wont do the rest of the job and i have about 3/16" to go up on both the pitman and the idler arm.gonna use a big rachet to tighten the rest of the way, but want to be certain that i am right in what im doing. its seems like i will really have to force the tapered shafts up into the idler and pitman arms. is this common. dont want to strip or break anything. i just put anti sieze on bot tapered studs. maybe i should have used white lithium grease ? any suggestions thanks art

[cjbiagi]

Art, there is no need to tighten it that much.The tapered end will only go in so far, not all the way. There should be a foam or rubber gasket between the two which takes up the gap you are probably seeing. Do not over tighten, I forget the torque spec but it is not that much, then you have to align the nut for the cotter pin

[chevyart]

thanks CJ. didnt want to go any more than i did.I just tightened it all the way up in taper. till it kind of stopped. i also thought that if it was brought up all the way to where the two flat spots meet, then a pickle fork would never get in there to loosen things up later down the road. will snug it up tomorrow with rachett and find the torque spec. thanks for your good advice. art

[chevyart]

CJ the torque specs for all the center link parts is 35 ft lbs, and a tad more to turn for the cotter pins. the idler arm to frame torque is 60 lbs. art