Adjusting the A7 Drag-Link
An important but tricky job is to minimise the ‘free play’ in the steering. The adjustments, especially in the early steering box, are many and complex - moreover, when I do them out of the car on the bench, it all seems very different when re-installed in the car! Having checked king-pins and cotters all round, it is also necessary to reduce the movement in the drag-link i.e.. the rod between the steering box drop-arm and the steering-arm on the hub.
Now Lord A. in his wisdom saw it necessary to insert small springs in the cup & ball assembly at each end of the rod - possibly to reduced rough feed-back of the road wheels to the steering wheel. However, if you’ve ever tried to compress the assemblies really tight and pop the retaining bolts through, you’ll know what pig of a job this is until I was put on to the following:
Drill each end-cap to clear a ¼ in. or 5/16 in. set screw.
Weld a captive nut onto each end-cap
Grease well and assemble both ends on the car (an end cap with a grease nipple is ideal but not essential)
Insert a set screw with a locknut at each end
Tighten until the end-play is small and tighten locknut
Check play and grease from time to time.