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One end of this drag link attaches to the tie rod hole found on the right side of the 2wd GM center link (on the idler arm side) the other side connects to a steering arm mounted to the top of the right side steering knuckle. This drag link is a little over a foot long with a tiny little adjusting sleeve. It is a modified drag link from the 2wd van. They are wimpy enough on the 2wd vans that used two of these drag link assemblies. The 4x4 conversion van only uses one of these small draglinks to steer the entire systems. The possibility for failure is tremendous.
In off road situations where greater articulation is required, this draglink binds up on both ends, further inviting "Murphy's Law" to take over.
The Dana 44 steering arm mounted on top of the right side steering knuckle can also have issues. It is common to find the hole machined for the drag link end to be hammered out by the drag link end. The tapered hole is high in the center of the taper, the reason can only be attributed to poor machining. After the high spot in the tapered hole is compromised, the drag link becomes loose and rocks around in the hole ruining the steering arm.
The Dana 60 equipped models are even worse. The steering arm has no locking hardware to keep it in place. The steering arm is bolted in place with a thick spacer installed inside the trunnion cap to restore preload to the kingpin bushing. The spacer idea would be ok if the arm didn't move all about on the mounting bolts. As the arm moves around, the bolts become loose and disaster is not far behind.
The Pathfinder GM draglink assembly and steering arm used on do-it-yourself conversion kits is a perfect fit for these 4WDE vans. They can be installed without modification or fabrication. The Pathfinder drag link is made of 7/8 dia components, much larger than the van oem draglink. The drag link is much longer and attaches to the tie rod hole nearest the pitman arm on the 2wd van centerlink. The original steering arm can also be used if the tapered hole is intact, reducing the cost of the conversion.
You can also remove and ship your steering arm to Pathfinder to have it re-machined if it is not to badly damaged. The cost of re-machining is $25.00 plus shipping.
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