mci radius rod direction

rayshound · December 12, 2006, 08:20:34 PM

I'm installing the rearend tomorrow in my mci-8. I had purchased from Caylors good used radius rods (4) as mine were egged shaped. My question is that my old rods I compared to the new ones and they looked the same. I had marked mine with a marks alot for left, right, front, rear. Well I threw them away. Now I have 4 unmarked rods with different part numbers. It's obvious which two go on top and which end goes to upper chunk pin, but no left or right. The two lower dog bones each end are exact , left or right? They all have mci in raised letters. I'm hoping it doesn't matter but I hate for the bus to have a rear end on some angle. Thanks, Ray

NJT5047 · December 12, 2006, 09:25:43 PM

You have failed rule #1. Never throw ANYTHING away. You might need it someday. You will need it the minute you toss it.
Craig can tell you which rods go where. He's probably gone to bed by now. His site probably has a big photo of the very thing you're looking for.
If not I'll be more than happy to crawl under my bus....tomorrow, and take some pix. I reckon an 8 and 9 are pretty similar....although my airbag thingy is different.
Let me know. JR

gumpy · December 13, 2006, 04:31:15 AM

Unfortunately, the radius rods are one area of my bus I haven't touched.

Check the maintenance section of the site map and look over the photos of the drive axle maintenance, though. Maybe you'll luck out and see what you need in the background.

craig

Brian Diehl · December 13, 2006, 06:09:53 AM

When I replaced the bushings in my radius rods I did not find any directonality at all to be worried about. However, I don't know for FACT, only my experience when doing the work.

This is on a early model 1985 96A3 -- drive train/suspension is identical to a late model MC9

rayshound · December 13, 2006, 08:06:15 AM

Thanks Guys, JR no use in getting under bus, I really do appreciate the offer. They look the same to me just different part numbers which could have been due to comming off of different busses at Caylors? I did put them side by side before tossing the old ones and they were exact. I also looked in my mci maint. manual and they show how to install bushings and the height between bumper stop and axle stop and no mention of direction. I may call Sam at Caylors he should know. Thanks again Ray.

Rich (Prevost) · December 13, 2006, 09:20:40 AM

Another consideration is the bushings. You have a choice of polyurethane or the original rubber......You will get varying opinions. The Poly bushing is my choice for the ease of install & durability. Let me know if you have any questions. I could go on..............

Rich

rayshound · December 13, 2006, 09:27:54 PM

Thanks Rich, I had purchased the pretty yellow ones than the rest in red ones from you while at IBP. I started installing today. I had talked to Sam at Caylors today. Sam said the radius rods have no left or right direction. So I have it in place, I've got my demensions for height out of the mci manual and have cut some 4"x 6" pressure treated boards to support the assembly. After completing the radius rod bushings I will install all my new airbags. Thanks for all the support. Ray