The center link, also known as the drag link, acts as the link between the outer tie rods on the left and right sides. The center link is connected to the Pitman arm, which transmits motion received from the steering box to the center link.
On the wheel-end of a center link, adjustable connecting sleeves attaching to the outer tie rods allow for directional changes from the Pitman arm to be transmitted equally to both sides, making them turn in unison.
Because this system is typically found on trucks, it is exposed to the elements and is more prone to corrosion. Lizhong center links are manufactured with a black oxide coating to provide exceptional resistance to rust and corrosion, promoting longer part life.
Wear type — Wear type center links connect to other steering linkages using either pivot points, ball joint stud ends, or bushing ends. Wear type center links are more prone to stress and corrosion because they are designed to absorb road conditions and reduce vibration feedback to the steering wheel.
Non-wear type — Non-wear type center links connect to other steering linkages using an open taper type connection, and are designed only to be a connection point. These center links have no moving parts or wear points, so they generally need only infrequent replacement, usually as the result of corrosion and determination of the mounting holes.
Center links provide the connection point between the left side and right side steering components, enabling them to act as a single unit. When direction changes are made through the Pitman arm, the center link transmits this action to both tie rods of each wheel.
TypesWear type — Wear type center links connect to other steering linkages using either pivot points, ball joint stud ends, or bushing ends. Wear type center links are more prone to stress and corrosion because they are designed to absorb road conditions and reduce vibration feedback to the steering wheel.
Non-wear type — Non-wear type center links connect to other steering linkages using an open taper type connection, and are designed only to be a connection point. These center links have no moving parts or wear points, so they generally need only infrequent replacement, usually as the result of corrosion and determination of the mounting holes.
Metal design of internal components — Internal metal designs are widely used in the manufacture of Lizhong center links. These designs incorporate highly durable upper and lower metal bearings that surround the ball joint stud and ball, and they include grease fittings to allow for grease and lubrication to be injected into the central area to prolong the life of the center link.
Greaseable — Greaseable ball joints enable the center link to be serviced, to flush out old grease and contaminants by injecting new grease during inspection and maintenance routines.
Black oxide coating — The black oxide coating provides high resistance to variable corrosion factors such as road debris and adverse road and weather conditions, ensuring prolonged life of the center link.
