Here is a picture of the inner drag link ball mating surface insert... hope that made sense. Don't know what else to call them. Page 13-8 of the Hudson 48-52 shop manual. Nearly all of them are in this condition with obvious inclusions or manufacturing defects in the sides, but not on the face. Looks like the steering box worm gears out of the wasps that seemed to all have the inclusion issue.
So... are these defective? Do I need new ones?
Thanks yet again!
Ray
I honestly don't see how you could "wear one out" in a thousand years. These are very low, slow movement pieces that are held firm by springs. The spring tension can always be adjusted by adding extra shims or tightening the main screw cap on the end. As long as everything is well-greased, it should be good. You're more likely to wear out the housing than the "inner drag link ball mating surface insert". Hudson over-engineered everything, and this is no exception. I think if you drove your car every day for a hundred years . . . with no grease in the drag link, then yes, it might (repeat might) wear out. But then again . . . maybe not,.
Also, keep in mind that there are supposed to be a certain amount of shims inside the drag link ends. The location of these (from one side to the other) are used to align the steering wheel once the front end is set up properly.
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