Fitting a Track Rod End

[amdaman]

Hi, I've got play in my passenger track rod end ( I thought it was the column at 1st) So just went out and bought one from the factors, was only £7.50, was going to get both but out of stock.



Was just wanting to know the easiest method of doing it and what problems I might encounter as Haynes makes it sound so hard! Can I change it with the disc and caliper on?

Cheers

[Chris H]

yes the disc and caliper can be left on.

You sure its a female track rod end you need?

The female ones the crappest

anyway why not go look at the very handy guide I done for this very task in the techarticle section

[amdaman]

Unfortunately mines female yea :/

I read the article, and it looked like you had some major issues, you got any 'tips of the trade' for me?

[Chris H]

no major issues, just the same as always, use a cold chisel to bust it open. Its a gay design.

[R1916S]

Tape the thread before you undo it so you get the new one in the the same place.

But check the old against new as they may not be the same.

You may need to get the tracking checked after.

[Clio 16valver]

I did the tracking on mine yesterday and one was seized up solid so had to put the gas bottles on it to heat it up. They can be a pain if there seized up!

[amdaman]

Is it worth soaking it in WD a few days before hand then?

When you say the chisel to get it open, do you mean to wedge that gap open? After that is it just a case of unwinding it?

When I put the new one on do I just wind it to the same place as before? If that's true, when garages track it do the have to undo it and wind it then connect it back to the hub again? How does it work?

[R1916S]

Take it to a garage.

Its the the steering your playing with.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/steering1.htm

[Clio 16valver]

Its advised you let it soak in wd for half an hour or so,should make the job a bit easier.put some tape where your old track rod is on the threads,then wind the old one off,wind the new one on up to where the tape is and tighten it. Its advised you get the tracking set at a garage afterwards cos it maybe slightly out.Shouldn't be more than £15 really. When a car is just having the tracking set you don't need to take the trackrod end off you just slacken them and move the steering rack ends until the desired setting is set. Hope this is some help

[amdaman]

that helps loads, thanks. I will be taking it to get it tracked up at a garage if I can find one that does mirror tracking, as my tracking is well out as it is. It's just hard to find a damn garage that does it!

[Chris H]

most garages won't track them just like the old astras etc until YOu free them off.

Just wedge it open with the chisel, chances are the pinch bolt will just shear off when you undo it anyway.

The rust on the track rod will let you know wher eit was, but it will need sorted anyway as the thread rule is useless for anoythign other than a measure to get the car to be tracked.

[amdaman]

cheers mofos!!!

I had to hammer a bit while it was still all connected(not a lot mind), am I likely to have damaged anything?

[Chris H]

no

[amdaman]

New boobies? What's going on?

Should I have slapped copper slip on that track rod end before fitting it?

[Chris H]

yeah new boobies at last.

copper grease would have been a good idea yes.

[amdaman]

oh balls, i'll take it off again tomorrow, when I'm fitting the other side :O

[Chris H]

its not that big a deal, your not keeping the car forever, just grease the other side if you want

[amdaman]

i'll do it anyways, hey did you see how the garage bodged that other dogbone mount? It pisses me off that he (the garage) played dumb claiming not to know what it was the mofo.

[Chris H]

yeah saw it, told ya