7 replies to this topic

[CKR]

I'm not sure if I'm right with track rod end or if I mean tie rod end. Anyway, I've just swapped out the lower front offside wishbone, ball joint, and SuperPro bushes. Noticed the steering rack track rod end / tie rod is knackered. I've got the little ball joint nut half undone and now the thread is just spinning within the nut, now I can't undo or tighten the nut back up as the thread is spinning, Also the tie rod/track rod end retaining nut onto the steering rack won't budge at all, otherwise i'd just grind the ball joint nut off. Does anyone know if the bolt undoes upwards or downwards?

[tommobot]

Does the track rod end ball joint thread have a space for a allum key insert in the bolt end itself, to hold it in place when nut is being undone. The bolts on the track rod end, give them a through going over with blowtorch and they will no doubt shift...

[Mangham54]

Dont forget the tension bolt is a reverse thread (I seem to remember) to loosen off, before unthreading the track rod end. If you find the bar turning then get a second spanner on the bar where there is section machined into it to be held with a spanner. Mine were tight, but a night soaking in wd40/3in1 and a bit of brute force and they slipped off nicely.

[CKR]

So it is reverse threaded!!! We're talking about the bolt which needs to be undone to allow the track rod end to come off the steering rack?

[Taz6622]

When you say track rod end do you mean the bolt on the steering rack or the bolt that holds the ball joint to the hub Sean

[Mangham54]

So it is reverse threaded!!! We're talking about the bolt which needs to be undone to allow the track rod end to come off the steering rack?

I can't check for you, but I seem to remember (when doing mine) that I cursed at it for it undoing in a 'bloody cack-handed lotus way'.

In the end, with pretty much everything on the car I tried undoing bolts both ways, as I also seem to remember the locking nuts on the track control arms were also cack-handed.

[CKR]

Brilliant! This may just explain my problem! I will give it a try.

[siztenboots]

don't the reverse thread nuts usually have a nick out of the corners so you can identify them