Track rod adjustment

[G60rob 0]

I've read here about how the left track rod is set to length then never adjusted. I've downloaded pages from the Bentley manual showing this, and printed off pages from this forum about it, but I've spent all today arguing with mechanics both in a tyre fitters and in a VW performance garage who flatly refuse to believe it (though strangely they're happy to believe MkII Golfs are like this), and claim it's wrong or impossible to set the tracking without adjusting both sides.

Because the left side track rod end looks adjustable, they insist this is proof that it should be adjusted. Of course it's seized solid because of being undisturbed for years, but that didn't stop one of them from putting a welding torch on it and actually managing to budge it a bit, claiming that was all he could do, and charging me the full whack for laser alignment, whilst admitting it's still out. He wanted me to go back and have a new track rod end fitted, but I foresaw possible disaster looming along the lines of chewed up track rod, rack having to come out, etc, all for an unnecessary job in the first place, so I declined the invitation.

Because the left side track rod end has been replaced in the past by a bodyshop it's more than likely that it wasn't set to the correct length, but it's done about 60 000 miles since then so it looks as if it wasn't too far out, or else that this length setting isn't too critical.

 

So, my question is: am I safe to assume this, or should I believe a different VW performance garage who said the rack would need to be "re-indexed", whatever that means, and the track rod taken off and set correctly? As I see it, the worst that can happen if the length is wrong is that the straight ahead position of the road wheels won't coincide with the centre position of the rack, resulting in slightly more turns to full lock on one side. Or is there more to it than this, something to do with the way the power steering works, perhaps?

 

Oh, and here's a warning for anyone who takes the steering wheel off, maybe to fit a new ignition switch as I did. Make sure you put it back exactly level with the wheels straight ahead if you're thinking of having the tracking checked at any time, because they assume the road wheels are in the straight ahead position when the steering wheel is level. I had carelessly put it back slightly turned as I discovered when I drove the car, but thought I'd leave it till after the tracking was done, as it would be need to be re-set then anyway because of only adjusting on the right. I did mention this, but the lads in the tyre place thought they knew better and announced that the wheels were so hugely out that there wasn't enough adjustment to straighten them! Meaning, I presume, to level the steering wheel!

Aaaargh! :x :x :x :x :x

[martyjmcfly 0]

:)

[martyjmcfly 0]

Geometry adjustment from a tyre fitting establishment is 99% of the time going to p*** you off as you will not get a proper job done despite having the best laser equipment to hand.

 

I would suggest giving Stealth a ring, they will know for sure as i've heard they do a top job and then book the car in for a top geometry setup.

[G60rob 0]

Geometry adjustment from a tyre fitting establishment is 99% of the time going to p*** you off as you will not get a proper job done despite having the best laser equipment to hand.

 

Trouble is, the local VW dealership uses one of the same tyre fitting establishments for tracking, so there's no choice locally.

I'd thought it would be worth the trip to JBS in Chesterfield, particularly as they'd agreed in advance that the left side wasn't an adjuster, but they went back on that once they'd got my car in the garage. I've heard their tuning is top class, but that seems to be all they know about.

Warwickshire's a long way to go for a routine adjustment. It's hardly rocket science.

[dr_mat 0]

You *can* adjust both track rods, no reason you can't. The only drawback is the wheel then needs to be adjusted. Avoiding exactly this is the only reason for never touching the LH track rod.

[G60rob 0]

Sorry to contradict you when you've taken the trouble to reply, but if I read you right, dr_mat, that's surely back to front. Here's why:

The reason tyre places insist on adjusting both track rods is because they clamp the steering wheel in the level, or straight ahead, position at the start and leave it there, then adjust each wheel separately to the correct toe settings.

If all the adjustment is done on the right side, the steering wheel becomes offset and has to be removed and straightened.

 

It's because of this obsession with the steering wheel position that I'm in this mess. They assumed the steering wheel was out of position because of imagined catastrophic damage to the steering linkages, and tried to correct this by means of huge adjustments to both track rod ends, when all that was needed was to pop the steering wheel off and move it round a spline or two. It would then have been level in the straight ahead position of the road wheels, and the usual small adjustment of the right track rod would have been all that was needed.

They couldn't understand the concept of the steering wheel having been fitted in the wrong position, even when I told them, but you would have thought they might have wondered how such a massive misalignment as they thought they were dealing with could have happened without any sign of accident damage.

A bit of thought or even just listening to the customer would have made it all so easy.

[davidwort 0]

I've set the geometry both ways in the past, never had any problems with the rack and not really noticed if it steers further one way than the other.

I agree with you that clamping the wheel and doing both sides avoids having to re-set the wheel, I think this is common practice these days partly due to airbags, of course the old mk1's only had one side that adjusted anyway!

But with mine being badly corroded on one side and only moving a limited amount even after ages heating it etc etc. I've done it by taking off the wheel afterwards too, no adverse tyre wear, centering problems, but that is on a 16v, not that I think that makes much difference.

[G60rob 0]

I've just been out grovelling under the wheel arches in the rain. I can't shift the left adjuster at all, so I'll forget about trying to set the correct length and just have it tracked as it is. I've centralized the steering wheel as best I can, but it's surprisingly difficult to determine exactly straight ahead.

 

I'm still puzzled by this precise figure for the left track rod of 379.5+/- 1 mm though. If it's not crucially important, why specify it to such a narrow tolerance? I reckon mine's about 390mm, feeling the inboard end through the rubber boot and measuring with a steel tape.

 

Whilst I was in there I noticed one of yesterday's clowns had cut off the outer boot clip and not replaced it, potentially letting water into the rack. A cable tie seems to do the job, but I feel like putting one round his neck and pulling it tight!

[Toad 0]

To get the steering wheel right just undo the nut in the middle of the wheel so you can pull the wheel off, then drive it along a straight flat bit of road or car park, the steering will centralise itself to a point... move the wheel round, re test, do nut up, job done.....

 

You only need the tracking to be a degree out and you'll eat tyres at serious pace!

[dr_mat 0]

If all the adjustment is done on the right side, the steering wheel becomes offset and has to be removed and straightened.

 

Only if you have a bent chassis ..

 

Anyway, in your particular case it's obvious that they should have taken the wheel off and set the wheel central rather than trying to move the track rods, but that shouldn't happen.

 

What *should* happen is the car is set-up right at the factory, then the steering wheel is never removed, and the one track rod is never changed. Any minor variances in rack length due to expansion or slight bending of the track rods should be accomodated on the other track rod.

 

But there's no reason why they shouldn't adjust both sides, assuming you're talking about a small adjustment. Reality is it's easier than taking the steering wheel off..

[G60rob 0]

 

Only if you have a bent chassis ..

 

 

I can do without that as well as all the other problems!

 

Think about this and tell me where my reasoning's wrong:

Road wheels in straight ahead position, steering wheel level.

Clamp steering wheel (and hence rack also).

Say each wheel measures 10' toe-out and I want 0 toe-out.

Turn right track rod to give 10' toe-in.

Where is the left wheel? Still 10' toe-out because the rack can't move.

Don't touch left track rod adjustment.

Take clamp off steering wheel and turn until wheels are in straight ahead position again, but now with 0 toe each side.

Is the steering wheel level?

 

And, BTW, it's much easier to take the steering wheel off than move a terminally seized left track rod end. I know, I've just tried both.

[andy 0]

Your reasoning is wrong on the last step. When you "Take clamp off steering wheel and turn until wheels are in straight ahead position again", you are turning the wheel to the right, in order to move lh wheel from 10' out to neutral and the rh wheel from 10' in to neutral. Therefore the steering wheel will no longer be level.

[dr_mat 0]

In an ideal world, where cars don't hit potholes and bend track rods, racks, wishbones etc etc, there should be basically no need to ever ever adjust the tracking. None whatsoever.

So if you do have to adjust it, it's cos you bent something (or some other idiot adjusted it wrong).

Therefore, in the ideal world, the car leaves the factory with perfect tracking and a level steering wheel and it never changes, and the steering wheel never gets out of whack.

[CoxyLaad 0]

I dont see the reasoning behind the obsession with that left track rod. I am with Dr Matt, it doesnt make a any difference at all all whether the left rod is moved or not.

[G60rob 0]

Your reasoning is wrong on the last step.

 

The point I was trying to make was, as you say, the steering wheel will no longer be level. dr_mat stated previously that this would only be the case if the chassis was bent.

The last step led to a question (Is the steering wheel level?), expecting the answer "no" if my reasoning was correct, which is the answer you arrived at.

I see dr-mat avoided answering it, though...I wish I lived in that ideal world!

 

As for "the obsession with that left track rod" (CoxyLaad). As I said in an earlier post, I'm trying to get at the reason why VW designed it to be set to exactly 379.5mm (+/- 1mm) long, and not altered for tracking adjustment. Some people think it's important, some don't, but I was looking more for facts than opinions.

I know it can be adjusted for tracking, I agree with dr_mat on that, but it doesn't explain why VW say it shouldn't be.

[dr_mat 0]

Yeah, I think I avoided explaining why VW say it shouldn't be touched because I can't think of a reason why VW say that.

But then, I can't think of a reason anyone would call a car "Towrag" either, so I guess that means I don't get that job in VW after all .. :)

[boost monkey 0]

Very interesting read here as i'm just trying to roughly line my new rack up with my old one!

 

I'm guessing as long as it's good enough to drive over to the alignment place then that's ok? I can get it within 2mm of the old one I reckon...maybe 5mm.