Track rod arms and ends or just ends ??

[feeenix14 10]

Replacing as much as i can on the front, so ordered bearings and ball joints but not track rods because not sure wether to order the arm and end together ? :scratch: Or just get new ends ? How hard is it to replace the entire arm ?

[davidwort 0]

check the inner joints on the track rods (where they screw into the rack) by putting the steering on full lock (engine off) and rocking the steering slightly, if someone else holds the track rod firmly any play in the inner joint will be shown by a slight knock on the arm.

to replace the arm into the rack I can thoroughly recommend using a track rod removal tool like this: http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?t=12282&page=16&p=821357&viewfull=1#post821357

it makes it very easy as getting onto the inner joint flats with a large spanner is a pig of a job

[sexybourbon 0]

David if im taking off the subframe to replace it with a new powdercoated one and replacing alot of other parts , would i need the tool if i was doing it all that way and what are the real benifits of changing them other than the fact id rather do them now so i dont have to go back in the future

[davidwort 0]

David if im taking off the subframe to replace it with a new powdercoated one and replacing alot of other parts , would i need the tool if i was doing it all that way and what are the real benifits of changing them other than the fact id rather do them now so i dont have to go back in the future

Nope, just a big spanner :)

New inner joints can really tighten up the steering, and until recently weren't even part of the MOT test! But if you don't feel any knock on the rod when moving the steering as I described then they're unlikely to need doing, I doubt if you would feel any play though with the subframe/rod off the car, so test with the weight of the steering/suspension on them.

[sexybourbon 0]

Cool thanks for that , so if i decide to change them then wich i probably will if its an easy job while the subframe is off im i right in thinking that there is a set amount that the new track rod has to be set in to the ateering rack ? Like a sort of standard factory setting ?

 

The reason i ask is because i think i have a bit of uneven lock left to right , my pass wheel locks a bit further over than it does right and the pump strains more when when turning one way , so im thinking that someone in the past has moved the track rod inwards instead of just moving the track rod end

 

Hope you can undertand that haha

[davidwort 0]

no, only the ends have adjustment, the factory/bentley manuals specify the distance from the base of the inner joint to the centre-line of each outer track rod end, but other than matching the lock perfectly to avoid possible tyre rubbing I can't see why it's critical, there's no garage I know of that sets the passenger rod to the right length (or whichever side it is) when doing toe settings and it doesn't seem to cause any issues.

[Roger Blassberg 0]

The manual advises (quite strongly) to remove the steering gear from the car before undoing the track rod from the rack. The rack itself should then be held in a soft-jawed vice so that the undoing of the inner end of the track rod does not put stress on the rack/pinion meshed gears. I thought that this was a bit over-cautious. David, how did you hold the rack whilst undoing the track rod inner end?

 

Another linked question (sorry to hijack this...)are the track rods still available? Are our right hand drive Corrados all TRW racks; left-hand drive ones are ZF or TRW.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[sexybourbon 0]

Cheers for the advice dave spot on ,

 

Roger when you say zf and trw are you on about the makes of the track rods ? I think there is a make on car parts for less that is called trw , they are 40 quid each so you could probable get a decent discount using the codes available

 

As for undoing them would you not just put a spanner on both sides and they would be on opposite threads ? Just a guess as id like to know aswell

[Roger Blassberg 0]

There were two different OE steering rack manufacturers, TRW (formerly Lucas I think)) and ZF, whose racks were fitted to our cars, presumably on the basis of whatever was available at the time to VW. They differed slightly one from the other. My understanding is that you cannot replace the track rods for a ZF rack with ones for a TRW rack, and vice versa. My local VW dealer was unable to say which rack belongs to my car just by the VIN; you have to clamber underneath to identify the manufacturer's stamp/ID or deduce it from the inner diameter of the rubber clamp bush (ZF=50mm, TRW=44mm). I have just been through all this with my Passat B4

 

Good point about undoing the inner ball joints. Certainly that clever tool in David's thread looks to be the way to do it - David, is that tool yours or did you borrow/hire it?

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[davidwort 0]

Unfortunately that track rod tool is from the garage my dad works at, they let me use it one evening, however I have seen similar ones on amazon for a reasonable price, this one is less than 30 quid: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-4469-Track-Removal-Tool/dp/B00623EAHI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390847253&sr=8-1&keywords=track+rod+removal+tool

 

I can see why the rack toothed bar should be held when undoing the track rod, but in reality the thread isn't very tight and has been protected by grease and a rubber boot all it's life, IIRC it came undone very easily

Edited January 27, 2014 by davidwort

[feeenix14 10]

Thanks for all the advice guys i really appreciate it, since i only plan on doing it once i will probably have to struggle with a big spanner, david confirmed that i need to do the lot with the sentence "new inner joints can really tighten up the steering" i'll get em ordered !!

 

Thanks peeps

[jamiehamy 0]

David, just before I order, will the 35mm-45mm be okay? I measured across the flats and it's 32mm, but assuming the size is the diameter, rather than across the flats, which will be 35mm+?

 

Thanks, Jamie