Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

[Alb.]

Car passed it's MOT today and this was the only advisory. I haven't spoken to the garage yet so not sure if it's just the one or both, but I would be implied to change both at the same time.
I have noticed that the car tends to wander a bit but I put this down to the wheels tending to follow every imperfection in the road.

After a quick search it seems that this is actually due to my inner tie rods?
I'm pretty good with working on the car but I gather I would also need a specialist tool to replace them?
Has anyone got any more info that could help?
I also found from the search that it would take about 1.5 hours and I'd need alignment done afterwards?

 

[STEVE.M]

Car passed it's MOT today and this was the only advisory. I haven't spoken to the garage yet so not sure if it's just the one or both, but I would be implied to change both at the same time.
I have noticed that the car tends to wander a bit but I put this down to the wheels tending to follow every imperfection in the road.

After a quick search it seems that this is actually due to my inner tie rods?
I'm pretty good with working on the car but I gather I would also need a specialist tool to replace them?
Has anyone got any more info that could help?
I also found from the search that it would take about 1.5 hours and I'd need alignment done afterwards?

Removal tool required as you won`t get a spanner on it, plenty on eBay.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tie-Rod-E...468408?hash=item2ee4580178:g:OAUAAOSwFnFWElZ3

Inner tie rod kit OE, all PH2,i/c Cup with hydraulic SMI power steering.
http://www.renaultpartsdirect.co.uk/product/renault-clio-172182-track-rod-kit-inner/
The price has crept up By £5 since I bought some in December for some reason.

These come with boots.
My passenger side had been replaced at some time in the past with an aftermarket boot, which had fallen apart.
The green Renault boot on the drivers side I removed I have kept as a spare as it is perfectly serviceable.

If you count how many turns on the track rod end when you remove it, it will do to get you have the alignment done.

 

[Alb.]

Thanks mate, any guides as to how to change them?
Can't see any in the guide section and pictures would probably be a massive help.
I was going to go for lemforder ones from ECP.
They make a lot of OEM steering parts so can't see why they would be inferior to the Renault kit and they're only £15 a side.
Unless anyone can correct me on that from experience etc.

 

[Tommo.]

Not sure there's a guide on how to change them, but it's fairly straight forward to be honest.

Jack the front of the car up, remove both wheels, remove the track rod ends, remove the gaiters from the steering rack, slide the tie rod tool over the inner tie rod, attach ratchet/breaker bar to said tool and loosen off the inner tie rod, once removed fit new inner tie rods. Refitting the steering rack gaiters can be a PITA, I found using a small amount of silicone paste/grease (safe for use with rubber) helps.

Nothing wrong with Lemforder, just make sure you get the right ones as I'm not sure how reliable the ECP parts system is when it comes to these.

 

[Alb.]

Doesn't sound too bad.
Just after posting this I found a thread that Fred had commented on saying that non-cups don't have to buy genuine. I will take his word on it

Are they quite accessible from underneath without having to drop the subframe? Or is it better to get acces from the side once the wheels are off?

Also any idea what size in mm they are? ECP lemforders are 296mm

 

[leeds2592]

Just make sure you get the right size. Finding the right ones is harder than the job itself!

Don't need to touch the subframe.

It'd make sense to do the ends as well whilst you're there.

This is the guide I used, obviously there's just the additional step of removing the old tie rod and fitting the new one.

You can use a fan spanner cut in half but couldn't get enough leverage on it when I tried. One of the tools which goes over the tie rod made it 1000 times easier.

 

[leeds2592]

Oh yeh and the ones I got from ECP were waaaaay too small for my non cup. I ended up getting some genuine Kangoo ones which are slightly smaller but only by 5-10cm and still have plenty of thread for the TRE to go on.

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Has anyone got a link for the inner track rod tool? The link above is too old.

 

[R3k1355]

Pardon our interruption...

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Thank you @R3k1355, have you used this tool? I found some reference to a tool which was too big (the OD) to get in so don't want to order that one!

 

[R3k1355]

28-35mm. Thats the one my eBay history says I bought, can double check when I get home.

 

[leeds2592]

Yep, 28-35 is what I got as well. Just gone back to 2016 and checked my emails.

Makes the job 10000 times easier.

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Thank you very much both. Just ordered it!

Range Rover reversed into my wheel and has bent a new Renault tie rod, I changed it when the engine was out which made life much easier (other than taking the engine out first obvs).

Life.

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Life changing

Cheers @R3k1355

 

[Martin_172]

Life changing

I done one at work today with a swan neck spanner as I had left my tool at home last time I used it and f**k me its shite when your used to the above tool!

 

[Robbie Corbett]

I done one at work today with a swan neck spanner as I had left my tool at home last time I used it and f**k me its shite when your used to the above tool!

Cant believe how cheap it was and how much time it saved. Best tool I've bought in ages and don't care if I never use it again 🤘