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its easy as long as it not all siezed up, unbolt the track rod end and wind it out from the rack remebering to note approximatly how far it was wound in, then get your tracking re-set, but they do have a tendancy to sieze up and will need some gentle encouragment, if tis really stuck heat ip right up and wack it with 2 hammers as detailed in previous posts, try a search as i had a post on here about track rod ends and bottom ball joints a month or two ago
Lofty, are you talking about track rods or track rod ends?
I need to change the track rod on the off side front.
Basically can you tell me how the track rod is connected to the rack and how you take it off? and are they prone to wear at this point?
Ive checked my track rod outer ball joints and these are fine the play seems to be at the other end of the track rod and this is I think causing the wondering in the steering.
thanks
do the bottom ball joints and track rod ends first, the track rod is just a treaded bar at either end and is the female connection between the rack and the tarck rod ends where they joing the lower arm assembly, i had problems with steering and couldn;t find any play in any of the joints while they were on the car because they are under load, but when removed the N/S bottom ball joint was knackered, they seem to wear very quick on these cars, they are easy to replace, two bolts to the lower arm and the a annoying clamp that needs the bolt removing and the clamp prizing slightly and it will pull out the new one slot in, i bought a second hand rack which i did need in the end so if the play is rom the rack (unlikley i think) then i can flog you a cheap power rack with less then 60K on it.
good luck,
it tightened everything up no end when i replaced all mine
i have loads of play in my steering,its horrible to drive at the mo,need to get it sorted now,if i turn the steering left to right its seems there is alot of play before the wheels turn,when i am driving in a straight line the steering wheel is not straight it is facing left slightly,any ideas please new rack?coloum?track rod ends? want to sort it in the next couple of days!any info will be great help!!
Thanks for the info Lofty,
I have jacked up the front of the car and put it on axle stands and checked all the joints for movement but all were ok. When I had a friend hold the steering wheel on full lock and ridgid the only play I could see was between the track rod and rack(not the track rod outer ball joint). I thought this indicated the rack was worn but what I cant understand is why is there no play on the other wheel? I thought if the rack and pinion are worn you will get play on both sides equaly or is there something else on the rack that can wear causing play on just one side?
could be the bushes securing the rack, the are big round things that bolt the rack to the bulk head, i think the track rod comes with the rack and cant be bought seperatly (the nut on the end which rounds for a past time only comes with the rack!)
one way of finding out is to put it in for an MOT at a good garage, should be a failure,
when you are looking at this play make sure its not everything moving as a unit which is OK, this happens wheh the car is jacked up and movement can be seen on the top mounts on the shockers, this is because the car is off the ground and and the shockers are noit seated in the cups properly, nothing to worry about, make sure the nuts are tight.
if it were me i would always do the track rod ends and bottom ball joints first as a process of elmination, mine was fine till i got it off, they are cheap and easy to do compared with a rack,
there is nothing to wear ina rack really, play in the column means the wheels move together but not the same as the steering wheel, play elsewhere will mean the wheels move independant of each other
another essay, im going to bed
Lofty, I have foundout that the track rods have a ball joint on both ends and are replaceable, but apparently quite difficult to get off.
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecommerce/Search_Results.asphttp://www.eurocarparts.com/ecommerce/Search_Results.asp
Im going to give it a go as Im sure this is wear the play is comming from but Im going to jack it up at the weekend and take off the rack gaiter to confirm
Ill post results when done....
cant see them on my spare rack, i will have another look, if they are there then it seems poccible they would wear, but i dont see why they would be needed, unless they are under the gaitier they arent there, your not getting confused with bottom ball joints are you?
like i keep saying, replace them all and go from there, will cost you £40 and a few hours of ypur time, and is a worthwhile job anyway
i was the exact same as you, i even bought the spare rack! then did them forst and once it was loose in my hand i could see it was knackered,
