14 replies to this topic

[rodandtom]

Hi,

 

What are you supposed to do if when the track rod ends take a different number of turns to reach the steering arms when the wheels are straight?

 

How do you allow for the difference?

 

Thanks,

 

Rod

 

Edited by rodandtom, 19 July 2015 - 04:45 PM.

[nicklouse]

Removed the plug on the rack and lock it central. Adjust track rods to suit.

[rodandtom]

What does that mean? How do you lock it central and how do you know it's central?

 

Rod

 

[Ger Trude]

Under the carpet in the front passenger foot well near the steering rack fixing plate there is a large rubber grommet,
If you take out the grommet you will see a plastic screw/bolt into the steering rack which is visible from the grommet
hole, you may need a torch! If you were to unscrew the plastic screw/bolt from the rack you will see internals of the
rack. By turning the steering wheel, it might be worth counting the number of turns it takes from full left lock to full right hand lock. Then work out the half way point of the steering, turn the steering wheel to that position. E.g. if the lock to lock was three full turns then set the steering to approximately 1.5 turns. This is when you might need your torch! Have a look through the grommet hole and by wiggling the steering wheel a little you should see a hole for a pin to be put in. I can't remember the pin size but if you have various sized drill bits then this might be worth trying. At this point it may be worth removing your track rod ends but make sure you count the number of turns before the track rod end parts company with the track rod and falls into your hand, remove both track rod ends and collectively count the number of turns taken for both track rod ends. So, if for example you removed both track rod ends, one of which took 12 turns and the other took 14 turns to unscrew and land in your hand, that in my book is a total of 26 full turns. Now, providing that your wheel alignment was in the general ball park you should re-fit the track rod ends by screwing each one on 13 turns and each track rod end should be equally screwed onto each track rod respectively. Now that your steering rack and track rods are centralised with the pin in situ you can also if needed remove your steering wheel and reposition it with the wheel in the straight ahead position, then you would carry out the wheel alignment checks and make adjustments by screwing in or out the track rods. Remember that that it is best practice to do the adjustments equally. There is a bit more to it when it comes to setting the wheel alignment and I would strongly recommend that you go for the full four wheel alignment as this not only checks the rear wheels, you can also work out your thrust line from this and compensate and adjust the front wheels accordingly. Also it worth checking the camber and caster angles while your at it. All wheel bearings, suspension, steering components and tyre pressures should be correct without play, also make sure you don't have any undue weight in your car like the odd bag of sand you forgot to take out the boot. Sorry I got a bit carried away there, but it's well worth getting this checked out and done.
One thing I nearly forgot and I hope you don't is REMEMBER TO TAKE THE PIN OUT WHEN IT'S SET!

Edited by Ger Trude, 19 July 2015 - 06:51 PM.

[KernowCooper]

The pin size to drop in to centre the rack is 6mm

[nicklouse]

What does that mean? How do you lock it central and how do you know it's central?
 
Rod

Ah you don't have a Haynes manual. It has pictures and everything you know.

[Spider]

Not all racks have that facility. I just wind the rack over until it stops, count the turns back to the other stop, then wind back one more time to half that, takes about 2 seconds!

 

Regarding the questing on how many turns the rod ends will screw on, seldom are they the same both sides. There are coff coff small variations in manufacturing tolerances in all the parts in the front end, so these will mean it can rarely be the same side to side, otherwise they would me manufactured to length with no adjustment.

[rodandtom]

Thanks Gents. Very full answers - I shall have another go.

 

Ta

 

Rod

[Ethel]

Use a point on the steering wheel rim for reference and you can be pretty accurate. I could be the rack has moved in the U clamps, look at how well the column is centred over the hole in the floor.

[Ger Trude]

Use a point steering wheel rim for reference and you can be pretty accurate. I could be the rack has moved in the U clamps, look at how well the column is centred over the hole in the floor.

That is a very good point you made there Ethel, it only takes a wheel knocking the kerb which could cause the rack to shift over a fraction knocking everything off centre.

[rodandtom]

So this evening I had another go. I couldn't see any plastic plug to take out of the rack. It was partly sprayed over so rather than dig around and mess it up I went with the method from Moke Spider. The rack took approx. 2.8 turns full lock to full lock. So I took it to one end and then turned it about 1.4 turns so the rack should be roughly central.

 

I couldn't count the number of turns the track rod ends took to come off so I screwed them on each the same number of turns then adjusted each one until the wheels look straight. Hopefully that is going to put them in roughly the right ball park for when I get them done properly.

 

Does it sound ok to you lot?

 

Rod

[Ethel]

As long as you had reasonable thread engagement.

 

2.8 turns means you want to be back a full turn then half of that 0.8. So, if you rigged some sort of marker on the steering wheel rim you could plot the left and right limits of the 0.8 at left and right lock then measure and mark the mid point as the extra bit to add to your one full turn to find centre.

[rodandtom]

As long as you had reasonable thread engagement.

 

2.8 turns means you want to be back a full turn then half of that 0.8. So, if you rigged some sort of marker on the steering wheel rim you could plot the left and right limits of the 0.8 at left and right lock then measure and mark the mid point as the extra bit to add to your one full turn to find centre.

Yes I used a point on the steering wheel to judge the turns. I forgot to mention that when I had had problems with getting the steering wheel straight. When I did this it went on perfectly. I was a little concerned that there was more adjustment than I expected at the track rod  ends but the wheels look straight at least now

 

Thanks,

 

Rod

[Spider]

 ,,,,,,, until the wheels look straight. Hopefully that is going to put them in roughly the right ball park for when I get them done properly.

 

Does it sound ok to you lot?

 

Rod

 

Rod, that's pretty much what I do - have you been peaking over my shoulder?

Edited by Moke Spider, 21 July 2015 - 09:05 PM.

[rodandtom]

 

 ,,,,,,, until the wheels look straight. Hopefully that is going to put them in roughly the right ball park for when I get them done properly.

 

Does it sound ok to you lot?

 

Rod

 

Rod, that's pretty much what I do - have you been peaking over my shoulder?

 

 Particularly as you explained it to me in simple terms