10 replies to this topic

[jiminwatford]

I'm in the process of replacing the steering rack and while trial fitting the track road ends before the locking nuts arrive i notice they wobble on the rack. They are genuine item track rod ends 

 

I know the locking nuts are not fitted but do they take up this movement? Seems a bit less than ideal

 

Video of the wobble:

https://youtu.be/sTOeMt2pufA

Edited by jiminwatford, 21 January 2024 - 08:10 PM.

[nicklouse]

Did the nuts not come with the rack?

 

that does look like more than I would like. Something is not to the correct spec.

[jiminwatford]

No the nuts didn't come with it

[GraemeC]

How far are they screwed on? A couple of turns or lots of turns?

[jiminwatford]

It's about half way on. Similar to where it would be when fitted

[bpirie1000]

Locking nutt will fix that i am sure. If your worried ptfe tape maybe pack the threads out alittle.

[68+86auto]

When you get the nuts see how much they wobble compared to the ends. the ends should wobble less.

[slidehammer]

I agree with Nick, if that is screwed half way down the thread and it wobbles that much, I would investigate further.

Try one of the old ones on the rack and see if they are tighter

[jiminwatford]

I went to Mini Spares and they're of the opinion that it happens with all Mini track rod ends (basically)

 

We tried a few different ends and another (genuine) rack and they all wobbled to a broadly similar extent

 

They said the locking nut should stop the movement. Funnily enough even the locking nut wobbled.

 

The guy's thought was that they had always been like this and theorised that if they were a better fit they would never come undone (like a modern car he had which needed lots of heat). So they're loose to make it easier to replace.. OK

 

So i hope they do up tight and don't wobble

 

I enquired about putting ptfe tape on the thread and he advised not to and said nothing extra should go on there as it may cause more problems

Edited by jiminwatford, 25 January 2024 - 01:52 AM.

[68+86auto]

I enquired about putting ptfe tape on the thread and he advised not to and said nothing extra should go on there as it may cause more problems

 

PTFE tape won't help.

[Spider]

Having just looked at your clip, that's normal. They aren't a precision thread. When the lock nut is done up against them to lock them off, they'll be stiff as a board.