28 replies to this topic

[LankyJames]

Are you going to renew the track rod ends when you change the rack? If so then I would cut the nut off the existing ones rather than buy new steering arms. If not then remove the arms as you have now and then wind the track rod ends off the old rack and onto the new.

Your problem may be that if you have loosened the nut on the steering arm at all you have to stop the joint spinning inorder to do it back up again. Some track rod ends actually have an allen key hole in the end of the threads to allow you to hold them whilst using a spanner on the nut.

Yes i have replacement track rod ends. NEw steering arms are £25, so cutting them off will be my first port-of-call.

[GraemeC]

Yep, hacksaw or grind nut off and then a BFH and sturdy punch to drive the remains out of the steering arm. Might be better done on a bench then the steering arm can be supported and you don't bend it when whacking.

Plenty of Plus Gas on the nut religously for a few days before hand might see it come off by the normal methods though.

[Jammy]

Am I right in thinking that the track rod end balljoint pin is spinning, meaning you can't undo the nut? Just wedge your balljoint splitter between the track rod and steering arm, pushing the track rod away from the arm, which should give enough clamping force to be able to undo the nut. That nut should only be done up to something like 24Nm, so it shouldn't take much effort (plus WD40 if needed) to get it undone.

[GraemeC]

Jammy - that will reduce the amount of hold the steering arm has on the track rod end pin, not increase it. It will however increase the friction under the head of the nut - making the problem even worse.

The jack under the track rod end is the usual way forward (although lifting the car sounds a little excessive, dangerous and could potentially bend the steering arm)

[Jammy]

Ha ha!! Hmm, not sure why I thought that way round! I've had the problem before thinking about it and think I got round the problem by the clever use of a G-clamp or similar.

[Dan]

been to the auto factors and halfrauds

You should have found one at Halfords, they do sell one. It's a 1 1/2" extra deep you need, Halfords only do one as an impact socket.

When swapping the steering arms, make sure you swap the hollow dowels for the arm to the new hub. They are essential, without them you have little or no steering.

Keep going, you're doing a good job so far.

[LankyJames]

been to the auto factors and halfrauds

You should have found one at Halfords, they do sell one. It's a 1 1/2" extra deep you need, Halfords only do one as an impact socket.

When swapping the steering arms, make sure you swap the hollow dowels for the arm to the new hub. They are essential, without them you have little or no steering.

Keep going, you're doing a good job so far.

What dowels sorry? Ive looked at the bits and cant make out what you mean?
Do they go underneath the steering arm? kind of slot in the top of the hub? i think they may still be on the old hub...

Also i got the top and bottom ball joints done, and the races for the bearins tapped in too

Just the CV joint swap and fitting of the bearings and put everything back together, and all should be well

[LankyJames]

Update, i couldnt bloody get out a steering arm dowel from the old hub this morning, it was pretty stuck fast! So shrugged and fitted the CV joint and boot instead.
Reading the HBOL ( Haynes book of lies ) it said that i required an assistant to hold the Circlip on the drive shaft closed while i put on the CV joint....great i thought, cant exaclty make this friend out of wood....anyway struggle with it, pushed it in all i could all the way around, lent inward on the CV joint and it just slipped on perfect, and a lot easier than i thought, no hammer needed!

Had to rush off to uni, but when i came back my dad said he spent 2mins removing said dowel after finding all the tools around it he figured out what it was that i was doing, and just flipped the spanners over ( one side gripped the other didnt ) and pulled it straight out!

All i need to do now?

Tap up the lock tabs on the ball joints, fit the wheel bearings ( i fit the rear ones today, just need to fit the racer and the fronts ) fit the water shiled on the CV joint and put it all back together!

Hub on ball joints in, bolted up, steering arm bolted on, slide on the disc brake and drive flange, on with the caliper, brakes on to tighten up the drive flange (haven't forgotten yet) and then the castle nut, fit the split pin, wheel, nuts and rolling!

[LankyJames]

Finished today, took it round the block and the rights side squeeling too...new ball bearings needed there then. Bloody hell.

[GraemeC]

Well I think I have noticed a similar potential problem on my car. The split pin hole is only just in the castellations of the nut on the passenger side, however the driver's side is fine.

However what I have also noticed is that there is a difference of at least 1mm in the thickness of the nuts on either side - thats really not going to help. I will replace the passenger side nut and see if it makes sufficient difference.

For information the complete hub assemblies are new from MiniSport however I swapped the castle nuts as they came with 34mm and I wanted them to be 1 & 5/16" as they should be (one less size/spcket to worry about). So there is only the nuts that weren't brand new. Could be you had a similar 'thinner' nut causing your problem.

I don't believe the thinner nut would cause as much of an issue on twin hole CVs where they are only torqued to 150lb/ft - the torque on the single hole CVs does add a fair bit more rotation. Assuming the thread pitch is around 1.5mm (although actually it will be metric) an extra half a turn would mean the nut goes on about 3/4 of a mm further. Therefore that 1mm difference in thickness of the nut is important!

[LankyJames]

Interesting...

Another update, i took the hub off the otherside...well, i had to take it off with the cv joint attached, the bloody bearings have mated with the cv joint!

Took some hammering to break apart there love for one another and in so damaged the threads on the cv joint, my parents have come to the rescue and have bought me a new one
Infact my dad just told me to re-order the same parts as i had for the left side ( obv with a R/h hub haha ). So ill have brand new hub assemblies, cv joints and bearings.

Lovely.

Will measure the assortment of castlenuts tomorrow, also i orderd them split washers for behind the castle nut! So everything should be ok.... just got to fit the steering rack after that.

[Dan]

Well done, hopefully not ball bearings though....

[LankyJames]

Well done, hopefully not ball bearings though....

Confused me here what do you mean?

[LankyJames]

Parts arrived, just need to put it together ( and go to that garage and see if they will lend me there socket again! )