GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: al_bey on 13 February 2011, 19:05
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Hi all,
I recently took my car to get the tracking as i knew it was out after lowering my car, the guys at the tracking place said the ends were seized so they couldnt adjust it. I took it home with the tracking still out and shredded a bit more rubber off my tyres. :cry:
I have tried everything to get the track rod end off, but it is completely siezed. I have used an oxy acetylene torch until it is glowing red hot and still no luck. The 13mm spanner grip on the track rod has now rounded due to the amount of force i had to put on it. (I even clamped it with a vice and still no joy).
So basically now i'm just going to have to replace the whole track rod. I'd just like some advice on how easy it is to change. I can only jack the car up, dont have ramps of anything. Is it a job for the garage, or shall i do it myself?
Any advice appreciated.
Cheers
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just a long shot. have u tried turning it the other way? normally one side has a left hand thread.
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It has turned slightly, so i know i'm doing it the right way, but now it won't budge at all.......
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Have you tried a pair of stilsons on it after heating it?
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Ive just looked what stilsons are, i have tried them on the track rod end but not on the actual track rod itself. I might have to give it a go, or take it to the garage, it would be a lot easier in a pit or on a ramp.......
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If you have heated it that much you would better to replace the complete rod.
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Good point, all the heating may well have made the metal brittle and therefore weaker now anyway.
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By heating to cherry red and allowing to cool naturally you have just annealed the track rod, plus any grease that was in the joints has boiled/burnt off.
New trackrod is the way to go :smiley:
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That's what I'm going to do, I just wanted advice on how hard it was and if should do it myself or whether i should take it to a garage....
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put it on full lock that side, peel the boot back and you'll see the spanner flats on the rod end. just a case of can you get a spanner on it! you may have to take the wishbone off but peeps have said they managed ok
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Do you need a special tool to undo it, or is it literally a spanner jobby?
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http://faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed/campingart/jettatech/tierods/tierods.htm
That is a really good guide, a little heat my help to loosen the thread lock too. :wink:
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http://faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed/campingart/jettatech/tierods/tierods.htm
That is a really good guide, a little heat my help to loosen the thread lock too. :wink:
Cheers mate, very helpful
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No worries :grin:
I need to do both mine in the next few weeks
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Im going to make myself the tool he uses in his with an ali scaff bar, a socket and a tap and die set, should make it a lot easyier.......I'll let you know how it goes..
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I was rather impressed with that tool as well, definitely something I could knock up at the workshop in my spare time.
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I think I prefer the spanner. That tool looks like it could slip to me.
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I see what your saying, but i think the idea is to crack it off with the spanner, then use that tool to undo it the rest of the way.
al_bey - if you have a look at the end of the tool it has a flat opposite the bolt - make sure you include that.
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Right, so new track rod fitted, managed to un seize the other side and went to the garage to have the tracking done. Happy Days! :grin:
The car drives in a straight line, finally. Hopefully now after the tracking is not -20mm out each side it will stop shredding the tyres.
Here is the siezed track rod end:
(http://s4.postimage.org/4eilo6h7/Picture_072.jpg)
Here is the tool i made to fit (and undo) the old one. I would not have been able to do it without this, unless i took the lower arm off as well. It also allows you too torque it up to the right spec......
It had two bolts in the end not one like the picture shows.
(http://s4.postimage.org/4h9tx03v/Picture_065.jpg)
(http://s4.postimage.org/4hbhgcln/Picture_059.jpg)
The part that requires the most work, is making the extension bar and getting the inner rod boot clip off. There is very little room in there to work. However it is actually a very straight forward job. Just thought i would share this for anyone in the future.