*HOW TO* Changing A Track Rod End

[Steve]

Tools Needed

WD40
Small Blow Torch Comes In Handy
16mm Socket
Ratchet
19mm Spanner
Mole Grips
Ball Joint Separator Tool < If you don't have the blow torch

1. Loosen front wheel nuts, not all the way off just loosen them.
2. You can either jack both front sides of the car up, i did one at a time.
3. Once car jacked up fully take all front wheel nuts off and wheels off.
4. Next up is to listen the nut on the track rod end, so get your 15mm socket and ratchet and loosen it off, don't take it fully off. May need your mole grips if the thread is turning along side the nut, put it on the strut and above the ball joint and squeeze whilst loosening the nut.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q84/Steve_vtr/The%20VTS/Track%20Rod%20End/DSCI0721.jpg

5. Take your 19mm spanner and there is a locking nut on the track rod end where it meets the track rod, with out dicking about you can either wd40 and man power, or do what i do blow torch it for around 30 seconds and it will loosen straight off :homme:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q84/Steve_vtr/The%20VTS/Track%20Rod%20End/DSCI0733.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q84/Steve_vtr/The%20VTS/Track%20Rod%20End/DSCI0734.jpg

6. So once the locking nut is loosened off a few threads, get your 19mm spanner and place it on the track rod it self, you can either go anti clock wise or clock wise, make sure you can turn the rod without the end moving.

7. Once the rod is moving, you can fully take the nut off the bottom of the ball joint, once again seen here.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q84/Steve_vtr/The%20VTS/Track%20Rod%20End/DSCI0721.jpg

8. Now need to get the ball joint off the strut, if your lucky a bash with a mallet.
If not then get a ball joint separator tool, but i cant see the point in spending £16 on the one you need to remove it safely if your replacing the end anyway, so get your heat on it, heat that mo fo :afro: then smash it one with a nice big hammer.

9. Now thats out, get your 19mm spanner back on the rod and turn the rod end anti clockwise.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q84/Steve_vtr/The%20VTS/Track%20Rod%20End/DSCI0722.jpg

It will come out and look like this.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q84/Steve_vtr/The%20VTS/Track%20Rod%20End/DSCI0724.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q84/Steve_vtr/The%20VTS/Track%20Rod%20End/DSCI0725.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q84/Steve_vtr/The%20VTS/Track%20Rod%20End/DSCI0726.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q84/Steve_vtr/The%20VTS/Track%20Rod%20End/DSCI0728.jpg

10. Get your new rod and screw it in clockwise, matching how many threads were screwed in by looking at your old one (this way your trackings not totally out).

11. Once screwed in nip the locking nut up.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q84/Steve_vtr/The%20VTS/Track%20Rod%20End/DSCI0729.jpg

12. Put the new ball joint ack onto the strut and put the nut back on the bottom, with my new ones it was a 17mm socket not a 16mm.
tighten to 35nm if you have a torque wrench.


http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q84/Steve_vtr/The%20VTS/Track%20Rod%20End/DSCI0736.jpg

13. Wheel back on.

14. Lower to ground.

15. Go get your tracking re aligned.

Picture of a shagged joint

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q84/Steve_vtr/The%20VTS/Track%20Rod%20End/DSCI0735.jpg

Hope that helps some people in the future :y:

[steve_335]

Good guide, but when i have changed them, i counted the turns rather than going by the old one, that way your tracking is that far out.

[Steve]

Good guide, but when i have changed them, i counted the turns rather than going by the old one, that way your tracking is that far out.

yeah could do that, but i am getting my tracking done tomorrow and its a drive round the corner so was not too fussed :y:

think it will get sticky'ed ;)

[Richie2104VTR]

Nice guide stevey boy!

Good job i was there, otherwise who knows what would of happened :afro:

[Steve]

Nice guide stevey boy!

Good job i was there, otherwise who knows what would of happened :afro:

i have a pic wait there :afro:

[Steve]

Cheers for your input richie
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q84/Steve_vtr/The%20VTS/Track%20Rod%20End/DSCI0731-1.jpg

also acting as camera man came in handy as wel.

[BENSAX3]

yeah good guide but counting the turns is better, could you edit it back in??

[jonezy]

i hecked both mine today and found both joints are shagged, no wonder its been rattling, knocking and squeeking like fuck

[willsy]

Nicely done steve :y:

for the record do you have the part numbers to hand aswel for the replacement track rod ends? Just to aid those looking to change theirs.

[Steve]

Nicely done steve :y:

for the record do you have the part numbers to hand aswel for the replacement track rod ends? Just to aid those looking to change theirs.

i dont, if someone has them can they post them and i will add them in...

I got mine off ebay 2 for £15 delivered buy it now, if i could have waited a week for it to end i would have got them for £13 :homme:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CITROEN-AX-SAXO-XANTIA-TRACK-ROD-END-PAIR-NEW-QH_W0QQitemZ180218968175QQihZ008QQcategoryZ10376QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Steve]

yeah good guide but counting the turns is better, could you edit it back in??

i could but if you look at my new track rod it has slightly more threads on it :panic:
Either way when chaning a track rod end your going to have to get your tracking done :y:

[Ben_L]

i've got a crunch when i turn my steering wheel a couple of degrees left or right at standstill. Been told it could possibly be the track rod ends...is it worth replacing them you think?

Also noticed that my steering wheel is slightly pissed. could this also be track rod related and also would this cause more road noise if it was misaligned?

Cheers

[Liam_]

i've got a crunch when i turn my steering wheel a couple of degrees left or right at standstill. Been told it could possibly be the track rod ends...is it worth replacing them you think?

Try checking to make sure the suspension top mount bolts aren't loose.

[shouldagonetoagarage]

Hi all, first time poster, i'm currently replacing the track rod end on the wife's 106 after replacing spring ( bottom nut seized on re-fitting :geek: ) however i can't get the track rod end to turn out of the track rod, even after bracing a 19mm spanner against the inside of the engine bay, would heating the joint between the end and the track rod loosed it up? or is it gonna be a case of remove the rod and end, and using a vice to remove the old one? Any help would be much appreciated cos i'm being ridden like a horse to get it back on the road

[raunchz]

either way would be good, I'd be careful heating it up as the fuel line is pretty near to it on the n/s

Just need some brute force and penetrating fluid

[shouldagonetoagarage]

cheers for the advice, think i'll probably have to remove the whole rod and put it in the vice, cant get anything in the arch to get a good purchase on the end to turn it.

[raunchz]

cheers for the advice, think i'll probably have to remove the whole rod and put it in the vice, cant get anything in the arch to get a good purchase on the end to turn it.

Depends if the whole rod is easy to get off? As could be as stuck as the track rod end?

Might find it easier to bolt the track rod end back to the strut (loose nut) as will hold the whole track rod in place to help you get a good purchase on the spanner?

[Steve]

should be fine on the track rod with a blow torch, just make sure you dont get close to any wires, dont think there is any to be honest, i blow torched the shit out of mine and it came straight off :D

[shouldagonetoagarage]

good news, the track rod end undid from the car an absolute doddle, in the vice bit of WD and some elbow grease and the old end cracked, all back together now just gotta get it tracked during the week. cheers for all the advice guys.

[Steve]

no problemo, nice username lol

[luke_freeride]

am having a go at it now and havent yet got the locking nut off.no blow torch available but would a lighter work haha.

[OllieVigar]

Could the pictures be updates please?