03 Jun 2011, 11:09
While i was in Belfast, I bought a new steering rack. Over the past few days, i've removed the old one, sized up and prepared the new one, and then fitted it. Once i finished, after aligning the wheels the best i could, i tried to take the car for a drive. Within only a few metres travel, i immediately realised that all was not well. the car felt unstable and was pulling to the right. After going round the block once, I returned to the driveway to dismantle again, and try another readjustment of the track rod ends, not in hopes to get it perfect, of course, but just to try and make it more driveable for taking to a garage to let them do the tracking professionally using their lazers etc. In trying to get the new track rod ends off the wheel calipers again, i had some real problem. They were both stuck fast! I had to give them a good bashing to get them out. and here lies the problem. I managed to damage the threads for the bolts on both the track rod ends now. I've since immediately ordered 4 (2 backup!) of the things from Ed to replace and do this whole thing again (hopefully not damaging any more threads of course). So now i'm left with two almost perfect track rod ends, which just need the threads cleaning up (they are not badly damaged, but enough to stop the bolts from turning smoothly down the shaft to get to the tight position next to the rubber. The ball joint just starts spinning instead!) I don't know the characteristics of the threads (maybe Ed would be able to tell us...) but i do know they are imperial threads, not metric. a 5/8 socket fits the nuts, but i couldn't tell you the description of the thread itself, including pitch etc.
Is there anyway i can get these threads cleaned up again to make the track rod ends usable again, without buying a whole die wrench set, hoping that it might contain the correct bits for these particular threads!? It's really annoying. I've only got myself to blame of course, but i was SO close to finishing LEX's new steering rack and getting a chance to try her out before i leave for work again tomorrow morning. Now it's gonna have to wait until September at the earliest. I'm off to Russia on Monday morning. Ed's parts should arrive next week at my parents, but i of course wont be here then...
Sorry for the length of this....!
Is there anyway i can get these threads cleaned up again to make the track rod ends usable again, without buying a whole die wrench set, hoping that it might contain the correct bits for these particular threads!? It's really annoying. I've only got myself to blame of course, but i was SO close to finishing LEX's new steering rack and getting a chance to try her out before i leave for work again tomorrow morning. Now it's gonna have to wait until September at the earliest. I'm off to Russia on Monday morning. Ed's parts should arrive next week at my parents, but i of course wont be here then...
Sorry for the length of this....!