Track Rods, ends and tracking.

[la_bigmac]

Hello all,

My last MOT resulted on yellow chalk being scribbled all over my track rod ends etc. I have lived with this situation without incident, but have decided its time to stop pushing my luck as I have a few longer trips planned.

Questions to the hive mind.

1 - Is it bad to fit adjustable tie rods to both sides? Factory would have has one fixed and one adjustable? In my mind, two adjustable has to make tracking easer, right?
2 - Any tips on preventing completely messing up my tracking?
3 - Do I need the extractor tool?

I am planning on replacing the track rod ends and rods, the rods might be serviceable but do look pitted a tired and are probably original.

Advise welcome

Mat

 

[Clem]

I presume one track rod was fixed from factory as a cost savings measure, and to simplify the process overall.

I, along with most people that have narrowed beams fitted, have two adjustable track rods fitted. No problems with it.

Avoiding messing it up? Remove the arms first to replace any joints/boots and ensure they are unseized and easy to adjust. How are you going to set them? Do you have guages? I'm aware that people set them by eye or using string, but maybe its worth paying the £25(?) to let a tyre place do it?

 

[la_bigmac]

Thanks Clem, I could not see a downside to having both sides adjustable (Other than cost) but thought I would ask before I spent money.

I guess if I remove the rod with ends unmoved I can match the length on the new one before fitting. (Plan A) My nearest tyre shop were unhelpful with tracking, might need to travel a little further. They said they were unable to adjust as my tracking because my steering wheel was not straight!

 

[Clem]

Thanks Clem, I could not see a downside to having both sides adjustable (Other than cost) but thought I would ask before I spent money.

I guess if I remove the rod with ends unmoved I can match the length on the new one before fitting. (Plan A) My nearest tyre shop were unhelpful with tracking, might need to travel a little further. They said they were unable to adjust as my tracking because my steering wheel was not straight!

Sounds like the kind of response you get when they just don’t want to do it!

 

[sweller]

They said they were unable to adjust as my tracking because my steering wheel was not straight!

Absolute bollocks.

Having said that, what is important is having the steering *box* at the absolute mid point before you start anywhere else. The steering wheel can be removed and put back on straight if necessary.

If you have wayward steering and the van is easily blown off course in wind the drag link is the prime suspect - followed by the swing lever shaft.

Jack up the van and put the steering in it's normal driving straight ahead position (possibly a slightly cocked steering wheel), it may help to put a bit of tape or make a (removable) mark on the steering wheel before you start this to remind you.

The drag link goes from the steering arm (attached to the steering box and goes fore/aft) to the realy arm/swing lever. Disconnect the drag link from the drop arm (on the steering box) and wind the steering to the mid point between lock to lock - you will feel a slight resistance at the mid point. This is designed in so to help keep the van steering straight.

Doing this may actually correct the steering wheel position as they get cocked by garages not adjusting the track rods properly.

That's the starting point. Replace the drag link keeping the steering box mid point. Then replace the tie rods to get the wheels in the same position as they were. Then take it down to the tyre place for them to adjust the track rods with their alignment equipment.

Make sure the steering wheel remains in the same position as it was *after* you adjusted the drag link and centred the steering box.

If needs be the steering wheel can be pulled off and recentred. The important point is teh position of the steering box being centred in the straight ahead position.

This is the type of ball joint separator I have (mine isn't machine mart as it's ancient but it's the same type).

Ball Joint Remover - https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cht222-ball-joint-remover/

Simon

 

[67panel]

^^ plus make sure the relay arm is centred on the beam, you can measure from the lock stops to get it centred.

 

[la_bigmac]

Thanks all, I had a good climb round under the van at the weekend. Started a shopping list, but could use a pay day first!

The Drag link is not centred to the beam (Vertically, looks good horizontally), it looks like it's touched the beam as there are some ware marks on the drag link. I will have another look at the weekend and turn the steering wheel lock to lock to see what happens underneath. Good point on checking its centred, fairly sure it is.

I had a refurbed steering box fitted a few years ago before I fitted the power steering so non centred drag link could be related to that, but it was like for like.. Either way all the ball joints are tired and rubbers are split etc so need to work my way through.

Thanks for the advise, I am more confident.

Mat

 

[Moseley]

I’ve found that the steering wheel centering is simple enough to do by just spinning the wheel from lock to lock - with the drag link disconnected so that the end stops don’t come into play. Off the top of my head, there is something like 1.25 or 1.75 turns in either direction, and moving a single spline on the steering wheel will have a noticeable effect on the ‘spoke position’ not being a mirror image at either full lock position.

All being well, when you move onto adjusting the other components, the centre of the steering box should correspond to the wheel being central, and you can then go through the full set up to adjust the drag link, track rods etc.

 

[NigelDenham]

I would just add to the advice about first centering the steering box, so it’s on the “tight” section at mid-point. Mine had been set up right on the edge which made trying to keep in a straight line interesting. Then just work out from there.