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Steering Rack


Guest no1birdman
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Guest no1birdman

Inner ball joint worn on rack, bought one it looks like a drum stick, are they easy to fit, on the car as dont want to take rack off, done that once its a fiddly job, and do you need any special tools as never new you could buy and replace that part as always bought a rack, Thanks mk 4 cab

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i take it you mean the track rod end. dont have to take off mark up with tip x or count the turns so ne one goes back same length, not major problem you can just get it tracking done about £11. undo the lock nut then unscrew the rod end.

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i know wat u mean & it is referd 2 as a drumstick, its the trackrod arm & not trackrod end.

it is easy 2 change just a very large spanner myt b as large as 26mm 2 take it off the rack pinion, it will b a normal thread direction,

but dont take off the trackrod end b4 u take of the trackrod arm as u need 2 measure it, but wat ever u do do not use a ball joint splitter as there crap! & will damage it...

 

instead take of the trackrod end nut to hub & bein carefull not 2 hit the ball joint hit the hub were the ball joint is wiv a large hammer wiv the wheel turned out 2 u, this will shock the tapper & the ball joint will just pop out of the hub, then unscrew the arm frm the pinion wiv the gaiter still on& measure the full length of the arm & ball joint,

then take of the rod end & gaiter, reassemble the arm, measure & tightern, clean up thread wiv a wire brush on the rod end, this will help wiv puttin bak 2gether easier, but use plenty of copper grease,

 

if u have trouble doin the rod end nut up then use a gd size peace of wood place it up in2 the inner wing 2 the top & on2 the top of the rod end, gently jack up the hub so that it puts pressure on2 the tapper & then u can tightern the rod end wivout the tapper of the rod end spinning, job done.

regards mark.

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Guest no1birdman

Thanks, I know how to do a track rod end, you are spot on its the inner drumstick just looked ackward to fit, did not know what to unscrew it with

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  • 2 months later...
Guest no1birdman

cannot undo it, new one looks easy fit with flats on for spanner but cannot undo one on rack its just round,

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  • 1 year later...

Just had that exact problem. Symptoms were a worsening judder when braking. The ball joint on the track rod arm felt worn. Slid the rack gaiter down the arm and the ball joint is in a round housing with no flats. The car was on some stands that I've made from a railway sleeper so not too high off the ground. I got the Mole Grips to bite but with hardly any room to turn before touching the drive shaft. I put a scissor jack under the handles and raised it. That was enough to loosen it. £6 later, had a replacement this time with flats. Mine was the shorter 320mm version. Still not enough room to get a spanner on so used the Mole Grips again. Once the track rod end is in place (changed that as well) there's no loosening force on that joint.

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  • 2 years later...

I have changed 5 racks in 10 years, the original Ford Rack lasted over 100K miles there furbished ones especially by XL racks last about 2000 miles. I cover about 500 miles a year, and unfortunately am at the end of my tether, it is one thing having an old car but when parts are no longer available, and if in the rare event they do come up on some auction internet bay. I am paying Ferrari prices for a Ford! Time to call it a day. It got to a point that even Ford havent got the technicians, to deal with it and parts are universally unavailable!

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When you say the racks are lasting only 2k miles, what is the failure mode you're getting? Surely you can't be writing off a rack every 2 years, are you using the correct PAS fluid if fitted?

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  • 5 months later...
Guest no1birdman

with engine now out, tried again to change drumstick, mole grips not working it seems tighter than ever, is there a tool for it as my new drumstick got flats the old one on car just round, thought of electric welding a bar on it, any ideas

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  • 3 weeks later...

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