Club 80-90 Forums

Hi folks,

I'm currently changing all the ball joints and I'm ready to put it all back together. However when I put back on the tie rod joint it ends up like the image below. Which is upside down, however if I put back on the old tie rod end it faces down the right way. The nut stopping the tie rod end going back any further is wedged and I cant get that to move any bit.

Any ideas? I thought this was going to be the easy bit

You need to get the mother-in-law to breathe fire on the nut.

She is to far away to go and get . Would it be worth getting a nut splitter and just putting on a new nut? There is nothing fancy about this type of nut is there?

Heat will usually allow them to shift and or a piece of scaffold pole over the spanner.

Thanks for the reponses as well folks.

The problem I'm having is the rest of the tracking rod is turning as well. I have a 13mm spanner on the part above the thread but for the life of me I cant find where to anchor it so I can give the nut a wallop then.

Stilsons are what I use to hold rods.

Firstly, remove new track end bush and check length along side old one. They can be slightly different sizes.
Rotating the track rod back 190 degrees is not going to change much.
Besides, once you have changed all, it will need setting up for track, camber and toe.

Thanks folks,

Tried using one of them earlier as well and the rod keeps slipping in it. In fairness it is an old dinosaur of a stilson but still.

Here is the old(right) and new tie ends. The body that attaches to the tie rod threaded bar on the new end is about 1mm longer from what I can see.

How fragile is the tie rod? I'm afraid with all the twisting etc it's going to snap like and give me another problem.



I have another tie end for the other side of the van that is only off by a small bit but of I fit that you can feel the tie rod is under tension then

You have got to free your nuts otherwise you will not be able to lock the position.

Turn the track end rod back a little and get the bush back on the knuckle, first.
Then attack the seized nut with Plusgas, heat and vice grips.
Adjust back once free.

Seriously appreciate the help folks but I had to walk away there before I burst into flames with frustration.

Maxstu, when you day the Bush are referring to the tie rod end with the ball joint or is there a bush that I am missing somewhere?

Unfortunately I don't have access to a blow torch/heat so that's not an option for me. I am happy to wallop the nut away and get it loose that way definitely, it's just the rod spinning is the headache.

Does the tie rod just spin round and round? I know that might seem like a stupid question but before I left I was noticing that the twisting of boot on the other end of the rod and i eas wondering if that was the tension I was feeling. So does it actually matter how much left or right I twist the rod, once the locking nut is in the right place?

Buy a cheap plumbers torch for heat, the tie rod does just turn so don't worry about that but make sure you don't tear the gator (cut the cable tie so it spins).

I use 'denso' tape on any exposed threads and brake pipe unions to stop them seizing up.

shepster wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 18:19 Buy a cheap plumbers torch for heat, the tie rod does just turn so don't worry about that but make sure you don't tear the gator (cut the cable tie so it spins).

I use 'denso' tape on any exposed threads and brake pipe unions to stop them seizing up.

Wise words, Shepster..

Plumbers torch is a great idea I will get one tomorrow, and report back how that goes. What is the gator? Sorry now for the questions

Gaiter.