Track Rod End problem

Hi again.

Can anyone help with advise on the track rod ends please.

I have fitted a new one to near side but I'm convinced that its not fully in its mount.

Then taking the old one out of the off side, I noticed a small circular hole inside the mount.
Now, being that the track rod end has a concave section round the top, I assume that some kind of ballbearing fits in the whole on the mount and ultimately holds the track rod end in by sitting in the concave part.

Is this theory correct?

If so..
Can the ballbearing part be bought and fitted or do I need a whole new stub axle?
If my theory is wrong, can nayone tell me how to fit these track rod ends as my near side one only seems to go in a little way and the concave section is still poking out the bottom of the mount.

Also, If i need a new stub axle, will I need new wheel bearings too?

Any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Trev.

have you caompared it with the one you took out. i had both mine off to change the rack boots and i simply knocked them out with a hammer and then used a jack to hold it while i tightened the nut up. no bearing tye thing at all in the track rods. and by stub axle do you mean the hub?
bit confused, stub axles on the back.

Hi People. (edited due to typo)

Yes, you're right I do mean the hub or some people call it the hub carrier.

The hole i refered to is in the Hub part rather than the track rod end itself which has the groove.
I cant work out why the track rod ends do not have a treaded top and securing nut like on most cars.
Surely just clamping the hub tight round a smooth indented metal lug isnt enough to hold it all together?

hang on, track rod ends are on the steering rack?
They look like this,


Do you mean the ball joints? they attach to the bottom of the hub carrier and are held in place by a bolt.


The ball joint has a groove in it, when the bolt passes through the clamp it locates in the notch on the joint and holds it in place.



Yes you will need bearings for the hub.  pointless changing a hub and re-using old bearings.  You'll really need a press to put them in/on though.

Jon.

yeah what jon says. i was gonna say groove in the track rod!
IMO change everythin you can while its off. think i picked bearings up for about 8quid.
trade discount though!

Hi again people.

Jon you beat me too it and you're dead right.

For those of you thinking what is this lunatic on about, I was (of course) talking about the ball joints and not the track rod ends.

I realised this when I went to get the track rod end to take down to VW for advise and noticed I had been talking about completely the wrong part.

I feel pretty stupid now and will hide in a dark cupboard for a few days to try to ease my shame.  :redfaced:

However, the question still remains…
It makes perfect sense that the bolt fits through the groove but I can't seem to get the bloody BALL JOINT up far enough.
Ive tried jacking it up but it lifts the car and still doesnt go in fully.

Any ideas?

plenty of grease.
bolt completly out of the clamp
big BIG screwdriver or cold chisel though the gap where the bolt would pinch. open up gap slightly.
try again.

Ok, after loads of grease, jacking, pushing, leavering and swearing, the ball joint finally went into its mount. Thanks for the advise!
The one the other side went straight in with no problems at all.  :roll:

I did however have a major problem when I put the wishbone/bush nut through and discovered there was no thread for it to pick up.
On further investigation I found the threaded lug inside the car frame had dropped away.
There was however, a very small rust hole in the side of the frame which I opened up and was able to hold the lug in position with a pair of long nose pliers while I scewed the bolt in.

So now I am very much hoping the lug and the hole I made can be welded up so that this doesnt happen again.