Xantia Tie/Track Rod fitting

PicassoPigeon · Post by **PicassoPigeon** » 21 Aug 2007, 09:41

About to start changing the track rod and the rod end. Car just faild MOT with play in the nearside, I think I will do both sides.

Does anyone have a good run down of the job??

I can wobble the wheel when i hold at 3 and 9 oclock and the rod to rack end is where I can see and hear movement and my clunk.

Thanks for any help.
gav425

reddeathdrinker · Post by **reddeathdrinker** » 26 Aug 2007, 02:09

Fairly straightforward job. Ball joint splitter, adjustable spanner, and a socket and ratchet handle... give the threads a good soak with WD40 first

Change, get tracking checked. Took me less than 20 mins for the last one I did.

mpr1956 · Post by **mpr1956** » 27 Aug 2007, 10:51

Just read your post again.. Are you changing the inner as well? If so then the hard bit is gaining a good grip on the perfectly smooth round end where it screws into the steering rack.. I understand from previous posts that if you are lucky then some mole grips can be used, or somebody else has tapped it loose with a chisel.. -whichever method you use, it looks as though the job could be a pain ! I'd be interested to hear how you get on ! Best Wishes, Martin

PicassoPigeon · Post by **PicassoPigeon** » 27 Aug 2007, 13:24

I had a problem with the small rubber gaitor on the inner. I split it while trying to get it off.
When i got it off i could not get a good grip to undo the inner track rod so i took it to a garage to get it done was an hours work £37.

Had a call from them on Friday 24 Aug as they could only get a new gaitor on wednesday 29 Aug, but i needed the car so i could take my mother in-law back to heathrow before then and the car also needed a re-test MOT on Friday 24 Aug. I ended up going to a scrap yard to find a gaitor and having to do the whole removing job on a scrap car to get the gaitor off. On the scrap car I used a pipe wrench to undo the inner track and it came off very easily.

So i did most of the job on my car and all the job getting a gaitor off a scrap car just to pay the garage to fit my remove and fit the track rod on my car. Oh well it passed the MOT on Friday and I used it yesterday to drive from Plymouth to heathrow and back again. It was a nice drive with my new drop links as well.

Pipe wrench is the way to go to remove and it should not be too bad as the scrap car was older than mine, i dont know why i sould not get it undone.

gav425