Track rod replacement, Xantia

fastandfurryous · Post by **fastandfurryous** » 19 Sep 2005, 23:45

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Kowalski</i>

There is nothing inherently brittle about welds<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
The rate of cooling of a weld means that they are, indeed, inherently brittle. The rate of cooling of a metal is one of the major factors in determining the strength of it. Rapid cooling of ferrite creates a martensititic structure, which is both strong and brittle. Tempering of martensitic steel maintains a high proportion of the strength, whilst re-introducing an amount of ductility. Since the rate of cooling of a weld is very difficult to control, and in this case it would be impossible to heat-treat the weld, then the weld would indeed be brittle, and horribly dangerous.
This is why when large welded constructions crack, they crack at the welds. Not because the weld was sub-standard, but because it is more brittle than the rest of the metal around it.
You're quite right about the heat affected zone though of course. It's likely to cause weakening of the metal local to the weld.
Either way, it's a dangerous game to be playing.

Mads · Post by **Mads** » 20 Sep 2005, 00:37

Thanks for all the replies, very interesting discussion on weld durability. I'll have to ask my brother in law when we play badminton tomorrow, he teach and certifies welders for e.g. off-shore, gass-piping, construction etc.
I ended up drilling the rod. I removed enough of the bolt starting with a 3mm drill adding ½ a mm at a time until I was able to strip the outher 4-5mm with a pair of pliers. I then cleaned the remaining 2 inch with a tread cutter, and the result is very good. All it took was lots of patience (automatically granted when you think the alternative is removing the compleete rack), luck starting the hole straigth and dead center and a M14/1.5 cutting-rod.. Glad it is done !
Even though I managed to salvage the rod, I'm interested in Brians vice procedure. I think I'll pick up a rod next time I'm at the spare-part-pusher, and if it looks doable for someone like me..
Now my problem is that the CV change (both left and right) did not compleetly cure the clonking

Anyone with a guess to what is caursing a clonking sound on acceleration, esspecially when turning left ? Only happens when moving, i.e. handbrake+load => no clonk. Tried to repositione the exhaurst pipe about 10 times without any joy.
Thanks again to all you helpfull people out there

fastandfurryous · Post by **fastandfurryous** » 20 Sep 2005, 02:59

Could be the inner joint. These can sound similar to an outer CV joint failing, althouth because they don't have to deal with steering angles, they tend to last much longer, and only start to clonk when really quite bad. If you can grab the shaft from below, and move it up and down, you'll feel if there's any play in them.

Mads · Post by **Mads** » 25 Oct 2005, 14:00

Got a new track rod (10£+VAT) and used Brian,s vice method, which I guess you could do in about 15min including changing the track rod end if it wasn't for the

gaiter..

All well, just need to get the tracking done.. only to find out the right side track rod has also seized.. (heat/WO40 => no joy!); should had gotten a 2nd track rod from the start !!

The track rod / gaiter assembly looks not quite as accessible on that side.. So, even though it's against all my principles, I decided to leave the freeing of the track rod to the local independent

, who has the benefit of a dry garage and a suitable lift

. Also I hope he can trace the clonking

So, if you got a seized track rod / track rod end, I can recommend Brian's vice method if it's on the side with the loose gaiter. I haven't tried it on the other side, but removing the gaiter looks a little more complex..