Synergie 1.9Td - Steering Rack-End Replacement

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Gammy leg
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Synergie 1.9Td - Steering Rack-End Replacement

Post by Gammy leg »

Chaps,

The old bus failed MOT today on worn steering rack end, aka tie rod, axial rod or the bit between the steering rack and the track rod end. I've never attempted one of these before but the tester reckons it's quite a simple job. Any advice or tips on this would be appreciated as I'm gonna try to get it changed this evening and retested tomorrow am.

Thanks

Gammy
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Post by RichardW »

It's easy provided the track rod end will come out of the track rod!. Jack up, support, remove wheel. Clean all the crud off the exposed track rod threads, and drown in WD-40 or similar. Carefully measure (and record!) from the centre of the ball joint pin to the end of the track rod (the rod NOT the lock nut!). Now wind back the lock nut a bit (might need plenty of persuasion - eg hammer, heat). Once that's going check the you can turn the track rod. You will find the whole lot rotates 1/4 turn or so then the joint comes up against the hub and you can get some proper leverage on it :lol: . Now undo the ball joint nut and split the joint (ideally a ball joint splitter, but as you are not reusing, no1 hammer will do! - make sure you wind the nut right off the nylock before splitting the joint, otherwise the whole lot goes round and you end up cutting the taper off anyway :roll: Refitting is the reverse of removal. Carefully measure from the centre of the joint to the track rod end to roughly set the tracking (it will probably need doing properly afterwards). If you have trouble tightening the nylock on the taper, squeeze the taper together with gas / water pump pliers - this usually gives enough friction to cut the nylon thread.
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Gammy leg
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Post by Gammy leg »

Richard,

Thanks for the reply, however it is not the track rod end I need to remove, but the track rod itself - the bar between the track rod end and the steering rack. I have been at it for a couple of hours now and have finally got access to the balljoint but yet again Citroen have thrown me a major curve ball. ie the replacement rod has flats on the casing of the inner balljoint for easy fitting / removal with a spanner whereas the original has none and must either be removed with grips or no doubt a 'special tool'. Access is via the wheel arch once a plastic panel has been removed and is restricted to say the least. I have tried using grips, swan necks and a small chain wrench but this baby just aint moving.
Please excuse me whilst I recite every expletive in my vocabulary!!!
:x :x :x
Anyone have a cunning plan??

Gammy
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

Have you pulled the large dia end of the bellow from the rack ?

Turning the rack end out with the tie rod inner joint visible from behind, should reveal a flat on the rack as a counterhold.
Your only option on the tie rod itself is to use a pair of Stilsons or molegrips on the ball to shift the tierod.

Yes - I'm aware of the limited workspace :roll:
But would you rather remove the complete rack assembly instead :?:
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
davethewheel
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Post by davethewheel »

i had exactly the same problem when changing one on my xantia, there is a special tool available which grips the rounded end, lazer make it and it's about £50 ,a bit expensive for a one off use, i asked my local citroen garage and they said they didn't have one and suggested using a sharp chisel and giving it a whack, this is what i did and i came straight off it wasn't even that tight, you lucky if your replacement has spanner flats mine didn't and getting it tight proved to be a bit of a headache.
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Post by Gammy leg »

Finally managed to get it shifted with swan neck grips about 1:30am, just needed courage to apply that little extra persuation without losing grip and most of the skin on my forearm. Re-fitting in comparison was very easy, only took about 30mins total.
Due to the late finish and slight difference in length between the old and new track rod, the tracking was visibly out of spec. next morning when I checked. Can you confirm the following:

Tracking was reset one week prior to this and steering wheel was centred. I have adjusted the tracking so that the steering wheel is again centred. Can I assume that it is now correct once more?

Thanks

Gammy
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

if the car drives straight with a straight steering wheel spoke, then basically its ok.

But you will have to check the toe of the front wheels as well. This is also known as the offset from parellel wheels. On front wheel driven cars the front wheels should be between exactly parallel to slight spread at front (toe-out). There is no need to go for a specific value, as long as you just have a slight tendency to toe-out.

Can be checked with a threaded rod with nuts sliding into a pipe. Wind out the rod from the pipe to have a tight fit between rims. Check at front and rear of the rims to ensure there is ever so slightly a longer distance at front of the rim.
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
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