12 replies to this topic

[neglectedtorana]

Hi,

 

I took my car for a test drive last Sunday and noticed a little clunk in the steering.

Once back in the garage I tried to move the tie-rods and the passenger side moved so I opened the boot and the bush has crumbled. Unfortunate timing for my coming weekend plans.

 

I now have it in pieces and hope to get it back together on Friday to go to Bathurst for the speed weekend.

Have a new bush ordered and will pick it up on my way home tomorrow.

 

The first pictures of the inner tie-rod in pieces are from my current rack I have disassembled. It didn't appear to have been staked to the lock nut, should it have a roll pin or something? It was very tight and had clearly last been done up with vice or multi grips.

 

The other pictures are my old spare rack that's been sitting in the shed. To undo the inner tie-rods do the staked parts get drilled out or is it just forcibly undone?

I am guessing it needs some sort of C-spanner?

 

Any help would be appreciated, 

 

Cheers, Tom

 

 

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[S pack]

AFAIK you are meant to drill out the staked sections of the lock collars and install new lock collars at re-assembly.

[RoyalPlum76SS]

Yep 100% you need to drill out the staked pin. Your current rack should have had one! 

Once you've drilled it all out with the correct size drill, just give the lock nut a quick tap to unlock and the tierod will just wind off easily. If it doesn't you may have left some shards of metal in the drilled hole which will need to be picked out.

If you go to change the tie rods, be careful who you order them from. Last time I looked (fairly recently) both Rares and Resto list the same tie rod for both LX and UC which is incorrect as they are of differing lengths in reality. The UC rack body is slightly longer than the LX but has slightly shorter tie rods, which ends up making them both the same overall length from tip to tip. Have a look at 'Ultimate power steering' for the correct tie rods.

Cheers, John

[neglectedtorana]

Thanks for the replies,

I did find some places had the same ones listed others said they were different.

[I'm a Red Motor fiend]

Later racks dont have a pin. They are staked only.

[neglectedtorana]

I changed the bushing and am reassembling.

When I do up the original inner tie-rod the lock nut half hole won't line up with the tie-rod half hole if the lock nut is tight. I have to back off the lock nut to line it up.

Is it ok have the lock nut backed off then put a new roll pin in?

 

When the lock nut is tight

 

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Lock nut backed off to align the half holes to become one

 

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[neglectedtorana]

I have one other option.

I purchased some new inner tie-rods but they are a different design and do up differently. They have a fixed ball joint so the tension doesn't have to be set and will do up against the end of the rack and then I could tighten the lock nut against the tie-rod.

 

It looks like it would be a good system as the tie-rod is tight against the end of the rack then gets the lock nut as extra security.

 

Anyone seen these before?

Good idea?

I got them from a good local parts shop that mostly deal with trade, not from Repco/Supercheap.

 

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[neglectedtorana]

Looks like the same part I purchased

 

Holden Torana UC Series Rack End to fit Solid Mount Rack Cast No 9940277 (4/78 – 12/80)

[76lxhatch]

I believe you're supposed to drill a new hole with the locknut done up. Quite possible you could stake it or use thread locker for a satisfactory alternative, bearing in mind what happens if it ever needs servicing again.

 

The non-serviceable ones are fine too as long as they last more than 10 minutes and don't move the position of the joint too far (bump steer).

[RoyalPlum76SS]

Later racks dont have a pin. They are staked only.

As in which later rack? I have 6 racks here atm, an early and late LX plus 4 UC racks with dates spanning the years they were made.

All, apart from the early LX rack, are in original condition and have the 'pinned' style tie rods.

 

Neglected, you could mark on the lock nut where the pin needs to be (in the fully tightened position) then disassemble and grind/drill a new hole for the pin to locate in.

[I'm a Red Motor fiend]

As in which later rack? I have 6 racks here atm, an early and late LX plus 4 UC racks with dates spanning the years they were made.
All, apart from the early LX rack, are in original condition and have the 'pinned' style tie rods.
 
Neglected, you could mark on the lock nut where the pin needs to be (in the fully tightened position) then disassemble and grind/drill a new hole for the pin to locate in.

Never pulled a big torana rack apart. Recently pulled an LJ rack apart and it was staked only.

The below is from an LC/LJ manual.

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[Statler]

Usually the rack end bushing comes with a replacement dowel pin . 

[neglectedtorana]

I ended up using the new rack end, added some loctite and kept the lock nut to add some extra security.

It was quite firm to steer but I think that is the new bush as it was tight to get the rack through.

 

Drives ok without a wheel alignment, seems very direct now so I am guessing my crumbled bush made it feel less direct before.