I've managed to get the ball joint from the hub despite the thread spinning with the nut, grr! But now i can't shift the rod from the bar. I'm using a 21mm spanner on the rod and 13mm spanner on the bar...i could do with more leverage and will try and think of something. I'm spraying wd40 but in truth there's nowhere for it to get into, and i'm heating the rod end with a blow torch. I got fed up and come indoors but if anyone's got a magical piece of info...or a wand i can borrow and i'll try again another time!?
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Any advice on removing tie rod ends?
Ok so is it the 21 mm nut that stuck or is it the track rod arm thats seized? I had the track rod end seized in the track rod so i go a big pair of stillson's on the arm and gave it a yank, took it completely out cleaned it up then put it back in with some coper slip, never had an issue since.
I would advise against heating anything as it weakens components so if you fail to remove it with a bit of force and a small amount of heat on just the nut then i would suggest looking into buying both track rod and end.
I would advise against heating anything as it weakens components so if you fail to remove it with a bit of force and a small amount of heat on just the nut then i would suggest looking into buying both track rod and end.
- Thread starter
- #3
aaah they're both seized...i think the end has rusted on to the nut and the bar. I've got a big pair of molegrips on the end with a 2foot bar on the handle, a 30cm long adjustable on the nut, heated the nut with the torch and put as much force as i could muster which resulted in the grips slipping.
Do I have to buy the complete steering rack do you know or is there a join underneath the rubber boot?
Cheers for your help
dave.
Do I have to buy the complete steering rack do you know or is there a join underneath the rubber boot?
Cheers for your help
dave.
There's a joint under the boot cover with i think a 36mm but its a bit of a pig to get to, you may end up undoing the rack and moving it into an area to get on the join there not that tight normally but then again this is a renault.
Its only track rod and track rod ends you will need, you should be able to save the boots by cutting the old arms in half, and if you already have the track rod ends then your half way there, the track rods from renault only im afraid on the Trophy, check these come with new clips for the boot.
Im surprised that heat wont get the 21mm nut undone, i had mine the other way round the, the nut came undone fine it was the track rod seized in the track rod end. You are going in the right direction with it in not doing the nut up? Also a tip is to leave the track rod ball joint attached to the hub so you only have to lever the nut, i guess the suspension is still away so that tip wont work.
Another option is to just heat the nut till it glows red hot then try and move it just let the heat do the work you can heat the track rod end a bit between the joint but dont go too mad with it as iv seen people who heated these and fitted new end then half way down the road they break in half.
If you can get hold of a big stillson wrench and put it either on the nut or on the track rod in the direction of undoing the thread then give it a big pull that should do it either that or break it as a stillson wrench tightens up as you pull them.
Its only track rod and track rod ends you will need, you should be able to save the boots by cutting the old arms in half, and if you already have the track rod ends then your half way there, the track rods from renault only im afraid on the Trophy, check these come with new clips for the boot.
Im surprised that heat wont get the 21mm nut undone, i had mine the other way round the, the nut came undone fine it was the track rod seized in the track rod end. You are going in the right direction with it in not doing the nut up? Also a tip is to leave the track rod ball joint attached to the hub so you only have to lever the nut, i guess the suspension is still away so that tip wont work.
Another option is to just heat the nut till it glows red hot then try and move it just let the heat do the work you can heat the track rod end a bit between the joint but dont go too mad with it as iv seen people who heated these and fitted new end then half way down the road they break in half.
If you can get hold of a big stillson wrench and put it either on the nut or on the track rod in the direction of undoing the thread then give it a big pull that should do it either that or break it as a stillson wrench tightens up as you pull them.
- Thread starter
- #5
Okay mate thanks for that, i'm taking a trip to renault this morning to pick up a previous order so i'll enquire about rods. He wanted me to take the old end in to match it up...a cock up with the system not knowing which end is which part number, so i haven't bought them yet.
lol yeah i did think this half way though so i studied the direction of the thread and worked out that the nut needs to go clockwise to turn it away from the end and up the rod, and the end has to go anti clock to turn it off the rod if that makes sense?!
Yeah, leaving it attached would help, but the hub is all floppy anyway lol.
oh lovely, so is a stillson the plumbers wrench and they all have this capability of tightening themselves when undoing? I'll get a big bugger and have another go...don't fancy removing the rack and buggering about with replacing the rods
lol yeah i did think this half way though so i studied the direction of the thread and worked out that the nut needs to go clockwise to turn it away from the end and up the rod, and the end has to go anti clock to turn it off the rod if that makes sense?!
Yeah, leaving it attached would help, but the hub is all floppy anyway lol.
oh lovely, so is a stillson the plumbers wrench and they all have this capability of tightening themselves when undoing? I'll get a big bugger and have another go...don't fancy removing the rack and buggering about with replacing the rods
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Where abouts do you live?
I've done a few of these at work and they can be a little tough, but once you've got the hang of it they get easier!
If you're local I could come give it a go
I've done a few of these at work and they can be a little tough, but once you've got the hang of it they get easier!
If you're local I could come give it a go
- Thread starter
- #7
cheers fella, well a mate came round today and we got one side all off easily. But still can't shift the passenger side. The nut is slack but the end is just stuck fast. We've mullered the 13mm spanner section of the rod trying to force it off, used heat, wd40, big bars on the end of stellisons...won't move.
So i've managed to disconnect the steering rack and shift it so i can get a spanner on the nut at the inside of the joint where the rod meets the rack. I'll double check but think it's 32mm and it's up tight. I've tried to shift it with adjustables but will need the right size spanner to get it off so that has stopped work till i get one. This really is turning into a right b'stad of a job. The wind and rain today was not helping! Once i get the spanner i'll find a way of wedging the rack so it won't turn then applying force to the spanner. I really hope it comes undone or i really don't know what i'm going to do!
So i've managed to disconnect the steering rack and shift it so i can get a spanner on the nut at the inside of the joint where the rod meets the rack. I'll double check but think it's 32mm and it's up tight. I've tried to shift it with adjustables but will need the right size spanner to get it off so that has stopped work till i get one. This really is turning into a right b'stad of a job. The wind and rain today was not helping! Once i get the spanner i'll find a way of wedging the rack so it won't turn then applying force to the spanner. I really hope it comes undone or i really don't know what i'm going to do!
Your be fine with the track rod removal there not too tight there is a trick if you have some good grips and are replacing the lot then get the grips on the joint on the track rod not on the 32mm spanner area and just turn it anti-clockwise usually, that should do it fine.
At least your half way there, my 13mm area was like chocolate didn't last very well hence why i use the stillsons in that 13mm area and since then its been fine after removing cleaning and refitting after a bit of copper slip.
At least your half way there, my 13mm area was like chocolate didn't last very well hence why i use the stillsons in that 13mm area and since then its been fine after removing cleaning and refitting after a bit of copper slip.
- Thread starter
- #9
PHEW! At last it's off! Bought a MASSIVE 33mm spanner from Halfords today, used a lever to wedge the steering rack in place, then applied some force and it snapped free. The nut is actually 32mm but there's a plastic disc that stops a normal sized spanner from fitting the nut, so i had to chip away at the plastic, then hammer the spanner on. The plastic filled the gap around the nut and allowed me to remove it. I'm buying a 32mm viscous fan spanner to tighten the new one on. Off to Renault tomorrow to order a new track rod! Cheers for all your help buddy, much app. Maybe someone will read this thread after searching in future, i'm sure it'll help them.