Page 1 of 1
Trackrod ends quality and fitting advice please
Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2019 11:40 pm
by rob090881
Hi, I've just been working on the Mrs polo, and noticed both boots for her trackrod ends are knackered.
Ive looked on eurocarparts, and they list 2 makes.....
Starline, which comes to £22 for the pair
Lemforder, which comes to £35 for the pair
Does anyone have any experience with eith one?
Can knackered ones be fitted without a ball joint splitter?
How easy are they to fit without messing up the geometry? Can I measure the centre of the ball joint to end of tracking rod? Or do I need to get it set up again? Was only done a few months ago!
Sent from my F8331 using Tapatalk
Re: Trackrod ends quality and fitting advice please
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:26 pm
by RUM4MO
Original manufacturer of these TREs will be TRW who make the steering system in these cars.
Lemforder is a quality manufacturer of parts so I'd trust them.
No TRE is going to be that easy to swop over without the right tools, TREs can normally be "pop'd" out by removing the retaining nut and taping the hub's steering link at the taper point with 2 hammers - ie what you are trying to do is to "squeeze" the steering link so that it ejects the TRE.
Getting the alignment close enough can be done if you take enough time, but it is always a balance between spending money on getting it checked again or spending that money and maybe more on ending up with needing to replace the front tyres sooner than normal.
Re: Trackrod ends quality and fitting advice please
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 1:32 pm
by rob090881
Thanks for that.
They were my thoughts too [emoji16]
Sent from my F8331 using Tapatalk
Re: Trackrod ends quality and fitting advice please
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 8:37 pm
by bvs
Yeah I would probably go for Lemforder as well.
I have roughly set rod ends in the past by counting the number of turns to unscrew the rod end,and then screwing the new item on the same amount,I did used to take a measurement as well - and of course the 'number of turns' method only works if the replacement rod end is the same dimensions as the old one.
I have a ball joint splitter which I have used successfully in the past,it has a fork on one arm - the other arm bears directly onto the TRE threaded end and as you tighten the adjusting screw it 'pops' the TRE out.
Unfortunately the only way to set them properly is to pay for a proper alignment,sometimes it is cheaper to get a garage to change them if they do the alignment for free within the price,obviously not all garages will do that LOL.