StevieB
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| posted on 21/10/06 at 04:10 PM |
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Steering extentions - sense of humour failure!
I have spent numerous sessions in the garage trying to get my steering sorted so I can drop the car onto wheels:
Bought new steering rods
Bought new TRE's
Found out motor factor supplied the wrong rods (50/50 chance of getting it right, told him the ones I wanted and he still got the wrong ones 
)
To get round this, I took the extentions to MK and got them to shoprten them and re-tap so the threads would be deep enough (took a while to get them
back, but got them today)
I've now found that the threads inside the extentions are bad, so I have possibly ruined a steering rod by flattenting the thread, still
can't get my extentions on and won't get the car on wheels for god knows how long now.
I'm a broken man 
Is there anything I can do (cut the rods and weld a piece in?). I'll speak to MK, but don't want to keep going back as it costs me too
much in fuel to keep making the journey too often.
[Edited on 21/10/06 by StevieB]
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JoelP
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| posted on 21/10/06 at 04:16 PM |
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its easy to extend them by welding an extension in, as a temporary measure to get the car on its wheels, but you wont pass SVA or MOT with welded
steering arms. However, you could be canny and hide the weld under the rubbers. Make sure you can weld it right though! 
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StevieB
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| posted on 21/10/06 at 04:22 PM |
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I can't weld - so probably not the best way to start learning!
I'll have to find someone with a lathe/milling machine to make some new ones. Or, maybe I can salvage the thread in the extentions I've
got.
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pathfinder
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| posted on 21/10/06 at 04:30 PM |
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Extending the steering rods is next on my jobs list, any idea what the thread is and how long the extensions should be? If I’ve got the tap/die and
the dimensions I will knock you a set up when I make mine!!!
[Edited on 21/10/06 by pathfinder]
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pewe
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| posted on 21/10/06 at 04:38 PM |
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See my post in Chassis on Longer track rod ends 16/10/6. About to order some longer ones (100mm ball to tube end, female coarse thread to fit Escort
Mk2 rack). If these suit U2U me by Monday latest as I'm about to place the order. Cheers, Pewe
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stevec
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| posted on 21/10/06 at 04:46 PM |
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If the need is just to get the car on its wheels on the floor then just do the rodends later.
You can still get at them.
Steve.
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StevieB
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| posted on 21/10/06 at 05:37 PM |
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Managed to sort it (after plenty of sweating, swearing and 2 hacksaw blades!).
It would seem that the thread was damaged at the end of each rod, so I removed 10mm from the end of each one and it fit a lot better (not perfect, but
fitted nevertheless - and certainly won't be coming undone!).
The shameful part is that I got MK to shorten their extentions by 1 inch and I should have got them to do it just a little more. From line of eye
only, it looks like the minnimum setting is at 0 degrees(ish). Would have been better if the shortest setting was slightly toe in, to give a better
range of adjustment. Will wait until I've got a better measure of it before having any more adjustment made.
So - here's to the first time on wheels by next weekend!
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