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Rack Extensions and lock nuts
Krismc - 25/4/09 at 05:21 PM

One of my failure points was that i had No lock nuts on extensions of track rods.

I have locknuts on the rack side of the rod extensions, but none on the track rod end, if i wind the extensions from the track rods and put some lock nuts on will i interfear with the strenght of the ally extensions???

jambojeef - 25/4/09 at 05:36 PM

take some piccies of you using loctite on the rack extensions to TRE bolted part.

He was happy with that when i did it

craig1410 - 25/4/09 at 06:11 PM

Isn't the issue more that without locknuts you might get some play due to tolerances in the threads which could lead to fretting and eventually failure? I'm a big fan of threadlock but I wouldn't use it in this situation in place of a locknut.

I don't mean to sound judgemental and may not have a clear picture of what you are doing but certainly the extensions I fitted to my Escort rack had locknuts and I think this is the correct way to do it.

Cheers,
Craig.

stuart_g - 25/4/09 at 06:21 PM

My steering rack extensions screw all the way into the track rod end. Why can't you do the same?
I think there may well be more than one length of steering rack extension that MNR produce, you may want to speak to them if yours are not long enough to go all the way into the track rod end.

02GF74 - 25/4/09 at 07:54 PM

rough rule of tumb - you need 1.5 times diameter of bolt to be engaged.

presumably you are using ford rack, M14?

that'll mean you need to have 21 mm of thread inside the track rod end.

Krismc - 26/4/09 at 08:00 PM

quote:
take some piccies of you using loctite on the rack extensions to TRE bolted part.

He was happy with that when i did it



I could try that, but not convinced he is happy with loctite between a cast track rod end and a ally extension!!
quote:
Originally posted by stuart_g
My steering rack extensions screw all the way into the track rod end. Why can't you do the same?
I think there may well be more than one length of steering rack extension that MNR produce, you may want to speak to them if yours are not long enough to go all the way into the track rod end.


They do screw in all the way but he said that it could still come loose.

[Edited on 26/4/09 by Krismc]

Krismc - 26/4/09 at 08:01 PM

quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
rough rule of tumb - you need 1.5 times diameter of bolt to be engaged.

presumably you are using ford rack, M14?

that'll mean you need to have 21 mm of thread inside the track rod end.


Cheers thats what i was looking for, thanks mate ill check, if not ill try geoffs idea